After spending 4 weeks in Europe recently, I tried my best to make healthy choices where possible. Here are some of the tips I found to be the most helpful along the way:
Water
Traveling without a water bottle can lead you into the trap of having to constantly buy plastic water bottles. This has not only a significant environmental impact but plastic water bottles contain BPA (bisphenol A) among other harmful chemicals. These chemicals act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and wreak havoc on your hormones.
The best thing I did whilst traveling was investing in a stainless-steel filter water bottle. It cost around $50 but it meant not having to buy plastic bottles and it could be refilled using tap water wherever I went. A worthy investment!
Walk as much as you can
One of the greatest pleasures of traveling is wandering the streets of a new city. By choosing walking as your preferred mode of transport, you ensure you get plenty of exercise in and as a bonus, you get to see far more of the city than if you were to drive or catch an Uber. Those extra steps help to prevent weight gain from all the extra delicious food you are trying.
Sleep
Sleep is still important, even though you are on holiday. Prioritize getting around 8 hours of sleep each night and aim to be in bed by 10pm as much as possible because the sleep you get before 1am is the most valuable sleep for restoration and keeping your immune system strong. As you will be sleeping in a foreign environment, bring along an eye mask and some earplugs to ensure you are able to get restful sleep no matter where you are.
Pack healthy snacks
Ensure you have healthy, protein-based and low sugar snacks on hand to prevent low blood sugar levels on your days of activities. This keeps the kids tantrum-free and will help prevent any arguments with your partner. Everyone is happier when their blood sugar levels are stable. Great options include nut bars, nuts & seeds or protein balls.
Seek out the health food stores in the local area
If you have certain dietary requirements, like being gluten or dairy-free, then your options may be limited in the general food stores- depending on which country you are in. I always google the local health food stores to stock up on snacks and ingredients for cooking.
Take your own food on the plane
Let’s be honest, plane food is more often than not, unappealing. It is also usually packed with sugar, salt and processed ingredients. Pack your own food where you can to avoid plane food when possible.
Cook homemade meals where you can
If you are staying in an Airbnb or accommodation that has a kitchen then choose to make some homemade meals where you can. Of course, eating out is part of the experience of traveling but not only is that expensive, but you’ll never feel great eating out 3 times a day. Breakfast at home is a good way to ensure you start the day off on a healthy note, with stable blood sugar levels. We have plenty of breakfast options in the recipe section of our website.
Support your immune system
Whether you are going to Bali and want to avoid Bali belly, or are going on an extended holiday to Europe, unfortunately, traveling can put you at risk of catching all sorts of nasty bugs. Our naturopaths can help you prepare your immune system before you go away and equip you with tools to take to give yourself the best chance of fighting off any travel bugs. Depending on what is right for you, this might be a specific probiotic, immune herbs or specific immune-boosting nutrients.
