The dry, recirculated air of the aircraft cabin, sitting next to strangers in cramped spaces, active exertions at your destination, and trying exotic foods can take a toll on the body during travel, sometimes making you feel like you need to a vacation after your vacation. Ironically, most of what is involved in recovering from the strain of travel actually requires preparation ahead of time to avoid feeling miserable later. Try these natural remedies as a precaution the next time you go on a trip to limit the damage to your body and feel your best during your next getaway.
Prepare Before Travel
Natural supplements: In the roughly two weeks or so leading up to your trip, take vitamin C and zinc tablets to boost your immune system. On planes and in new environments, you’re bound to encounter new germs, and in a post-Covid era, this is particularly crucial. Fortifying your immune system ahead of time will help stave off illnesses that you’re more likely to catch in a foreign place — or in that stuffy aircraft cabin, according to Mandi Palmer, a certified health and wellness coach based in Asheville, North Carolina. As a post script to Palmer’s advice, I also personally recommend taking the zinc tablets with food, as I have noticed it can sometimes cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach.
Stretch & exercise: If you are out of shape and plan to be walking a lot during your trip, Palmer suggests starting a couple weeks in advance of your trip by getting into an exercise routine, even 20 minutes a day, and stretching. If you are going to be hiking during your trip, try to get in a couple shorter trails before your trip if you can. I have found I log the most miles walking when I’m on vacation versus during the workweek at home, even when I exercise, so my calves are usually shot after touring a city all day. (Of course, it helps to wear comfortable walking shoes).
For stretching, try deep yoga forward folds to stretch the calves, hamstrings and open the hips.
Plan to unwind: Travel for leisure is meant to be relaxing, so when putting your itinerary together, build in some time to de-stress. Consider a few outings that take you to relaxing places outdoor —  maybe near a body of water or to a garden. Getting to that relaxed state is important for the body. Plan to spend time in nature if you can.
Pack the essentials: You’ll want to pack these essentials for the next stage of your travel:
- A pillow for lumbar support – to be carried in your hand piece
- Oil of oregano capsules
- A water bottle with a built-in filtering system
- Dry snacks – fruit and nut
- Hand sanitizer
During Travel
Just breathe: Sometimes, simply being in a different country –while exciting– can be stressful. It’s important to have the right attitude and be able to handle situations with resilience.
For instance, lost baggage, delayed flights and missed connections, language barriers and simply being out of your usual environment can increase stress levels. In those moments when you feel overwhelmed, Palmer recommends deep belly breathing: that is, inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth. At any point in your travel if you feel stressed, meditate for a few minutes to clear your mind and use this form of breathing to return to a state of calm. (And of course, while you’re on the plane, feel free to breathe through your face mask 😉
Sanitize your seat: As soon as you get into your seat on the plane, wipe down the belt buckle, the tray table, the arm rests, and any other portion of your seat with the hand sanitizer you brought. Some people, like Palmer, even opt for alternative, homemade versions of hand sanitizer that are gentler on the hands and include colloidal silver, which have anti-bacterial properties. Whichever you choose, wash your hands often and sanitize your space.
Carry healthy snacks: To avoid eating junk at airports, on the plane or even at your destination while on the road or hiking, pack some dried fruit and nut mixes (packaged) in your hand piece. This will help curb cravings while also keeping you away from junk food.
Circulate blood: Carry a pillow in your hand piece to support your back. Then, while on the flight, get up and walk around often to keep your blood flowing. Some people also take an aspirin or two as a blood thinner for the flight, or carry compression socks to reduce ankle swelling but these may not be for everyone so check with your doctor first. Instead, Denise Leslie, owner and lead practitioner at Medical and Sports Massage in Sandy Springs, Georgia, suggests doing stretches in your seat to boost circulation and promote muscle movement: try chin tucks, and forward fold stretches through which you pull your body downwards toward your feet. To open up your chest, pull your arms behind your back.
Settle your stomach: Often when we travel, we encounter new bacteria that our bodies are not familiar with. This is a natural aspect of being in a foreign place. Of course, you can carry antacids, but Palmer, who believes in natural, holistic remedies, swears by oil of oregano capsules if you’re suffering from diarrhea.Sometimes, antacids can be too abrasive in removing even the good acids for our stomachs, she feels. Instead, oil of oregano capsules can be a natural way to help ease the discomfort if you have diarrhea. Also try yogurt, which includes natural probiotics. As a last resort, Palmer suggests activated charcoal, which works well, but can be hard on the gallbladder, thus should be taken sparingly.
On the other hand, if you find yourself “blocked up,” or irregular, make sure to eat fiber-rich foods such as greens, legumes and lentils. Drink warm lemon water or celery juice when you wake up in the morning, Palmer advises.
Stay hydrated: In the air, and with all the walking, it’s easy to get dehydrated while traveling. Remember to drink water regularly. To avoid drinking unclean water or if you are afraid to drink water because it may be unclean, Palmer suggests buying a water bottle with a built-in filtering system. This can be used out in nature while hiking or even in a city where tap water may not drinkable.
Try water with lemon or coconut water, which have vitamins that help keep your nourished. The vitamin C and natural antiseptic qualities in lemons can help cleanse your organs and boost immunity.
Also, be sure to urinate often to get rid of toxins and flush out your system (as long as you have been drinking enough water).
Recuperate After Travel
Whether you have reached your destination and need to relax your muscles or you have returned home from the trip, try these methods to recuperate:
Relieve your muscles: After a long day of walking or even more physical exertions, Leslie  recommends cold-hot therapy for your muscles. First, use ice on your calves and other tight muscles to help constrict blood and stop nerve pain. Then, after the cold treatment, use heat to send blood back to the muscles, either through a hot pack or warm water bath.
Finally, lie on your back and lift your feet in the air to circulate blood back to the heart, she says.
These home remedies use the same concepts that Leslie uses in more advanced treatments at her practice to treat medical patients and athletes. Using the cold vapor used in cryotherapy chamber, Leslie is able to constrict the blood and stop nerve pain for her clients, allowing her to work much deeper to recirculate blood to the muscles during massage.
Foam roll muscles: Additionally, when you arrive in your destination, or even after returned from your trip, Palmer suggests foam rolling your muscles. This includes working out the kinks in your neck and chest, which can be done using a tennis ball, Palmer said.
Try Juicing:Â Continue to drink plenty of water, but If you need to detox your body upon return home, Palmer suggests juicing. Especially if you indulged in heavy or fatty foods during your trip, juicing is a way to get the nutrients of fruits and vegetables back into your diet easily, without taxing your body too much to have to digest the fiber, according to the Mayo Clinic. Just be sure to choose fruits and vegetables that are not too high in sugar.
There’s no need to load up on medicines or give your body a shock treatment during or after travel to feel better. All it takes is preparation for the strains you will likely encounter so you don’t have to recuperate too much afterwards.
How Do You Recover from Travel?
What measures do you take before, during, or after your trip to minimize the impact of sitting in the car for too long, flying across timezones and international borders, or eating decadent or exotic foods? Share your tips in the comments!
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