Don’t let your health and wellness take a back seat to your packing woes. Let adventure take priority with a few of our favourite travel hacks. Rounded up with your travel in mind, you’ll wish you would have thought of them sooner.
Ziploc bags – for everything
Clear, resealable bags are the best way to pack liquids, especially if you’re travelling light. To breeze through check-in, use these to pack toiletries. This will allow airport agents to clearly see any liquids your bag may contain, setting the scene for a seamless security experience.
Cover your footwear with shower caps
With so many bacteria lingering on the bottom of your shoes, it can be a challenge to keep your clothes clean in the toss-up of travel. Avoid cross-contamination by wrapping your soles with shower caps.
Let the good times "roll"
Rolling your clothes will save space in your luggage, making room for other healthy essentials like refillable water bottles or even a pair of running shoes. If you’re headed somewhere formal and MUST fold, do it around a newspaper sheet to avoid wrinkling. Pro tip: avoid mixing clean and worn clothes by carrying an empty plastic bag to roll dirty laundry into.
Boost now, thrive later
The perfect way to ruin your vacation is by getting sick. Play offense to the summer flu by fortifying your immune system with foods rich in vitamin C, like citrus, or dense in good bacteria, like yogurt. If these aren’t quite within reach, make sure to supplement with immune-boosting nutrients, like vitamin C or zinc.
Bust the bloat
Ah, the holiday diet – a food-fueled, carte blanche we hang onto for a sunny, travel day. Though often enjoyable, these less-than-nutritious food options can take a toll on your gastrointestinal tract. Introducing increased amounts of fats and sugars to your diet can not only leave you feeling bloated, but can slow the digestive process as a whole. Skip the tummy troubles by taking a supplement like digestive enzymes. These will give your system a hand in breaking foods down and digesting macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and protein. Need a little extra support? Take along a travel probiotic to help reduce the chances of further digestive upsets. They can help support your immune system and fight off foreign bacteria known to cause travellers’ diarrhea.
Store loose cables in old sunglass cases
If your choice travel companion is a wellness podcast, then you know that there are few things worse than tangled headphones. A smart way to store cables is by coiling them up and storing them in a sunglass case. Pro tip: wrap wires around your index and middle finger, and use large binder clips to keep them from coming loose!
Don’t lose track of your fitness goals
Being on holiday is the perfect reason (see: excuse) to lose track of your exercise regimen. A great way to keep atop your goals is by ensuring you come prepared. Whether it be through sightseeing or even a brisk stroll through the property, pack gym clothes and a comfortable pair of shoes to ensure you are getting your steps in. Have a little extra time on your hands? Here are some exercises you can do almost anywhere!
There’s a way to keep jet lag at bay
Tripping through time zones can send you into a lull, wasting valuable vacation time! Working through different countries can slow your circadian rhythm, making it tough for you to make the distinction between sleep and wake times. Be sure you’ve got enough energy to get you through the trek by supplementing with melatonin. This will improve the quality of your sleep, allowing you to take on the day strong! Pro tip: For an added boost, try vitamin B12. It is naturally energizing and the travel size makes powering up unbearably convenient.
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Sources
- Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. (2018, July). How to boost your immune system – Helpful ways to strengthen your immune system and fight off disease.
