5 Healthy Travel Hacks I Swear By

July 9, 2018

Summer travel season is officially upon us, so stay healthy during your trips with my top 5 Healthy Travel Hacks!

I don’t know about you, but almost every time I fly, I get a cold several days after I land back in New York. On a good trip, I’ll just have a sore throat and swollen glands for a few days while I bounce back.

They say airplanes are like petri dishes, and well, I’m a definite victim! Anyone else?!

With the height of summer travel upon us, I want to help you stay in tip-top shape! I know I have several solo work trips planned this summer, so I want to make sure I do everything possible to avoid getting sick so I can enjoy my carefree sweet summatime once I arrive back home!

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen my extra doses of antioxidants, allllll the veggies, and somewhat over-hydration while I’m traveling. While I can’t say my healthy travel hacks are always 100% foolproof (womp, womp), I definitely feel better and recover faster when I take extra time to take care of myself while flying.

A post shared by Dietitian Chelsey Amer MS, RDN (@citnutritionally) on Jun 18, 2018 at 4:30am PDT

Of course, being a science-based dietitian that I am, I’m not just leaving it up to my own experience. These are evidence-based tips that are proven to work… at least by flight attendants who travel WAY more than yours personally 😉

Here are 5 Healthy Travel Hacks I swear by…

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s true – flying is dehydrating. The typical plane cabin has much lower humidity than air on ground, which increases your risk of dehydration.

Coupled with the fact that airports and airlines do everything in their power to prevent you from adequately hydrating, it takes extra effort to avoid dehydration by the time you land.

Think about it…

Less than stellar plane bathrooms (yuck!) mean you may subconsciously under-hydrate.
If you’re in a middle or aisle seat you may not want to wake your snoring seat-mate.
You’re not allowed to bring a water bottle through security.
Airport snack vendors are ridiculously expensive.
They only give you the tiniest measly cup of water when you ask on the plane.

And I’m sure I could go on, but aren’t these enough obstacles?!

I work with 90% of my clients to meet their hydration goals… and that’s when they have 2 feet on the ground! So if it’s so hard in your day-to-day life, it’s even MORE important to pay attention to your hydration the week prior to flying. After all, you want to board your flight well-hydrated, because chances are it’s only going to go downhill from there.

Then, when flying, it’s essential to put forth extra effort to sip water continuously. Sure, other bevvies can count towards your hydration (anything is better than nothing, especially in this case), but nothing beats plain ol’ H2O.

Here’s how to do it:

Add an extra 1-2 cups of fluids to your day for the week prior to flying. Aim for your urine to be pale yellow to almost clear!
Pack hydrating snacks on the plane. Try water-filled fruit or sliced veggies, like cucumbers and celery.
Purchase a water bottle the second you get through security. I do everything in my efforts NOT to buy plastic water bottles when I’m out, except at the airport. Build in this extra expense to your travel plans (remember, x2 for both ways!).
Pack your reusable water bottle. Many airports now have built-in filtered water fountains where you can refill your bottle. Even better than the extra expense and plastic waste!
Ask for water on the plane during beverage service.
Don’t be afraid to ask for water refills, even in-between beverage service! Flight attendants will be more than happy to refill your cup!
Avoid alcohol on your flights as much as possible – it’s extra dehydrating!
Buy or refill your bottle when you land in your new location.

2. Load Up On Fruits and Veggies

While this is an everyday tip for a variety of reasons, it’s especially important the week before your trip!

Why?

It’s like eating a multivitamin! You know I believe in food-first, so instead of popping a pill to load up on the good stuff, EAT IT!

Whether you’re adding an extra veggie at dinner or choosing a salad over a sammie for lunch that week, you’ll feel better by including more vegetables in your diet. Plus, that extra antioxidant boost can only help to ward off the petri dish effect of flying!

3. Avoid Too Much Salt a Few Days Before Your Trip

While this may not prevent you from catching a cold, no one wants to land in your destination with awful bloat or swollen feet.

No joke, on one cross-country flight, I couldn’t get my shoes back on my feet because they got so swollen! Especially coupled with dehydration, it’s best to steer clear of these notoriously salty foods a few days before flying…

Packaged snacks like pretzels and popcorn
Pickles
Olives

4. Squeeze in a Workout Pre-Flight (if you can!)

Unless it’s a super early morning flight, I like to hit the gym pre-airport. We know sitting isn’t the best for our bodies, and you kinda have no choice when flying.

My solution is to get movin’ pre-flight.

Bonus points if you get out and MOVE once you land!! Whether it’s a quick sweat sesh at the hotel gym or exploring the new city you’re in, move as much as you can to feel back to yourself and sweat out anything you *may* have caught on the plane!

On my recent trip to California, I took a stroll down the block to a delicious juice bar – a walk PLUS veggies = WIN-WIN!

5. Pack a Fiber-Filled Snack

You know how your digestive system gets all wacky after flying? I know it’s not just me! Whether it’s bloat or constipation, flying can definitely slow down your digestive system.

Think about it: Your body is in a rhythm in your day-to-day life, and when you throw a wrench in it, your digestive system can get thrown out of whack too.

To offset this, pack a fiber-filled snack for your flight. Although airport options are improving, I always like to pack something from home to stay, errrrr, regular.

With that said, be sure to couple your snack with WATER! Bumping up your fiber intake without hydrating at the same time can actually make constipation worse!

Even more, since your gut is home to 70% of your immune system, keep it healthy by feeding it what it wants… and that’s fiber! Your gut is part of your body’s natural detox system. Keep things moving so you can focus on staying healthy!

Here are some of my favorite TSA-approved snacks (all packed in my favorite Stasher bags, of course!):