Good Habits On The Go: Staying Healthy While Travelling

A life well travelled is a life well lived. Some travel for fun, some for work, some to run away from the monotony of life but irrespective of the reason, you do arrive. Arriving fresh is a bit of an art and therefore can be perfected with practice. A lot of my clients are passionate and ardent travellers, many even get photographed on arrival at the airports by the paparazzi. So here are the top 8 secrets of travelling like you were born for it.

1. Eat a wholesome meal before flight – irrespective of whether you are going home or away, eat a wholesome meal before you board the flight. Sandwich, rice & lentils, yogurt and berries are a few good options, depending on where you are.

2. Drink up – but not the booze. Flights are dehydrating and the last thing you want is to do something that further dehydrates you. So not just booze, say no to the colas and packaged juices too.

3. Go slow – especially at the speed with which you chomp down your food. You are dehydrated and that is going to slow down your digestion. Eating less than usual, but taking double the time to do so is the best way to prevent digestion problems. It takes time to learn how to eat slow but there’s a flat stomach, smooth motions and glowing face at the end of it.

4. Walk – and ditch the escalators and lifts on landing. Not only will you win some envious stares but your legs will thank you in the time to come. Sitting for long hours whether in business, economy or premium economy, is dreadful for the legs. A saggy lower body is a giveaway of age, so work it the minute you land.

5. Help your gut – Before you take a cab or train from the airport, pick up a yogurt, kefir or homeset curd to revive the gut eco-system, lest the pressurised cabins or the travel stress gets to it. A natural source of Vit B12, this will give you both the mental calm and the physical energy to find your way to the hotel/home post journey.

6. Eat easy on arrival – Eat once you are at your destination but spare a thought for the sluggish intestines. Fresh fruit, vegetables cooked with the right amount of spices and grains like rice, sorghum are easy to digest and will leave you feeling light.

7. Hot water bath – this is an Eastern hack for the world-weary. Not everyone can meditate but everyone can have a bucket bath with hot water and crystals of salt. Ayurveda believes that salt belongs to the earth principle and can help one feel grounded. Especially recommended if you have a stressful meeting or a big deal to crack the next day.

8. Catch your routine wake up time – don’t sleep in. Frequent travellers will vouch for the fact that jet lag is imaginary, the reality is that you are sleeping too much at the wrong time. So wake up, dust yourself and learn to do the surya namaskars (sun salutations in yoga). Just 3 rounds will be enough to open both your mind and the hips to explore and take in your travel and everything that comes with it.

Happy travels and know that you will get there with practice. May the wanderer in you live on forever.

About Rujuta

Rujuta Diwekar has earned a reputation as one of India’s most respected and inspirational wellness and nutrition experts. She advises India’s elite on nutrition, yoga and Ayurveda. Her latest book Indian Super Foods (available on the Juggernaut app and as a paperback) is about the inherent wisdom and power in India’s traditional food and eating practices. Rujuta is a regular contributor to this website as one of our special American Express Essentials Global Citizens. Discover more at rujutadiwekar.com and her Facebook page.