Travel Wellness Short Cuts

Are you leaving on a jet plane? 

A long car ride counts too, or that awesome trip by train from NYC to Seattle that one of my pilates clients took recently. 

Being away from home means not only being away from all your little remedies and fixes you keep on hand, but also your regular route of health food stores, drug stores, and well-supplied grocery stores, and this can lead to lots of discomfort on your trip. 

Let me share some of my favorite short cuts for staying comfortable when I'm away from home. (The products I talk about here are linked to my Amazon affiliate site.) 

First, hydration. This is a BIG biggie for me, especially when I fly. I buy the biggest water I can find in the airport, then try to time my drinking it to suit when bathrooms are available. Drink a bunch right away, well before boarding, and as much as I can when I know we'll be landing. Then I have a big bottle to refill when I find a filling station, such as at my hotel. 

On the plane, my absolute number one tip is this: ask for hot tea. The warm water and steam make such a difference, it's amazing. This little trick has become my standard "All's well" ritual, which looks funny to people who know me because as a rule I'm not a black tea or even a caffeine person. No matter, travel makes everything different. 

You can bring rehydration salts with you to add to your water. I like the Hibiscus Ginger Coconut Water powder by Pure Planet. Sometimes water alone isn't enough to replenish you, particularly when you are changing environments rapidly like you do between airports. 

Second, tummy trouble can also happen any time. I always travel with a Chamomile tea bag, because while it's not my favorite flavor, when my digestion needs help this is where I turn. Chamomile helps move digestion along, and it is also relaxing to your whole lower abdomen, which helps with cramping or tension.  

Also always on me somewhere is a couple Honey Ginger Crystals packets. These little beauties dissolve in hot or cold water, and make a yummy, quick fix if I'm a little nauseous or when I get cold. Plus, Ginger really helps circulation so sipping some on long stretches when you can't get up and move can help things from getting too stagnant. 

Peppermint relaxes smooth muscle and cools things down, so it can help move along a poor food choice and quell nausea. In a pinch, York Peppermint Patties are made with real Peppermint oil so they're a fine choice when you're uncomfortable. When I'm planning a car trip I bring a box of organic peppermint patties along, though I've found they don't ever hold up well when flying!

Third, stress is a huge deal when you're in unfamiliar territories without your usual routine. I have 2 go-to's for this. The first is Magnesium. (Anyone who's heard me give a talk knows I couldn't NOT slip Magnesium into this! Magnesium is your friend.) I like Calm powder, to add to drinks, because then I can dilute it as much or as little as I like. The individual packets travel well, but be prepared because they usually make a white powdery mess which will fizz in contact with water- not the best look!

My other favorite stress-buster is a Lavender perfume roller from a local Lavender farm. Not everyone likes Lavender, so pick your own favorite. A familiar scent can be as comforting as the helpful quality of the oils it is made with. I don't favor straight essential oils, and their tiny bottles are easy to damage in travel. So the little roller goes with me all the time. Plus, Lavender has the added benefit of being good for burns, and I've used my perfume on a hot coffee spill.

​Have a good trip!

Ahhh, vacation