Hello beautiful people of the internet! travel is something most of us do at least a few times a year. i recently flew to aruba for spring break, but this did not mean sacrificing my health and well-being during this time. these tips enabled me to stay healthy and feel good during my adventures. i hope these tips help you in some ways, especially if you’re jetting off anywhere soon!
Without further ado, this is the advice I found most useful as I was on the plane to Aruba, while I was there, and coming home.
when you’re getting on the plane
- Get up every 30 minutes, stretch your legs and walk around
- Drink tons of water because traveling dehydrates you. I recommend bringing a big water bottle with you (just make sure it is empty before security of course) This way, you can continue to fill it up and not have to keep purchasing expensive bottles at the airport
- Take a nap if you can. Bring an eye-mask, and use White Noise or earplugs (SimplyNoise is a fantastic app for the computer, and WhiteNoise is the best for Iphone)
- Stretch your head and neck often
- Try to avoid that TV and read or journal instead
- Spritz your face with some rose water, Mother Dirt spray, or use a natural airplane face mask. Body dehydration=skin dehydration
- Use NUUN electrolyte tablets or pure coconut water for more intense re-hydration
- Do yoga before getting on the plane to stretch
when you get there
- Get off that plane and get out in the sunshine as soon as you can. Obviously this is not always possible due to customs and waiting for your baggage, but ideally within forty five minutes, you can have some sun hitting your skin
- Ground yourself. This may sound weird, but I heard it from Ben Greenfield and I really love this advice. Take off your shoes and sink your feet into the ground in the new location. This will help you feel grounded in the new location (grounding is so, so important for health. Click here to read more)
- If you’re somewhere tropical, jump in the ocean! Doing so will wake up every cell in your body, and that salt-water is incredibly healing. Try to go on a swim (even better!)
- Continue to focus on hydration
- Try to get in a short workout…whatever that looks like you. Yes, you are probably tired and it is the last thing you want to do, but since you just sat on a plane for X number of hours, it is important to move the body and awaken the stiff joints. Go on a short jog, do a yoga sequence, try a quick HIIT routine, or simply take a walk and grow accustomed to the new surroundings
when you go home
- Make sleep a priority. You’re sleeping schedule may be off due to time changes/ light changes, and so on, so get to bed earlier and let yourself sleep in the next morning
- Take a long steam or shower, with dry-brushing to stimulate the lymphatic system and assist detoxification
- Flood your body with highly nutrient dense foods…think fresh pressed juices, green smoothies, leafy greens, wild-caught fish and pasture eggs with healthy fats like avocado, olive oil or ghee
- Participate in a ritual you enjoy doing while you are home…maybe that’s getting your nails painted, going to Pilates, meeting up with a friend, whatever it may be. This will help you cope with “post-vacation blues” which are incredibly common, particularly when you return to a cold climate after being in a very warm one
Let me know what you think!