
Whether you travel for business or pleasure, hitting the road can be a welcome reprieve from the repetition of everyday life. When visiting a new city, you get a chance to hit the reset button and enjoy new experiences. But traveling can also disrupt your normal routine and impact your mind and body. In addition to cringe-worthy germ exposure (did you know that airport security trays carry more germs than toilets and that the TV remote and light switches in your hotel room are the biggest offenders for bacteria?), you’re at the mercy of processed meals, sugary snacks, interrupted sleep and an erratic schedule.
To keep yourself on track, be mindful about what you pack. By filling your suitcase with a few key items, including portable exercise equipment and superfoods — you can nourish your body and sustain your healthy habits anywhere.
Hydrate With a Reusable Water Bottle
Proper hydration on a typical day is vital to your well-being, but it becomes even more important during travel, when you’re distracted and away from the conveniences of home. Flying can leave you dehydrated because planes tend to have low humidity levels. And if you’re busy with meetings or activities, it’s easy to forget about drinking enough water. Toting along a reusable bottle makes it easier to stay hydrated, which will increase your energy levels and keep your kidneys happy, and it cuts down on the use of disposable plastic bottles.
Fuel Up With Quality Eats
It’s fine to occasionally order room service or hit the buffet, but when you hit the road, the most convenient options tend to be salty, processed, sugar-bombs. Rather than grab the nearest to-go snack, think ahead and pack wholesome options. Fruits, nuts, seeds and broth are clean, nutritious choices that fit neatly into your travel bag. And before you ask: No, you don’t need to bring a flask of broth to the airport; just add 8 ounces of hot water to a single-serve sachet of Om Mushroom’s Beef Bone Broth or Mighty Veggie Miso Broth and applaud yourself for avoiding the cellophane-wrapped sodium traps in the gift shop.
Support Immunity With Superfood Supplements
Several aspects of traveling — including alcohol consumption, insufficient sleep and an incomplete range of foods — can negatively affect your gut health. And since gut health supports your immune system, you want to offset those offenses as much as possible. Enter mushroom superfoods: nutrient-dense powerhouse functional mushrooms that support immune function, vitality, brain health and more with their array of powerful polysaccharides and bioactive plant compounds. Depending on your hotel or AirbNb situation, you may have trouble accessing a variety of superfoods, so your best bet is to take drink sticks of these nutritional rock stars, which are easy, convenient and delicious, or bring along capsules to take on the go. Try skipping the hotel room coffee maker and upgrade your breakfast with a single-serve sachet of mushroom matcha latte, Coffee Latte or creamy mushroom Hot Chocolate. All you do is add hot water and enjoy!
Work Out With Portable Equipment
Travel workouts don’t need to be long or intense to be effective. Resistance bands make the perfect companion. They can be used anywhere, take up very little suitcase space and their versatility allows you to target both the upper and lower body. Try a full-body circuit and hit your biceps, triceps, glutes, thighs and abs. Another easy option to sneak in some exercise: jump rope. A quick burst of high-intensity cardio will spike your heart rate and improve your balance, strength and agility.
Stretch Out With A Yoga Mat
Taking a trip puts stress on you (mentally and physically), so be sure to recharge and squeeze in a bit of “me time” with some simple stretches. Your body builds up tension after sitting through a flight or a long drive and then dragging a suitcase around, and your mind needs a reset. Yoga may reduce stress, soothe the physical strain and help you remain in the moment — something the chaos of traveling often doesn’t allow. Grab your yoga mat and take a few minutes to appreciate where you are.
With the right items and the right mindset you can stick to your normal routine when traveling. Just prepare a checklist and check it twice because a bit of mindfulness will keep you feeling your best!
Kimberly Tronic is an author, copywriter and content creator. She enjoys coffee, cleaning her apartment, cats, more coffee, and nibbling on pencils.
References:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/world/europe/airport-security-trays-virus.html
- https://time.com/5135121/dirty-hotel-rooms-germs/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/better/diet-fitness/down-low-h20-n760721
- https://ommushrooms.com/blogs/blog/how-to-improve-gut-health
- https://ommushrooms.com/blogs/blog/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-these-6-superfood-mushrooms
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733