Summer has pretty much come to an end, but your travels don’t have to! If you’re a year-round traveler and have trips planned for the fall/winter, you may want to pack these 10 gut health tips with you. After having traveled during various stages of h. pylori, I got into the habit of taking steps to make eating on the road easier and keep my gut in check. Traveling with digestive issues can seem impossible at times. If you’re like me, the mention of a trip may draw a dark, looming cloud of food anxiety over your head. But I’ve come to the realization that your diet shouldn’t be an obstacle preventing you from seeing more of the world! It’s undoubtedly comforting to be at home with your kitchen and have access to anything you need. But, if you plan, prep, and try these 10 tips below, you’ll be jetting off to your next destination worry-free!
- If you’re going on a plane, take food with you. Airplane food is not food, so don’t risk throwing your body off by eating it. Depending on the length of your flight, take enough meals and snacks to hold you over. (Make sure it meets TSA requirements!)
- Choose an Airbnb with a kitchen over a hotel room. Though this may not always be possible depending on your destination, it can be comforting to know that you have a fridge to stock up and a stove to cook on. You don’t necessarily have to be cooking on your trips, I certainly don’t. But, it’s a good back-up plan in case you can’t find something to eat while out on a particular day. It gives you some flexibility and control over your food that a hotel may not. Room service can truly be a toss-up. Also, ever ordered from a food delivery service and received something inedible? This girl has.
- Find a grocery store the first day of the trip and buy your food essentials. I do this whether I stay at an Airbnb or a hotel. You don’t have to go overboard, but make sure to buy the items you know you will need in between your meals out, for a quick breakfast, or late nights. I like to have some essentials like yogurt, fruit, avocados, almond butter, and easy salad items on hand. Usually if you have digestive issues, staying hungry or sleeping on an empty stomach is not very helpful, so this step is crucial!
- Make sure you have a consistent and clean supply of water. Staying hydrated while traveling can be a challenge, but is essential for your digestive health. Always have water where you are staying, as well as a bottle while out. I always stock up on a few gallons of filtered water.
- Take your powder supplements in capsule/packet form. Packing and using powder supplements is way too complicated while traveling. If you use multiple powder-form supplements like I do, you’ve probably experienced this. Since your body is used to taking them on a regular basis, it’s helpful to continue using them while traveling to prevent your stomach from feeling even more confused (considering the shift in food, schedule, and sleep you’ll likely be experiencing). Buy them in the capsule version or to-go packets so you can quickly chug them while running out the door, or a more proven method, on Uber rides. Thank me later.
- Do your research before eating out. There is NOTHING worse than spending a long and tiring day out, going into starvation mode, and then trying to find a restaurant with a menu you can actually order off of. If your day is planned and you know where you will be visiting, find one or two promising restaurants nearby beforehand, instead of panicking while starving and tired. Not. Fun.
- Don’t eat something you’re not sure about. One of the greatest joys of traveling is trying local foods. But, if you have digestive issues, especially h. pylori, it’s just not worth the risk of a flare up that will cause pain and discomfort the following days. Stick to what you know, and maybe when you visit again the next time, you can eat that weird plate of crawling, saucy, spicy stuff.
- Don’t shift too much from your usual diet. Only have one meal per day that deviates *slightly* from the norm. You don’t want to go crazy. If you have a sensitive digestive system that’s used to a certain diet, shocking your body with BBQ for breakfast, sushi for lunch, and an unidentifiable food truck meal for dinner is just not going to help your cause.
- Keep some sneaky snacks in your purse. When traveling, you can never be sure when your next meal will be. It’s a huge help to have some trail mix, granola, fruit, etc. with you to tie you over while you’re out and about becoming a new person.
- Get yourself some probiotics. Balanced gut flora is incredibly important for digestive health, especially while traveling. Making sure you’re supplying your body with good bacteria regularly through fermented foods, cultured yogurt products, and supplements is critical. Probiotics act as a defense against germy airports, public places, and a shift in diet. Whether traveling or not, get probiotics! These are my favorite ones that I take every day!
Hope these 10 tips help you hit the road and travel gut strong!
