Holistic Living Travel Tips

I recently returned to Philadelphia after a two-week trip through Southern Italy and let me be blunt with you; I fucking indulged. The food and wine completely surpassed my expectations. I was eating all of the bread, pasta, and cheese I could get my hands on. The wine was some of the freshest I’ve ever tasted. Not only was the trip physically nourishing, but the culture that is Italy was lovely. From the history we experienced in Pompeii to the views on the Amalfi Coast, Eric and I truly enjoyed ourselves. It is a trip that I will forever hold near and dear to my heart.

Since my early 20s, travel has been a passion of mine. I love to immerse myself in different cultures and experience areas of the world that I have not yet touched. While travel has been so fulfilling for me, there are trips that I have been on in the past where I put my well being at bay.  At times, I slept very little, felt hungover most mornings, and was mentally drained by the time I returned home. Over the last three years, I have dramatically changed the way in which I travel. This has allowed me to live more fully in the moment and enjoy my experience at hand. I have compiled a list of holistic living travel tips that have supported Eric and I through our travels together as a whole. If this calls to you, let's dive in!

Remember to bring your supplements

Traveling is an experience in which you need your supplements the most. You are in a different environment with different people and sometimes indulging in food and beverages you would not normally consume. This is a time that supplements can really support you. It’s always been a ritual of mine to travel with my supplements that are in capsules, but I often used to leave behind my powdered and liquid supplements. Over the last several years, I began to bring all of my supplements with me, even the powdered ones in the big containers. In keeping up with my supplement routine, I have avoided getting sick during my travels and feeling sluggish. Even with all of the gluten and dairy I ate during my trip to Italy, I was able to avoid bloating and stomach aches. Get yourself a cute travel case for your capsules and some reusable baggies for your powdered supplements. You will thank yourself during your next traveling experience.

Five Minutes a Day of Introspection

During our travels, it is easy to get caught up in scheduled plans and activities that we often forget to nourish our emotional bodies. This may not hit you at first when your adrenaline is high, but after a few days it can leave you feeling emotionally drained. Giving yourself just five minutes each day to take a walk, meditate, or journal can leave you feeling refreshed and help you to be much more present throughout the day. I used to notice this especially when I traveled for bachelorette parties; my emotional battery would be consumed by the time I returned home. Giving myself a little time each morning has allowed me to be more present during my traveling experience, truly enjoy each moment, and let the good feelings ride out for the remainder of the trip.

Movement 

Movement is something Eric and I make a priority during all of our trips. It has been so beneficial to the way I feel when I travel. Whether it is hitting the hotel gym, going on a hike, taking a yoga class, or just walking – and let me tell you, walking in Italy is not for the faint of heart – movement has made such a difference in the way I travel. I can recall many traveling experiences where I felt bloated, sluggish, and tired. During most of these occasions, the key thing I was missing out on was intentional movement. Let me remind you, it doesn’t have to take time out of your travel plans; even  just a half hour of intentional movement each day can make all the difference.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate

My friends, this is the queen bee of travel tips. Hydrating adequately, meaning with water, minerals, and electrolytes can help you to avoid dehydration from flying, breaking out, jet lag, constipation, and feeling sluggish. First and foremost, I like to regularly incorporate electrolytes up to two days prior to travel. My favorite way to consume electrolytes is by putting lemon in my water or drinking 100% coconut water. I did this during my trip to Italy and completely surpassed jet lag to and from. Another non negotiable for me is traveling with my reusable water bottle. Most airports have hydration stations where you can fill your water bottle up. This allows you to avoid paying for a $10 plastic water bottle in the airport. My last piece of advice for hydration when traveling is to be mindful of your alcohol intake. I used to be someone who drank on the plane and in the airport. However, I have been extra mindful about my alcohol consumption on travel days now that I am aware of how dehydrated we can become when flying. And let me remind you – alcohol dehydrates the shit out of you.

Indulge

My last travel tip and probably the most important of them all is to allow yourself to indulge appropriately. Over restricting while you travel is going to result in negative self-talk, thoughts, and feelings. The point of traveling to a new destination is to immerse yourself in the area's culture. So allow yourself to have the pasta, cheese, and wine if that is what you truly want. You spent time, money, and commitment to make this traveling experience a reality. Do not waste your short amount of time stressing about how many carbs you are consuming. If it feels good for you to order the pasta, order the fucking pasta – plus if you go to Italy and don’t try the homemade pasta you are truly missing out. Give yourself grace. There is plenty of time to get yourself back to your regular routine when you return home.

Every time I return home from a trip, I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to experience new environments and cultures. I know that not everyone in the world is fortunate enough to experience such a pleasure. If you are one of the fortunate individuals who get to savor this piece of life, give these holistic living travel tips a try. If you know someone who is traveling to a new destination soon, send this over to them. Let me know how this lands for you. Until next time my friends.

xx

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