The ultimate guide to healthy travel is broken down into four sections: how to keep from getting sick while traveling, how to eat healthy while traveling (and what kind of healthy travel snacks to buy, and how to incorporate exercise into your travel or at your hotel.

Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

No one likes to think about it — you’re finally enjoying your vacation, but suddenly sickness strikes. Couple that with being in a foreign place, and your trip could turn stressful fast.

Don’t panic! Illness doesn’t have to ruin a great time. Here are some tips for staying healthy while traveling.

  1. Research Your Destination

    Depending on your upcoming locale, you might need to take certain precautions. Check the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of State Travel to learn more about international medical care, as well as helpful health-related dos and don’ts. Stay informed about current outbreaks or water contamination issues at your destination. Sure, no one likes needles, but you might need immunizations before you jet. See your primary-care physician before your travels. You’ll be happy you did.

  2. Pack Medications

    Sure, you’ll need to figure out which dresses and pairs of shoes you’ll want to pack, but you have to worry about some other suitcase essentials. Namely, don’t skimp on the medications. Bring a healthy stash of your prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to combat everything from cuts and allergies to motion sickness or heartburn. Some medicines considered commonplace in the U.S. aren’t as easily accessible abroad. Take in the scenery … and don’t worry about the ragweed.

  3. Imbibe and Indulge Modestly

    Of course, a little more vino sounds like a marvelous idea! You’re on vacation, after all. But don’t overdo it — and guzzle some water while you’re at it. Drinking plenty of liquids is one of the most basic ways to stave away illness. Besides, overindulgence can have some nasty effects. No one wants to deal with an angry stomach, poor sleep or mood swings while they’re trying to catch up on some much-needed R&R. Unwind – don’t unravel.

  4. Get Some Shut-Eye

    The excitement of getting to a new place can be difficult to sleep. But as much as you might want to take in all the historic sites and shopping hotspots, you can’t allow the stress of traveling to take its toll. Give your body a break and let it rest. Fight that jet lag with some good, old-fashioned sleep the first night of your trip. Your body and your mind will thank you.

  5. Protect Yourself On Flights

    There’s nothing worse than being sick on vacation – especially if you were fine before you got on the plane! From sneezy seatmates to germy surfaces, here are some important tips to help you protect yourself in-flight:

    1. Seat pockets, tray tables, pillow and blankets, the airplane bathroom, even the air are all dirtier than you want to know. So pack hand sanitizer – 3 oz. or less – in your carry-on bag to avoid spreading the ick.
    2. Flying makes you 20% more likely to catch the common cold. Beat the odds by loading up on Vitamin C and B-complex vitamins before, during, and after your flight with oranges, grapefruit, and leafy greens – and add vitamin-boosting drink packets like EmergenC to your water.
    3. Speaking of water, avoid what comes out of the plane’s water dispenser. Ask for bottled water, or bring your own filtration bottle.
    4. But don’t just avoid water… Dehydration is one of the biggest health concerns when flying. On the ground, normal humidity is between 20 and 50%, but in flight, it can be as low as 1%, leading to rapid dehydration which often goes unnoticed before it’s too late. To combat it, avoid alcohol, soda, and caffeine in the hours before your flight, drink 8 ounces of water every hour you’re in the air, and choose fruits and veggies over salty snacks.
    5. Do lots of stretching and walking in the aisle (when the seatbelt sign is off) to keep your circulation flowing. You may feel silly, but it’s better than a blood clot!

A little planning and prevention will go a long way toward ensuring you’re in tip-top shape to take advantage of every precious day of your trip! Got any healthy travel tips we missed? Share them in the comments!

 

Finding Healthy Food While Traveling

Finally! A vacation! But along with the excitement of traveling comes a feeling of worry. Vacations can be used as an excuse to overindulge; will you be able to maintain healthy eating habits while traveling? Here are some tips to help you along the way.

On the Road/Flight

While we’re on the road (or flying), it can seem difficult to find anything that’s healthy. But even gas stations usually have healthier snacks to offer. Look for dried fruit as an alternative to candy, and nuts as an alternative to overly salted chips. It also doesn’t take much time to pack a snack bag before you head out. Drink water as much as possible, but when you just need something besides water, consider iced teas or sparkling water beverages as a cold drink instead of soda, and if you need the caffeine boost of a hot coffee, use honey as a sweetener rather than sugar.

In Restaurants

One of the most important things to keep in mind while eating in restaurants, whether on the road, or once you’ve reached your destination, is portion control. Many establishments offer smaller portion options for both entrees and desserts. If you’re going to add a salad to your meal, or have a salad as your meal, use oil and vinegar based dressings instead of cream based dressings as oil and vinegar dressings are lower in fat and calories. If you just need your ranch dressing, ask for it on the side and dress each bite as opposed to pouring the serving over the entire salad.

In fast food style restaurants, don’t buy the pre-made combos out of habit. Consider creating your own combo meal with your choice of entree, a side salad, and water. If you simply can’t resist those delicious fries, don’t be tempted to upgrade your combo to a larger option even if it seems like too good a deal to pass up. You may save a little money now, but you’ll end up paying for it later.

You Have Reached Your Destination

Once you’ve reached your destination all bets are off, right? They don’t have to be. After you’ve checked into your accommodations, make your first stop the local grocery store where you can purchase things like fruits, veggies, nuts and non-sugary drinks to have on hand so you can avoid the snack machines.

Don’t tell yourself you’re not allowed to have any of the “fun” things. Instead, be resolved to take the smaller portions. Getting ice cream? Make it one scoop instead of two. Visiting a local chocolate shop? Set a limit on how much you’re going to buy before going in, and buy individual pieces. Going out for drinks later? Set a limit before getting there and drink water after you finish each alcoholic beverage.

Making small changes usually have longer lasting success rather than trying to change everything at once. Developing healthy eating habits while traveling can be the first small change that puts you on the road to a healthier life.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time preparing healthy travel foods for your travels. When it comes to snacks there is nothing better than indulging in foods we know aren’t good for us, but there are healthier methods of snacking when you are traveling. Below is a list of healthy, wholesome snacks that are perfect to take with you on the go.

8) Trader Joe’s Sesame Honey Almonds

Trader Joe’s sell some great products that are generally low-cost and healthier than products sold at major grocers. Almonds contain naturally healthy fats and fiber to keep you feeling full. If there isn’t a Trader Joe’s near you, order a pack of almonds on Amazon.

7) Sugar Snap Peas

These peas in a pod are actually quite tasty if you’re looking for a crunchy snack on-the-go without the nasty ingredients often found in crunchy snacks. Sugar snap peas are commonly found in most grocery markets and are low in calories. Pack a few with snack bags on your trip so you will always have it with you when hunger hits.

6) GoMacro Organic Granola Bars

Granola bars are often advertised as healthy by large industries, but big brands will stuff these bars with many chemicals we’ve never heard of. Look at the ingredients of granola bars and see for yourself. For an organic alternative, we recommend GoMacro organic granola bars. These bars are worth the money and you could purchase different flavors on Amazon.

5) Apples

Apples are a great choice for traveling because it is a hard fruit that can take a travel beating. A medium apple is only 95 calories and contains 4.5g of fiber that will help your digestive system especially when you’re exploring new foods on your trip.

4) Nuts.com Organic Trail Mix

Trail mix products made by major manufacturers contain less chemicals than granola bars, but we really enjoy Nuts.com’s organic trail mix. All the ingredients are organic and you can taste the difference between Nuts.com and a store bought brand. Their site has many other organic products too if you’re looking for more.

3) Republic of Tea Green Tea

Instead of drinking a soda or a beverage other than water, consider green tea as an alternative. Green tea has small amounts of natural caffeine and is light enough to be consumed without sugar. Also, green tea can help suppress your appetite and provide antioxidants that makes it an ideal beverage to drink when you need a break from travel food indulgence. Republic of Tea makes high-quality green tea that come in 50-count bags on their site.

2) Clementines

If you have sugar cravings then these cute little oranges will help calm it down the healthy way. Clementines are small, portable, and easy to peel making them a great addition to your travel pack of healthy snacks. They’re juicy, full of vitamin C, and natural fructose sugar to calm your cravings.

1) Nature’s Path Organic Oatmeal

Oatmeal may not be the ideal snack, but it is definitely the best choice to have when you are seeking a snack in between major meals. Instead of buying any snack you could get your hands on, this organic oatmeal comes in small packets ideal for traveling. All you need is hot water to enjoy a healthy, yet delicious snack before your next travel food adventure. Get them here on Amazon.
Healthy travel snacks are easy as long as you prepare ahead of time and are aware of what you should and should not consume. What are some of your healthy travel snacking recipes or ideas?

How To Incorporate Exercise Into Your Travel

Traveling often leads to eating out and indulging in the local food, while paying less attention to your overall health. Exercising while traveling is often neglected because of the lack of equipment or resources that we are accustomed to at home. Staying active while traveling doesn’t have to be difficult, nor should it take much time. Here are 6 simple tips to keep you active while away from home.
  1. Use the Stairs
    • Anytime you encounter an elevator or escalator try to find the stairs and use that instead.
  2. Walk As Often as You Can
    • If you need to get somewhere and can get there reasonably safe and timely then consider walking. If you absolutely need a lift to get to places then at least walk for a bit towards your destination before getting picked up.
  3. Stretch In the Morning
    • Staying active doesn’t mean you have to do strenuous physical activities. Something as simple as stretching your body for a good 30 minutes when you wake up will provide you the natural energy to begin your day.
  4. Workout Videos
    • If you have access to the Internet you will find an abundance of workout videos you could follow along to in your living space. Whether it’s yoga or some intense workouts, you can be certain to find a workout video that suits your needs.
  5. Body Workouts
    • Not having Internet access for exercise videos shouldn’t be an excuse for not staying active. Your own body can easily be used to keep active whenever and wherever you are. Create a simple workout consisting of jumping jacks, pushups, squats, or any workout you’d prefer. Body workouts are intense and effective, which means less than 30 minutes is all you need to get your heart rate up and calories down.
  6. The Great Outdoors
    • Load up your phone with your favorite podcasts and go to the nearest park for a light jog. If you are strapped on time then at least go for a brisk walk while doing light work on your phone.

It’s easy to find excuses for not staying active while traveling, but as you can see from this list it doesn’t take much time or resources to do something physically good for your body. Just set goals for yourself to do 30 minutes of daily stretching, cardio, or body workouts. By following your regimen you can enjoy eating all the great good traveling offers without too much guilt.

Do you have any tips to share on how to stay active while traveling?