5 Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

1. Be prepared for your plane ride- Most people don’t know that you can bring your own homemade food on a plane. I never fly without first preparing food to take with me. I don't want to be caught in the airport, hungry, surrounded by processed, sugary foods. One of my favorite things to bring onboard is homemade sprouted wraps filled with sprouted sunflower seed hummus, sprouts and raw veggies. Yum! If you're traveling with a friend, you can make a second veggie wrap for your friend and surprise them on the plane! :)

*Food Babe Tip – When packing your food for the plane ride…. don’t use foil, it will set off the alarms in the xray machine and you’ll be late for your flight! Instead, wrap your foods in parchment paper and place them in a ziplock bag.

2. Drink warm lemon water and cayenne pepper every morning. This is a daily habit of mine which is easy to take on the road as hot water and a lemon are pretty easy to come by (I suggest you pack your own organic cayenne pepper). Use 12-16 ounces of warm water, juice from half a lemon and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Drink this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Doing this ritual every morning provides a super stimulant to the liver, your main detoxifying organ in the body. This is a great way to stay energized and avoid the build up of toxins while you're traveling. (1) Cayenne pepper and lemons work wonders on the body! Check out some of the benefits of cayenne pepper here https://www.sujaorganic.com/blogs/nutrition/turn-up-the-heat-with-cayenne-pepper. (2)

3. Pack your snacks: Before leaving on your trip, load up on your favorite healthy snacks! Bring your favorite almond butter, salad dressings, grains, cereal/oats, fruits, nuts, protein powders- anything that won’t spoil. The majority of the time when I am traveling, I bring a cooler with me, or at least one bag that is dedicated entirely to food. I make sure to bring plenty of organic whole food snacks so that no matter where I am, I always have nutritious food with me. It is also helpful to buy little packs of dried organic green powder – my choice is Spriulina – it contains a ton of chlorophyll and algae to keep you alkaline throughout your travels and you can mix with it with a carton of coconut water for a quick hydrating treat. This mixture is nice when you don’t have access to a lot of green vegetables. (3)

4. You don’t have to eat every meal out: Health grocery stores have been a lifesaver for me while traveling. I love being able to look up a Whole Foods location and know that I can get a Suja Juice and a healthy snack there. Another trick for traveling is to pack food. Particularly, when I am out of town for business, I make a point to stop at the grocery store in the morning, get my lunch for the day and bring it with me wherever I go (this is another place your cooler comes in handy). This trick has saved me countless times from ending up hungry, in an office, with nothing but fast food surrounding me. Also, picking up fruits at the grocery store or local produce stand and storing them in your hotel fridge will save you from having to eat breakfast out. You can have your morning fruit and tea and not have to go out for breakfast. Not only does eating in for breakfast have you feeling great, but it will also save you money!

*Food Babe Tip - Your smartphone can be your best friend while traveling. I always use mine to find healthy grocery stores or cafes when I am in a new place.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask: So much of the fun in traveling is being able to eat at new restaurants and try different cuisine. The downside to a new restaurant is that you won’t know much about which items on the menu are the healthiest, where their food is sourced from, or how it is prepared. Therefore, you must ask. Quiz the server to see which dish they think is the most healthy. The server has probably seen all dishes brought out one time or another and can tell you if your fish is swimming in butter or covered in cream sauce. If you're not seeing anything you like on a menu, be willing to ask for what you want. Check out the specifics for each dish and ask the waiter to create you a plate. When ordering cooked foods, I always ask what type of oil the foods are prepared in. Soy and corn oil are the cheapest oils available so many restaurants use them and theses oils will throw your body out of whack. (4) Instead, ask if the chef can use olive oil to cook your food. You may be surprised to see just how willing restaurants are to answer your questions and fulfill your requests!

To happy and healthy travels!

Food Babe & Suja Juice