Healthy Travels

When travelling, it is very easy to fall off your health routine. You don’t have as many healthy options, you want to try new cuisines, you are bored during commute times, the quickest meals are mostly fast food places, alcohol consumption increases and so on. It can be daunting and challenging if you are trying to stay fit. These are some details of what I follow and tips / tricks I have learned along the way.

The following is a list of foods and drinks I have handy while in commute (this means plane, train, bus, car, sight seeing, etc) Side Note: A lot of this I discovered through research, trial and error and my amazing Naturopathic Doctor Meera!

SNACKS/DRINKS

• Nuts and Seeds – Always have a ziplock bag with you so you can refill along the way. For the healthiest grab the unroasted and unsalted ones. I stick to the following pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds.

• Protein bars – These are great especially when on a long plane rides (as I do not usually eat the food), breakfast (with a coffee is great), snack, or after a work out. I opt for the gluten free/ vegan bars that have chocolate or peanut butter flavor – so tasty! Look for anything over 12 g of protein and low sugar. Pea protein, Hemp or Soy are good options for those who are lactose free.

Genuine Health – my favorite for clean ingredients

Vega Bars – my Favorite for that chocolately and chewy taste. Pairs so well with coffee!

• Chia seeds – you can add this to your water and turns into jelly. Good for lining your gut for easier digestion

• Rice crackers or cakes – this helps when you need a quick snack when famished or need as a side since in transit planes and fast food places in airports, etc wont have gluten free options. You can order the burger without the bun and at least have these to accompany it

• Apple,Pear or Banana

• Oatmeal packets – for quick snack or breakfast

• Komboucha – if it meets the budget and you can find it. So great after a heavy meal, drinking the night before, upset stomach, gain energy, etc.

• Local Snack – it is always fun to discover a new local snack, but I always read the label to make sure there is somewhat clean ingredients (as much as possible) and it is gluten and dairy free. I promise I will share tasty ones along our journey !

• Water – LOTS OF IT. Make sure you drink it throughout the day and lots before bed. Best travel water bottle is Camelbak Chute! This is by far the mostly used item while travelling!

Mario and I always save a small spot in our luggage when we travel, I also bring some in my purse for when we are out during the day and Mario puts some in his bag. This avoids getting SUPER hungry before our meal and not choose the fastest (and usually unhealthy option) and keep us going throughout the days. It doesn’t take too much room and is totally worth it! We then replenish along the way (airports tend to be expensive to buy snacks so we usually buy at a local grocery store or convenience store)

VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS

• Vitamin B Complex – so many benefits, it would take me too long to list!
• Magnesium – muscle repair when I do my workouts/runs
• Apple Cider Vinegar – I WAS lugging around a small travel size of this, until I discovered tablets. This aids in digestion or when you have an upset stomach

• Digestive Enzymes – helpful for digestion when eating out often

Flora – Ultimate Digestive Enzyme. I have tried a barrage of digestive enzymes, this is the best one that actually works!

• Fish Oil tablets– great for brain power, skin and hair
• Oil of Oregano – just in case you feel a cold coming on, planes can be the fastest way to catch a cold!
• ***For countries like India, Africa, other where diarrhea can be an issue

Side Note: We use the smallest ziplock bag size to pack above items. So bring enough to last about 1 month if needed. If you are travelling more than a month (like me) once they run out you can replenish at a local health food store or pharmacy. Depending which country you are in, it may be difficult to find a good brand or even find it at all.

ACCOMODATIONS

Air BnBs are a great way to stay healthy while travelling. Since you have a kitchen you can cook a large part of your meals and also save a ton of money while doing it! We also really love going to a local grocery store, it is quite fun! We discover new products and brands, we see how they eat, prices, and it actually reminds of being at home – you know the homey feel . Side Note: This doesn’t mean we don’t go out to enjoy local cuisines, markets or late night eats – we still do all those but not 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner!) Usually 1 meal is eaten out a day and we really look forward to it 😊

Side note: If you are going to the beach for the day or not feeling up to dining out AND spending money, bring a ziplock bag of protein powder (add chia seeds or nuts ), bring it to a restaurant/café and ask them to add it to a smoothie /juice for u. Super fresh, healthy , cooling on a scorching hot day, and affordable (juice/smoothies can be as cheap as $2 in certain countries)

OUR GO-TO GROCERY LIST

When arriving to a new destination we hit a grocery store usually on DAY 1 so we have what we need right away. This avoids getting famished and eating out something that either doesn’t taste good, is expensive or doesn’t sit well. Again, we find this part fun! See list below of our go to grocery list:

• lemons/limes
• avocados
• tomatoes
• carrots
• cucumber
• spinach
• Garlic
• Onion
• Cabbage
• Fresh herb – we usually choose parsley as it goes with almost anything
• Bananas
• 1 type of local fruit /veggie 😊
• Canned beans
• Cheese – I go for goat cheese, halloumi or feta
• Eggs (for Mario)
• A protein (chicken, fish, steak – whichever the country is known for and local)
• milk (I use coconut or almond milk ) good for shakes also!
• yogurt
• Hummus
• Nut butter – pumpkin seed or cashew is what I usually get, but if you are in a foreign country then peanut butter is the most common
• Oatmeal
• Rice cakes
• Granola
• Granola bars
• Local snacks 😊
• **olive oil and vinegar (you may not need this as most air bnb hosts have this in their place for you to use)
• Protein bars and powder *if they have*

I hope you find this handy for your next travel journey, let me know if you have any questions!

-Melly