Traveling can be fun and exciting, but can also be difficult.
Oftentimes while traveling we experience jet lag, traveler’s diarrhea, and fatigue. It’s also common to feel bloated, swollen, and achy. Here are some things you can do to help make the journey as great as the destination.
- Pressing on acupressure points
- Staying hydrated
- Moving and stretching
- Compression clothing
- GI Care II
Acupressure
I’ll say it again, acupressure is a lifesaver! Especially when you’re traveling and can’t get an appointment for acupuncture. Here are some great points while you travel. Press and massage as needed for about a minute.
- PC 6 (pericardium 6): Use when you’re feeling nauseous, suffering from motion sickness, and to help with anxiety. Find the point by placing three fingers across your wrist starting at the wrist crease, then look at the point where this line crosses between the two tendons.
- Li 4 (liver 4): For when you have a headache, try this point! It’s also helpful if you are having constipation, gastric pain, and diarrhea. Find the point by locating the fleshy area behind the meeting point where our thumb and first finger bones meet, in a “V” shape. Do not use this point during pregnancy.
- GB 20 (gallbladder 20): Did you fall asleep on the plane or in the car in a weird position? Massage this point on both sides of your neck to help alleviate neck pain, tension, and headache that probably came with it! Find it by feeling for the mastoid (ear) bone and following the groove back to where the neck muscles attach to the skull.
Hydration. Stay Hydrated!
Airplanes are constantly circulating outside air into the plane. While this helps keep the air clean, it also makes the environment you’re in extra dry. Lack of moisture in the air can make you feel dehydrated and can make your throat sore and eyes itchy.
Solution: Drink water and stay hydrated! Drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water daily can help when you’re flying to keep your throat and eyes from being itchy. Long periods of flight can also result in swelling and bloating but drinking water consistently will help your body release it faster!
It’s not always easy to find water while traveling so be sure to bring a reusable water bottle. If you’re going on a long drive or plane then drink as much water as you can beforehand. You can also refill your water bottle at most airports after going through TSA security.
Compression Clothing
If you’re like me, long flights and drives can leave your legs and feet swollen, tight, and in pain! I recommend traveling while wearing compression socks, pants, and shirts can help ease swelling faster since they’re so tight. They can also help increase blood circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots while flying.
Stretch and Move!
Even while you’re traveling, make sure to take time to stretch and move! On a flight, stand up every hour once the seatbelt sign is off and take a quick walk to the restroom and back or do some back stretches. If you’re driving, pull over and take a few minutes to look at the scenery. The following poses are great for opening up the chest and low back and are easy to do with limited space.
Standing Backbend
The Standing Backbend
Separate your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees, and bring your chest to your thighs. Fold forward, grab opposite elbows, and settle into this pose for two to three minutes. The goal in this pose is to dangle the upper body for a longer period of time to help release the lower back.
Dangle Pose
Choose either of these standing backbends to stretch the chest and reverse the hunching that happens throughout the day. In the supported version of this pose, the hands are on the lower back. In the deeper variation, the hands are actively reaching overhead. Both stretch the chest and lengthen the spine to relieve tension. Hold for five breaths.
GI Care II
Here’s to adding some much needed Chinese medicine into the mix. GI Care II by Evergreen herbs is what we’ve all been missing from our travels.
When taken it can help with traveler’s diarrhea, gastroenteritis, enteritis, dysentery, food poisoning and other gastrointestinal disorders with diarrhea, foul-smelling stools with burning sensations of the anus, abdominal discomfort, pain, borborygmus, possibly nausea, vomiting and a feeling of incomplete defecation.
As with all herbal supplements, be sure to consult your practitioner to see if these would be a good fit for you!
- Treats diarrhea, dysentery, enteritis, stomach flu, and other gastrointestinal disorders
- Antibiotic effect to treat acute diarrhea due to bacterial or viral infection
- Antitoxic effect to treat acute diarrhea due to drug or food poisoning
- Gastroprotective benefit to treat acute diarrhea with mucus or blood present in the stools
- Alleviates the signs and symptoms of acute diarrhea, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, intestinal cramps and spasms, and fever
Good luck and happy travels!