Healthy Travelling

I have been travelling a lot lately for work, which as I’ve mentioned in this blog before makes it challenging to maintain all of the healthy habits  that are now so much of my daily life.  Not only are my sleeping habits compromised by different time zones but it gets harder to access good quality food too and exercise regularly.  With all of that said, it is super important to maintain a level of wellness whilst travelling, since the stress of moving between time zones can be really hard on the body and it’s systems.

Here are some of the things that I find help me to maintain my health and vitality while I’m travelling.

•  Set your watch to the time of destination (wherever possible) on the day of departure.  If possible wake up earlier to start to adjust to the time zone at your destination.  For example, I’m off to Sydney this week so I want to get to bed earlier (8pm) and wake earlier (5am) to prepare my body for the 3 hour time difference.
• Wherever possible, plan to avoid eating the food provided on the plane.  I eat a large meal before I fly and take a healthy, balanced snack on the plane with me to get me through.  Something like a kefir smoothie is a perfect snack.
• Ensure you take enough water to keep yourself hydrated throughout the flight and source quality water at your destination.
• Work in to ensure that you are reducing cortisol levels in your body.  Practicing some Tai Chi or Zone exercises from How to Eat, Move & Be Healthy will reduce physiological stress on the body and keep you energised throughout the day.
• Try to eat clean organic food wherever possible.  It helps to do a little research prior to leaving to locate a good organic supermarket or café so you can stock up on healthy quality snacks and meals.
• Focus on getting at least 8 hours of quality sleep in a darkened room.  Turn off (at the switch) all electrical appliances in your hotel room to reduce cortisol levels.
• If you can, spend some time in nature, whether it’s a walk along the beach at your destination or even a bare foot walk in the park closest to your hotel a connection to nature helps to soothe and ground you.

I’m lucky enough to travel to Sydney very regularly where I have a network of beloved friends and family who nourish my body with wholesome food and feed my soul with their presence.