by Savannah Elwood
One thing that’s annoying when traveling is the need to put restrictions on yourself because being on a trip isn’t exactly an excuse to lose your head.
May this be the budget you allot for shopping, the number of beers you drink, or the food you eat, any kind of limitation just seems unfair. You’re on vacation!
Health-wise, no, it isn’t. What’s not fair is looking at vacation as an excuse to overeat, party all night, or indulge in alcohol because hey, you’ll never have this night on this island again.
The thing is, the joy of traveling is so much more than being able to do these things. And if you’re reading this, it means you’re looking after your health. Good job.
Read on to find out the budget-friendly and effortless ways you could look after your health while on a trip.
Research About the Local Food
You might say “I thought you said effortless; why do I need to do research?”
Eating whatever food is available is effortless and usually unhealthy. Once you’ve set your own definition of what’s healthy and right for you
and you’ve established the habit of eating these foods, then what follows becomes effortless.
So when you’re traveling to a particular destination, doing research on the local food will help you make better choices. Why local food? Aside from the fact that it’s cheaper, it adds value to your travel experience.
Tip: Make a list of local delicacies that fit your health needs, as well as the cheap places to dine if you don’t like going to local markets.
Pack Your Vitamins and Medicines
One way to avoid getting sick on the road is to boost your health by drinking natural fruit juices before leaving. Another way is to take your vitamins accordingly.
If the temperature at your destination is different from home, bring medicine for common colds, as well as for ailments such as diarrhea and stomach aches.
Tip: Make sure you bring your vitamins and medicines along with your first aid kit or you might find it necessary to buy unfamiliar drug brands.
Drink More Water
Water is a traveler’s best bud. It hydrates, clears out toxins in your body, helps burn excess calories, and helps you achieve a good night’s sleep.
Skip sodas, wine, or that second cup of coffee so you can drink more water.
Tip: Buy a large container of water and take it to your hotel. Refill your water container every time you go out. This way, you know that you’re drinking safe water (especially when you’re in developing countries) and you get to save on beverage tab.
Exercise and Tour at the Same Time
If you’re into an effortless healthy regime, going to the gym or running for an hour probably doesn’t appeal to you at all. The thing is, even when you’re on a trip, you still need to exercise.
Why don’t you hit two birds with one stone by doing your sight-seeing while walking or riding a bicycle? However, walking or cycling has to be a conscious goal to make it last for at least 30 minutes at a consistent pace or you wouldn’t be exercising.
By doing this, you also save on transportation and you get to tour on your own.
Tip: Enjoy walking or riding the bike in the morning when everyone else is still tucked in their beds.
Mind What You Eat
Again, being on a trip is not an excuse to eat whatever you want. Stick to your diet.
Diners could be amenable to your specific requests so don’t hesitate to add instructions like “not too salty, please” or request for alternative ingredients.
Some tours and hotels that offer free breakfast might accommodate your health needs as well, but you have to notify them in advance. In any case, do not overeat.
Tip: Bring some healthy snacks and don’t rely on common salty snack fares while on the road.
Rest in Between Activities
You want to tick off every single to-do’s in your itinerary that it’s taking hours from your sleep or driving you to exhaustion. Not good.
For your information, it’s not the quantity of accomplished activities that will give you the best from your trip, but the quality of experience.
What good is visiting a temple doing this ritual, for example, if you don’t remember how it went because you did many other things on that day?
Sit at a park after an early morning activity. This would do you doubly good because you bask in the sunshine vitamin as you rest. Take a nap after you visit the museum in the afternoon. Let your body rejuvenate itself before the party or your night safari tour. Lastly, make sure you have 6-7 hours of sleep even on a tight schedule.
Tip: Review your itinerary and if you don’t even have 20 minutes to stay still, make it happen!
Remember that the part where looking after your health becomes effortless is when you decide to stick on a particular health routine, which you bring with you wherever you go.
(Savannah Elwood is a Literature student who is into travel, art, and nature. She currently writes for www.essayontime.com, educational sites, and websites about travel, literature, and green lifestyle. Her current obsession is photography and green tea.)
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