Get your holiday off to a healthy happy start by following these simple tips.
As we all know travel can be stressful at the best of times. It puts stress on our bodies and can aggravate Vata [ Air , Space elements] dosha especially. Travelling puts us out of our daily routines and disrupts our natural daily circadian rhythms. This can cause a range of symptoms such as digestive issues bloating and constipation with loss of appetite, drying of skin ,lips and eyes as well as nasal passages, back pain and insomnia.
The two most important things when travel to consider are digestion and hydration.
Packing list
- Nasal oil container
- Thermos container to keep water hot with added herbal teas such as cinnamon, fennel or ginger.
- Pre-flight overnight soaked oats dish with seeds and nuts added. Ground flax seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds pre-soaked are excellent for hydration. Adding some hot water will bring dish to room temperature.
- Cooked apple with ghee or cinnamon
- Noise cancelling headphones to reduce noise stimulation which aggravates Vata.
- Eye drops and lip balm.
Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcohol and fizzy drinks as this will disturb the vata dosha.
Avoiding plane food is the best option unless you are on a long-haul flight, and then choosing the lightest meal available as your digestive fire will be reduced during the flight.
Avoid iced drinks, raw salads and junk foods.
Packing food for travel may not be an option, so on the day or morning of travel ensure you have a warm and easy to digest meal with lots of good fats and adequate hydration.
Basmati rice is a good choice with vegetables. Sipping on hot /lukewarm water helps digestion and hydration.
Packing a thermos and digestive tea spices such as fennel or ginger is an excellent idea. Requesting hot water from a café/ bar after security and adding your digestive spices is simple to do and worth the effort.
Pack extra layers for your flight and a neck fleece for comfort.
Bringing a small nasal oil container to use to line your nostrils has a calming effect and also helps moisturise your sinuses which can dry out breathing re circulated AC air in the plane. Sesame oil or eucalyptus mixed with normal saline is one which works well.
On arrival getting on local time as soon as possible. Doing a grounding practice such as breathwork or meditation can relax the disturbed Vata in your system. Gentle exercise like Yoga using standing postures or Tai Chi will also help. Lying with your legs propped up against a wall will help any leg swelling and help circulation. All of these will help with getting good sleep and rest once you arrive.
Triphala as a supplement if you are particularly anxious when travelling.
