Nutritionist in Residence: Travel Well with Georga Holt
Georga is a holistic Naturopath, with a firm belief that each of our body systems are intricately woven and hence simple aspects of health can be effected when we are out of balance. Georga takes an education first approach to health, believing that empowerment through education is the best tool for achieving balance. We are thrilled to have Georga join us for Spring, you can follow Georga here and explore more here.
TIPS FOR HEALTHY TRAVEL
Travel encourages the idea of leaving your routine at home. However, we can also be faced with the unknown of ‘what if my digestive or skin or hormonal issues’ play up whilst i’m away. Therefore, it is important to find the balance of distancing yourself from your regular routine and also sustaining your health in order for it to not interfere with your holiday.
Here is a naturopath's guide of how to support your health whilst traveling.
Supplements
Travelling can be a great time to have a break from regular programming, allowing your body to reset and listening to what your body is telling you whilst away from the noise & the busy-ness of life. However, there are four supplements that I always pack in my bag to allow me to enjoy my days of travel without any health disruptions. These are Zinc, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) and Slippery elm.
Zinc
Naturally with traveling, increased alcohol consumption is quite common. If this is you, add a zinc supplement to your bag. Zinc is not only a savior for your skin & immune system, but it also helps your body metabolize alcohol. As an antioxidant, it can help repair cells and reduce oxidative damage which can support your liver after a night of one too many vinos.
Saccharomyces boulardii (SB)
SB is a probiotic yeast helpful for preventing & treating travellers diarrhoea. This can be taken before & during a trip to prevent an upset stomach, but dose can be increased if experiencing looser stools. It will help sustain the health of your microbiome which will increase your defense against any unwanted pathogens that you may encounter on in foreign areas.
N-acetylecysteine (NAC)
Depending on what type of traveling you do, usually travel for me includes a little more alcohol than what I would usually consume in my everyday life. In order to support my body, mostly my liver, I include NAC into my daily regime whilst traveling. NAC has a plethora of benefits when it comes to our health, but when specifically looking at our liver, it is a powerful antioxidant and possesses anti-inflammatory properties. It can replenish our glutathione levels in our liver, an antioxidant in the liver that is important for detoxification and protecting the liver from damage. Supporting your liver health whilst increasing exposure to alcohol is important as your liver may need a little extra support when it comes to detoxification.
Slippery elm
If you are someone who experiences digestive issues or complaints in your day to day and don’t want that to interfere with how you experience food whilst overseas, then slippery elm (capsules) might be your best traveling companion. Slippery elm is wonderful in aiding in digestive discomfort. As a demulcent it has the ability to soothe the digestive tract by forming a protective film that will allow for a reduction in GIT irritation and inflammation. This can help prevent or reduce bloating, irregular bowel habits and stomach pain.
Always speak to a Naturopath or trained health professional, as everyone's health is different, therefore everyone's ideal holiday supplement regime will be different.
Food
Whilst on holidays, it’s important to ditch whatever routine you have back at home and indulge. It’s imperative for your mental health that you explore different cuisines and enjoy the food you are indulging in. With that being said, a simple trick that you can do to ensure you are still eating enough greens/veggies is to order a bowl of greens with your pasta/pizza etc. Ensuring you are still eating vegetables will be great for your digestive health as well as your overall health.
Water
A very simple, yet important tool when it comes to your health. Ensuring you maintain adequate hydration whilst away is important, especially if you are traveling in warmer climates and maybe indulging in one or two (or more) cocktails during the day. Daily hydration will help support regular bowel movements, detoxification and skin health.
Take a 1L water bottle with you & refill 2-3 times throughout the day.
Movement
Movement is something that naturally increases when you are exploring new places – as the best way to explore a new city/town/area is to do it by foot. Movement will not only keep you fit but will also support your digestion, skin health and overall wellbeing.
Keep it simple, don’t over complicate it. And in all honesty, if you’re feeling good — leave the routine at home & relax.