Travel + Wellness: New Orleans Edition
Written by Audrey Hayward
As we get closer to summer, more of us are planning and booking trips. If you’re anything like me, you love traveling, but sometimes travel doesn’t love you back. Some bloating, uncomfort, dry skin, exhaustion, and digestion issues may happen–causing a little bump in your enjoyment on vacation.
A little bit of background about me, I’m a huge traveler. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to go to over 10+ countries. However, as much as I love traveling, I’ve always noticed unnecessary stress and physical inflammation when I do go on trips. No matter how many trips I went on, I would get stressed about everything, whether it was what I packed, activities planned during the trip, or the actual trip in general, whatever it was–I stressed about it.
I have a few trips this year that I’m super excited about. Some of which will really throw me off of my regular routine and lifestyle (I’m talking backpacking and hiking Patagonia, couch surfing in Europe for a month, and frequent weekend trips across the country visiting friends in different time zones). So, I may not be able to cook my normal meals that I know won't upset my stomach or do my normal weekly workout and work routine. But, I’m determined to not let that spoil any of the experiences. I mean seriously, who cares about having frizzy hair when experiencing a sunrise in the Chilean mountains? Will I really miss that specific rust colored bikini I forgot to pack when tanning on the coast of Spain?
Feeling tired, groggy, and irritable is the last thing you want to feel like when finally visiting that place you’ve been dreaming of (mine has to be the Austrian alps, The Sound of Music movie was a childhood staple of mine). So, I decided to use my most recent trip to New Orleans, to test out a few ways to combat all of the usual uncomfortable feelings that generally come along with traveling.
Hydration
If you have an emotional water bottle, you’ll understand this one. During the week I always try to keep myself accountable by tracking how much water I drink (per water bottle obviously… how else?), but I’ve noticed on vacations I seriously slack on hydrating myself. It always starts at the beginning of the trip, the actual plane ride. I’m a window seat girl, so asking the people next to me to get up so I can go to the bathroom is my worst nightmare. As a result, I drink little to no water on the plane, arriving wherever my destination is dehydrated, tired, and not in the best mood.
So, this trip I made myself drink a full water bottle (32 oz) before and during my flight, as well as right after. I wasn’t expecting it to make that much of a difference, but when I arrived in New Orleans (even after sleeping 3 hours) I immediately noticed my skin looked so much better than it normally does after a flight. Not only that, but for the rest of the day I noticed I had so much more energy, just by starting the travel day off with hydration. Instead of just dropping my suitcases in my room and scrolling on my phone, I fully unpacked all my clothes and toiletries and spent the whole day and night exploring. Keep in mind, I kept constantly drinking water each day–keeping myself hydrated helped my mood, skin, digestion, energy, and overall wellness. So put those water bottles to use!
Prioritize movement
Okay, don’t hate me for saying this, but getting as much movement in was also such a game changer. Luckily, New Orleans is an incredibly walkable city, so it was very easy for me to get a ton of movement in. I was walking to every destination and activity: to get beignets and coffee, thrifting on Magazine Street, and even stopping by Bourbon Street to get hand grenades to-go. I fully expected my body to be in shambles after all of the bananas foster French toast, Po’ boys, and etouffees, but keeping movement a priority throughout the day kept my digestion rolling! Additionally, my boyfriend, being a big supporter of this experiment, went with me to the gym (something I have always judged while on vacation) to workout. I wasn’t able to do my normal workout, but I was able to try new ones, which led me to learn different movements that make my body feel good as well. To my surprise, even though it shouldn’t be, I felt even better after!
Don’t get me wrong, if you’re going on a relaxing vacation to the beach or visiting friends, I’m 100% not telling you that you need to be dropping everything to workout or spend every second trying to get your steps in. It’s a good thing to mix up your normal routine, our bodies should be exposed to different foods, environments and experiences. Otherwise, how would your body be able to respond properly to outside stimuli (viruses, food groups, etc.) with no prior experience?
It’s vacation, it’s meant to be relaxing and fun. But, prioritizing movement when you can will help improve your digestion when your body may be thrown a little off by travel, new environments, and new food. This could even be walking around the airport while you have time before boarding or taking the stairs instead of elevators at places.
Morning sunlight and activities
When we travel to different time zones, our bodies have a tough time adjusting. Doing activities, even just sitting outside a hotel room in the morning while the sun is shining, will help our bodies fight jet lag. Exposure to the sun helps signal to our body that it’s time to be awake, helping to reset our circadian rhythm and increase production of melatonin 12 hours later (Blume, 2019). New Orleans did not have a big time difference for me, but because of past experience of every trip out of the country with my dad, I can safely say this information is ingrained in my mind. The worst one being after a 22 hour flight to Australia, my sisters and I were forced to walk around and stay up until the sun went down, something none of us will ever forget. Regardless of the unfortunate complaining he had to endure those 48 hours, it was a lesson I never forgot.
Even if the time change isn’t that big, exhaustion from travel can make rest sound tempting, but sunlight is truly the best medicine that could be prescribed! After all, you don’t want to miss out on a day or two of your trip just because of resting.
Eat and drink what you want, just be mindful
Coming to New Orleans, I was ready to fully dive into the culture and all of the food and drinks that came with that. From charbroiled oysters and muffuletta to rum soaked bread pudding and bananas foster, I didn’t want to miss out on any opportunity to try everything I could. Ever since I was younger, my eyes have always been bigger than my stomach, something that’s gotten me in a bit of stomach trouble as an adult.
Traveling to new places and trying new foods is so exciting, but overdoing it can cause us to feel overly full, groggy, and heavy. Being mindful during meals can help us recognize when our bodies are satisfied and satiated, avoiding that uncomfortable feeling after overeating (especially on foods our bodies aren’t used to). So don’t skip out on dishes you want to try or stick to foods that are “safe” when you really want something else. Eat and drink what you want, just pay attention to your body while you are, it’ll tell you what to do. After all, what’s the fun in traveling if you don’t allow yourself to experience the culture fully?
Plan / Prepare snacks and tools for digestion
This was a huge one for me! With most of the world being lactose intolerant now, 68% to be exact (Fisher, 2018), I thought some people could benefit from this tip. As a sensitive stomach girlie and foodie, I experience contradicting feelings about new cuisines and foods. Always excited, always worried about the aftermath. Knowing my future meals were going to be full of things that I know hurt my stomach, I had to come prepared (I can’t not try all the unique and delicious dishes when I travel!).
After extensive research and experimenting with digestive aids, I decided to give digestive bitters a chance this trip. From digestive enzymes to extremely concentrated probiotic blends, I’ve tried it all. I’m here to say nothing, and I mean NOTHING, has worked miracles like digestive bitters did for my digestive system. Taking a little before and after big meals I knew might cause a little trouble not only prevented a ton of stomach pain, but somehow improved my digestion at the same time (to foods my body isn’t used to having too!).
If you’re wondering what digestive bitters are, don’t worry, I was too. Simply, digestive bitters are of a combination of bitter herbs, in a concentrated liquid form, that aid in digestion. When our taste buds are exposed to these herbs, it signals to our bodies to start the digestion process, producing saliva and stomach acid which provide enzymes that help our body start to break down food (Cleveland Clinic) (Khatri, 2024). Most bitters come in a dropper form and taking them is as easy as putting 2-3 drops in your mouth for a few seconds before meals. There are tons of different brands out there that sell bitters, so look into them and see if any in particular stand out to you! If you have digestive or stomach issues, I urge you to try them out. These will seriously never not be in my travel bag ever again!
Additionally, I always bring snacks that I love and I know make my body feel good for travel days. Having these on hand makes it less likely for me to grab ultra processed or salty snacks at the airport that make me feel bloated and uncomfortable (and my wallet). This came incredibly handy this trip because unexpectedly, my flight home was delayed over five hours. Sitting in the airport over lunch and dinner time would’ve not only cost me around $40, but would’ve made the flight home a rough one. Having the little assortment of snacks in my bag held me over (I had to get a little treat at the airport) and allowed me to fuel my body properly for the long day and late flight I had ahead of me.
Stay sanitized
Am I the only one that feels like a new person after showering after a plane flight? Traveling comes with exposure to a lot of germs, and the last thing I want for anyone is to get sick with something on a well deserved vacation. Prioritizing cleaning your hands and space will give you the peace of mind from possible illnesses. After working in the restaurant industry, I cannot emphasize enough to carry around hand sanitizer wherever you go. There may not be a bathroom where you are, so preparing by bringing small disinfectants where you go is so helpful.
Have fun
At the end of the day, whether or not you’re on vacation or a work trip, you’re away from home! Take advantage of the change of pace and have fun! Remember that these aren’t rules or things that are absolutely necessary to have a good time, they are only suggestions and can only benefit your personal experience on your getaway!
I hope this gave you all some helpful tips for your next trip, wherever and whenever that may be. Let’s take advantage of our bodies and lives and make some happy memories to look back on!
Be well,
Audrey
References
Blume, Christine et al. “Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood.” Somnologie : Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin = Somnology : sleep research and sleep medicine vol. 23,3 (2019): 147-156. doi:10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
“The Benefits of Bitters: They’re Not Just for Cocktails.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 19 Mar. 2024, health.clevelandclinic.org/digestive-bitters.
“Digestive Bitters: Benefits, Risks and More.” Minesh Khatri, MD. , WebMD, www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-about-digestive-bitters. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.
Fisher, Rachel. “Definition & Facts for Lactose Intolerance - Niddk.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/lactose-intolerance/definition-facts#:~:text=and%20milk%20products.-,How%20common%20is%20lactose%20malabsorption%3F,world’s%20population%20has%20lactose%20malabsorption. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.
