Health comes first: Stay happy and healthy while travelling
We are inclined to forget our health and our healthy habits while we are on a trip or modify our environment. This is the worst thing we could do because we even have to take better care of ourselves when our daily routine is disrupted. Even though travelling is one of the most valuable learning experiences, there are too many things to keep track of. We can easily forget some essential things.
Just a quick reminder: Illnesses could be easily avoided if you get plenty of sleep and allow your body to regenerate before the trip. The stress caused by travel weakens our immune system, and sleep deprivation tends to make things much worse. Sleep is a must during the trip as well.
Here are some useful tips for a relaxing, healthy, and happy trip:
1. Start the day off with Yoga / Stretches
We cannot always take our yoga mat and yoga clothes for the journey; however, we can do some yoga poses without them. Even though sports activities are abundant, we cannot ignore yoga’s complex effects on the mind, body, and soul. Yoga wakes you up gently and moves your body after lying still at night. Yoga energizes you, mobilizes your spine, keeps you focused, and makes you healthy and more resilient during the trip.
Start your day with this 10-minute energising yoga during the trip:
2. Energize yourself with long walks for better health
We inevitably walk more than usual when we are on a trip. This way, we can genuinely devour the city’s pulse, and it is easier to find our way around. However, sometimes long walks can make us feel tired. Take short half-an-hour walks after travelling and spending a lot of time on an aeroplane or in the car. A healthy walk after meals can also put us at a considerable advantage since it facilitates digestion.
3. Eat nutritious food/keep snacks in your bag
Just because you are in exciting places, your body needs the same amount of nutritious and healthy foods. A journey can be filled with many challenging obstacles; choose fruits instead of chips and cookies. Always keep some healthy snacks in your bag just in case you have no immediate access to food. Also, be very cautious with street food. Street foods are enjoying increasing patronage, but there are many risk factors associated with them.
4. Hara Hachi Bu
Try to apply the Japanese concept of Hara Hachi Bu during the voyage. Be assured that it will do you good. We can attribute the islander’s longevity to Hara Hachi Bu, which means “eat until you are eight parts (out of ten) full.”This Confucian teaching reiterates that people should eat until they are 80% full as our sense of hunger in the brain decreases 20-25 minutes after eating. With this in mind, your travel will be more effective and enjoyable.
6. Hydrate/Cut down on alcohol and coffee
Health starts with good hydration. Always keep a bottle of water with you wherever you go. Don’t forget to hydrate on the plane as the extremely low humidity can quickly dry your skin, eyes, and throat. During the flight, we are susceptible to illnesses due to dehydration. Try to drink more when you are in the air as if on an ordinary day. This also applies to the duration of the entire trip. While most people like to enjoy themselves on vacation, things get extreme for even those typically conservative with their alcohol consumption. There are many dangers of excessive drinking during the holiday. Getting drunk can quickly leave you dehydrated, and you become vulnerable to crime and violence. Try to limit the amount of caffeine intake as well.
7. Protect your health and sanitise
When abroad or at home health should always come first. It is a good idea to keep hand sanitisers with at least 50% alcohol alongside disinfecting wipes with you. Don’t forget to sanitise hands after touching germ-filled hot spots such as ATMs, ticket kiosks, door handles, dining tables, rails, and after using the bathroom. Sanitising cannot replace hand washing, which is a must. If you can’t do either of these things immediately, be mindful of not touching your nose, eyes, and mouth. Do not put your bags on the floor and avoid touching surfaces with your hands.
8. Protect yourself from UV radiation
Alongside our favourite summer dresses, flip-flops, and newly purchased books, we should consider taking sun protection products a top priority. Getting too much of the ultraviolet (UV) rays damages skin cells and threatens kids more than adults. We should avoid direct sunlight between 10 am and 4 pm. It is essential to choose the right product for a given exposure and skin type. Take lotion and after sun creams in your suitcase as well.
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