One of the most comforting things to someone with autoimmunity or chronic illness, is routine and ease.
Your usual grocery store.
Your bed.
Your car with air conditioning that gets you from point A to point B.
Your non-toxic products - beauty, feminine care, household items.
Your vitamins and supplements.
Your morning and bedtime routine.
While to someone without chronic illness this might seem very structured and rigid, to someone with chronic illness, these are the very things that help support a healing lifestyle.
So now the question bears, well what happens when I decide to travel outside of my home? What happens when I don’t have easy access to all the usual things that make my days feel a little easier? What do I do to make my travels both comfortable and also, let loose and have some fun?
Here are my tips on the best way to travel, when you have autoimmunity or chronic illness:
MEDICAL ATTENTION
Pack your medication and vitamins, plus a little extra too
If you take prescribed medication, be sure to pack enough of it for the duration of your trip and an extra 2 weeks supply, just in case. In case your flight is delayed by a day or so, in case you at any point need to increase your medication (per your doctor’s order) or in case you decide to extend your trip a little longer
Same goes for vitamins and supplements. Pack what you need, plus an extra 2 weeks supply. I recommend packing them in ziplock bags and labeling them accordingly, they’ll pack much easier and won’t take up as much room as packing the full bottles. Take photos of the bottles themselves and keep on your phone, in case you get questioned by TSA on the contents. It’s very unlikely that this will happen - take it from someone who packed 3 months worth of vitamins and traveled to 6 countries without once getting stopped.
As with personalized medication, also pack other medication, antibiotics and first aid
In the rare case that you get sick or have an allergic reaction, it’s best to have medication on hand that you are already used to having if you’re at home. You can ask your healthcare provider to write you a prescription and grab it from your local pharmacy before you leave for your trip. Some that I recommend for international trips include:
Medication for travelers’ diarrhea
A basic antibiotic for any viruses or infections
Neosporin or any other bacterial ointment you’re used to using
Allergy medication such as Benadryl
Ibuprofen
Cold medication such as Tylenol Cold or Nyquil/Dayquil
Save to your contacts and notes app, the numbers and addresses of any emergency medical services
This includes the local urgent care, hospital and emergency number for 911.
MAKE YOUR TRAVEL EASIER BY LEARNING YOUR DESTINATION BEFOREHAND
If you have dietary restrictions (gluten, dairy, nuts, vegan/vegetarian) map out restaurants ahead of time
When I am making a reservation for a hotel or airbnb, in tandem, I check to see what restaurants or cafes are near my place of stay. Keep a list of these places in your notes and even consider starring their location on your maps app, for quick and easy reference.
Learn the country’s food labeling
If you’re traveling outside of your home country, I can almost guarantee that the food labeling will greatly differ compared to what you might see at your own grocery store.
An example of this is the term “bio” or “biologica” used in EU countries, which is the equivalent of “organic.” Also you won’t see the term “non-GMO” on labels in EU countries like you do in the states, because GMOs are banned in EU countries.
HYGIENE
Bring any feminine items you think you’ll need during your trip
International countries for example (those outside of the USA) may not have your favorite non-toxic feminine hygiene brand. In fact, many countries in Europe don’t even sell tampons, as it’s not common to use. So pack what you think you’ll need.
I also recommend packing feminine wipes for use during the day. Generally I wouldn’t recommend using these wipes, however when you’re out using public restrooms, it’s just a little extra comforting to have them on hand for when you need to wipe thoroughly. They’ll leave you feeling a little cleaner. I cannot tell you how many times I have used a public restroom to find that they didn’t even have toilet paper! So glad I had the wipes in my bag to use for moments like that
THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Stay hydrated, wisely
If you are going to be visiting a destination where the weather is warm, drink plenty of water and be mindful of replenishing with electrolytes. The easiest way to do this is to carry a salt pack with you and sprinkle just 1 pinch of sea salt into 1 serving of water. Sea salt is an easy way to replenish the minerals that are otherwise lost through sweat.
Mineral deficiency is one of the most common and under looked symptoms of chronic illness.
As far as water, be mindful of tap
Check the destination you’re heading to and be sure that tap water is safe to drink. IF you are working through some gut healing protocol and are otherwise not used to drinking tap water, I’d then say stick to bottled water only.
Think about investing in a collapsible water bottle (ideally not plastic) so you’re always reminded to keep water on hand.
Try to do one meal at your rental/accommodation
Doing this helps you feel a little more control over what you’re eating and you’re given the chance to nourish your body with foods that you’re otherwise used to. The easiest meal in my opinion, is breakfast. Even if you don’t have a full kitchen in your accommodation, you can keep small breakfast items in your hotel room fridge. The simplest nutrient dense breakfast meal? Yogurt with fresh fruit and nuts/seeds. I love to have fresh fruit that I can easily wash in the sink like berries and bananas are also easy to eat anywhere anytime. Yogurt packs fit easily inside any fridge and nuts/seeds keep well to top of your yogurt.
But do let yourself indulge, just don’t overdo it
You’re on vacation, let yourself enjoy the foods around you! Just be mindful not to overdo it.
An example of this, is gluten (except for those with Celiac Disease). When I am traveling in Europe for example, I do allow myself to enjoy gluten. What I don’t do, is eat it at every single meal for every single day of my trip. I will usually plan out *when* I want to indulge on the gluten (ie: which meal/type of food that day) and then try to stick to non-gluten containing meals the rest of the day. If I’m in Rome and I know that I want to have authentic carbonara, I will aim to enjoy that for lunch and for dinner choose something else.
The point is not to overhaul your body with something you’re not otherwise eating in your usual day to day.
WHILE TRAVELING
Stretch everyday
Don’t skimp on stretching! If you’re visiting somewhere that has you walking thousands of miles a day, overtime this will make your body and muscles very tired - especially if you’re not used to walking that many steps at home.
One of my favorites to do at the end of each day, is legs up the wall for 10 minutes, followed by some easy twisting stretches to help stretch my short and long muscles and limbs. Here is an easy sequence:
Legs up the wall
Hug both knees into chest and make small circles with low back
Drop knees to one side and twist torso to opposite side
Circle your knees in both directions
Happy baby
Cat cow
Lay on your belly and do a chest opening on both sides
Forward fold to down dog, 3-5 rounds
Neck rolls
Take a break - rest days or hours will do you great
You don’t have to see everything in one day - it might be possible, but it might also come with driving yourself to absolute exhaustion. Take reprieve and give yourself a break from sightseeing and being on your feet, so your energy can replenish (and your feet can take a break!). Whether that means you start your day a little later, take a mid-day siesta (hey, Europeans do this!) or end your day early, don’t feel guilty for choosing rest over play.
On that note too, prioritize sleep and unwinding before going to sleep
In my experience, the mornings can be difficult to have a textbook morning routine. Honestly my routine when traveling looks completely different than when I’m at home - since I’m more accommodating of my travels and seeing/doing as much as I can.
My non-negotiable however, is getting quality sleep and unwinding before I go to sleep. Pick one thing that you normally do at home for your bedtime routine, and try to do that one thing.
Remember, you’re on vacation!
It’s much easier to enjoy your vacation when you’ve prepared ahead of time for any circumstance you may face. So once you’ve done your preparations, all that’s left is to enjoy your time away
Stay healthy and enjoy your travels!