Summer is prime travel season, but trips can take a toll on your health. Long hours of travel, disrupted sleep schedules, and limited access to nutritious foods can leave you feeling run down. The solution? Pack and plan to incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into your travel routine.
Antioxidants help fight free radicals that cause oxidative damage linked to chronic diseases and inflammation. Foods high in antioxidants like berries, citrus, green leafy veggies, nuts, seeds, and herbs offer protective benefits for the brain, gut, and immune system.
I’ve been in Poland since June on a 3 month trip. I’ve experienced firsthand how antioxidant-rich foods have been helping me. Here are some of the benefits I noticed:
– Increased energy – Snacking on antioxidant-rich nuts between meals sustains my energy levels.
– Sharper focus – Green smoothies with leafy greens, chia seeds, and fruits like berries help with mental clarity and ability to problem-solve issues that pop up. Being a digital nomad is not the cake walk many say it is. There are challenges but I am new to this so there is a learning curve.
– Healthy digestion – Fermented foods like pickles, pickled veggies, kimchi, and apple cider vinegar has helped support my gut health, preventing digestive discomfort. These foods help me digest things I don’t normally eat because they are tough on my digestive system, like bread and rice.
– Quality sleep – Sipping tea with valerian extract and meditating on what went well in the day before bed helps me adjust to the time zone change and sleep soundly.
– Reduced inflammation – Turmeric tea and ginger help to decrease joint pain and muscle soreness from long flights and walking tours. The best for me was when I traveled to NYC in July and stayed with my mom. At that point allergies was kicking my butt. My mom always starts the day with hot water, fresh lemon juice and fresh ginger, juiced. She served myself and my uncle, who she cares for, this hot drink every morning. After the 3rd morning my sinusitis from the allergies had gone away completely. I was drinking my packaged turmeric and ginger tea but her fresh tea was way more powerful and impactful. The sinusitis was impacting my sleep quality so her drink was truly a Godsend.
– Allergy relief – Neem powder provided natural antihistamine effects that tamed severe tree pollen allergies I experienced in Warsaw.
– Immune boosting – Mushrooms, garlic, citrus fruits, and other antioxidant foods protected me from getting sick with a cold or flu while traveling.
– Hydration – Water-rich fruits and veggies prevented dehydration.
The key is being prepared by researching healthy food options at your destination and packing travel-friendly antioxidant-rich snacks like nuts, water (which I buy at the airport to have with me on the plane), tea bags, and powdered superfoods or herbs. Follow these tips to stay healthy, energized, and vibrant while on summer vacations and trips! Let me know in the comments your strategies for eating antioxidant-rich foods while traveling.
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Great information. Thanks for sharing!