When Lyndsay told me over a year ago that she and Jake were planning an amazing adventure spanning over 11 months and travelling the length of the globe, I nodded and said all of the right encouraging words, but to be honest I didn’t believe it would happen! Now here we are, just a month before they set off, and it’s suddenly sinking in.
As a Holistic Nutritional Health Coach, Lyndsay has asked me to get involved and help them prepare for their trip to ensure they are fit, healthy and ready to go!
As with anyone who is jetting off on an adventure, or even just a holiday, the main priority is that you have an amazing time, soak up all of culture and enjoy every minute. However, there is one thing that can quickly put the breaks on this and that is getting ill or injured. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare when you are away in a country you aren’t accustomed too. Luckily there are a few things you can put into play before you leave and when you are there to ensure you are in tip top condition and minimise the risk of you getting ill or injured when your meant to be out having the time of your life.
Before you jet off…
As with most things, being prepared is key! There are a few things that you should start working on a couple of months in advance to help your body prepare for the adventures ahead.
DIGESTION
All countries have different foods and different ways of preparing them and this is often one of the biggest highlights of a trip (well it is for me at least!), but this also puts your digestive system under a lot of strain.
The biggest disruption your system is likely to face is from unfriendly bacteria and viruses. At home we are all used to eating meals which have been prepared either by ourselves or in health and safety approved kitchens so we don’t need to be concerned with the cleanliness of the foods we are eating, however, depending on where you are travelling too, this may not always be the case.
I would not recommend avoiding these foods as this is all part of your trip and immersing yourself into the culture, but you can help to prepare you digestive system for what may come.
A good quality probiotic will help replenish and balance the good bacteria within your gut lining to ensure everything is functioning to its optimal level before you set off. Having a healthy gut also improves immune functionality and reduces the risk of bowel issues, which is definitely an added bonus when you are away.
Look for a probiotic that has multiple bacteria strains and has between 1-2 million CFUs (Colony Forming Units). You will be able to find all of these details on packaging in most chemists; I personally use Biokult.
IMMUNITY
Similar to your digestive system, your immune system is likely to be challenged by all sorts of new virus strains that you may not have encountered at home.
Ensuring you start to build up your immune system before you go away will help you ward off all those pesky colds and virus’ when you get there.
The best way to build up immunity is to ensure a balanced and nutrient rich diet, ensuring you are nourishing your body with all the right vitamins before you leave will mean your body is ready to fend off anything coming its way.
I’ve already mentioned the role of a healthy gut in ensuring a strong immune system, so as long as you start taking your probiotic you are on your way!
Zinc is also one of the key vitamins to help ensure a healthy immune system and this is most abundant in protein-rich foods. Unsurprisingly meat and fish can provide this, but there are a lot of non-meat protein sources such as nuts (particularly cashews), beans, spinach, dairy, eggs and most importantly chocolate!
I’m not talking about your standard Dairy Milk as this has a lot of other additives and sugars which defeat any benefits, but a good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) or one made with raw cacao not only contain a high amount of zinc but is also full of magnesium and antioxidants.
Starting to up your intake of high zinc foods before you leave will help ensure your immune system is all ready for your trip!
STRENGTH
If you are off on a serious travelling adventure like Lyndsay and Jake then you are going to need to build your strength up before you go.
Backpacks, uncomfortable bus/car/train journeys and beds far from you lovely home mattresses will all put your body under pressure, so ensuring you have built your strength, in particular, your core, before you set off will mean that travelling aches and pains won’t hold you back.
I know Lyndsay has done a whole post already on how to prepare to travel with a back injury here so I won’t go into too much detail, but the key thing is to find something that you enjoy doing and that you can continue on your travels.
Exercises such as yoga, Pilates and floor exercises are not just amazing for your core strength, but most importantly can be done anywhere and don’t require a huge amount of room or equipment.
If you don’t already do any of these then start now, maybe go to a few group classes, so you can build your confidence so that when you are away you are comfortable doing it yourself.
When you are away, the Internet and smartphones mean that you never have to be at a loss of exercise ideas. As The internet can be touch and go in some places, I prefer to rely on apps for my motivation. My favourites are Yoga Studio and the Nike NTC app, both give different programmes depending on your level of experience and have a range of classes and exercise ideas to help you build up your strength before you leave and then maintain it wherever you are!
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