The most wonderful time of the year usually means the busiest time of the year. Baking up holiday classics, cooking up holiday favorites with a more mindful twist, and serving up holiday appetizers. The holidays also mean travel to see family, friends, and loved ones and if you are traveling you will want to stay healthy. Here are seven tips for healthy holiday travel this holiday season.
#1 Eat Well
One of the easiest ways to travel mindfully is by enjoying an array of nourishing foods. Pack fresh fruit, handcrafted granola like It’s NOLA, homemade sandwiches, trail mix, packets of nut or seed butter, and vegetable sticks. When you eat well, you will feel good, and don’t we all want to feel and look our best during the holiday season? Plus, eating nourishing foods will help keep your immune system in tip-top shape. Photo credit: KucherAV
#2 Get Outside
When we travel, we may find ourselves stuck inside for long periods of time deprived of fresh air and natural sunlight, so do your best to find your way outdoors. Travel can leave us feeling frazzled and spacey, but a simple walk in Mother Nature can be deeply grounding as it helps us get back in touch with our bodies. If you are driving, take a quick pit stop at a highway rest area or head outside of the airport for a gulp of fresh air if you have a long layover. Just make sure you have enough time to find your way back through security so you do not miss your flight! Photo credit: petrunjela
#3 Hydrate
Travel of any kind can leave us feeling dehydrated, lethargic, and sluggish, but drinking water can combat these feelings. No matter where your holiday travels take you, staying well-hydrated will help you feel awake and energized. Skip the overpriced bottled water at the airport and bring an empty water bottle instead and fill it up at a water fountain so you can stay hydrated on your flight. Photo credit: PeopleImages
#4 Meditate
Travel can be overwhelming: packing, planning, and preparing. Not to mention crowds, delays, and long lines. No wonder we sometimes feel frazzled when we finally arrive at our final holiday destinations! Try closing your eyes and meditating with your favorite meditation app at any point during your holiday travel to help calm your nerves. It is amazing what three deep breaths can do. Easy yet effective. Here are some more self-care rituals you may want to incorporate during your holiday travel. Photo credit: fizkes
#5 Move
Whether it is walking the airport terminal while you wait for your flight or performing a set of body weight squats and lunges when you stop to refuel your car with gas, make time for some sort of movement during holiday travels. Get your namaste on in your hotel room or simply stretch while you wait at baggage claim. Do what you can with what you have. Photo credit: monkeybusinessimages
#6 Plan and Prepare
Instead of being reactive with your holiday health, be proactive. This will help you avoid feeling disjointed from the stress that accompanies holiday travel. For example:
- Do not wait to see what the airport restaurants offer, instead make your own homemade snacks beforehand. Be sure to pack plenty to share with your fellow travelers. It is the season of giving after all!
- Pick your favorite workout moves so that when the car stops for a 15-minute rest break you can get your sweat session on right away.
- Rather than waiting to buy a bagel at the airport cafe, pack one from home instead and bring your own favorite spread.
#7 Supplement with Food and Other Supplements
The holiday season just so happens to be the start of cold and flu season, so take extra precautions and add a few immune-supporting foods and supplements into your daily routine. Food, especially citrus fruits like grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, oranges, and strawberries, are all naturally rich in Vitamin C. Chop, dice, and slice a few pieces into your water bottle and enjoy a fresh fruit water infusion. Cheers! Photo credit: Yana Tatevosian
It is easy for holiday travel to become chaotic, exhausting, and overwhelming. Try reframing your thoughts around the holidays and holiday travel. Focus on what this time of year really means to you and remember to revisit it often, especially during the busyness of holiday travel. Remember, holiday travel does not have to be stressful. Incorporate these seven simple tips for healthy holiday travel and feel your best and brightest this holiday season.
- Stay Healthy and Happy
Need some more recipe ideas for your healthy holiday travel? Check out @mostlyplantbasedfoods or join @itsnolasnacks where our CEO shares recipes via video each month on It’s Nola Reels. Do not worry, even if you are not vegan, you will still enjoy these dishes.
Tag us @itsnolasnacks so we can see all of your recipes for healthy holiday travel.
