Water, a must while travelling!

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Written by Lyne Desforges, R.H.N.

As I sit here, in our AirBnB in Paris (winter 2017), I am reflecting on the challenges of eating healthy when travelling. When in Paris, do as the Parisians do? Although a diet composed of croissants, baguettes, cheese and wine is attractive to my taste buds, it is certainly a far cry from my usual healthy plant-based diet. However, focusing on the positive, there is one habit that is easy to keep and will go a long way in helping you and I stay on track with our health goals: hydration. One thing you can control when travelling is how much water you are drinking.

Travelling often means airplanes, time changes, digestive challenges (indigestion, constipation and traveller’s diarrhea), irregular schedules, climate differences (colder or warmer), lack of sleep, restaurant food and lots of alcohol. These can all be very dehydrating.

The only way for your body to get the fluids it needs is from the foods you eat or from the fluids you take in. Some cultural diets can be very dehydrating such as those rich in meat, processed or refined foods, and high in bad fats, sugar and salt.

So to keep your body singing with joy while travelling, try to opt for a diet that contains lots of whole real foods, with a high % of fruits and vegetables and drink at least 2 litres of water a day. To know how much water you need, check out our last blog post: Reflections on water.

Here are 10 more reasons to stay hydrated during your travels:

  1. Keep your cool: Water regulates body temperature and will help keep you cool while soaking in the sun.
  2. Oil those body parts: Water lubricates joints and moistens tissues. This will make walking and sightseeing a lot more enjoyable.
  3. Get on the water train: Water carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells via the blood.
  4. Defy the aging clock: Water keeps your skin plump and youthful… and looking great in that bikini!
  5. Keep your colon happy: Staying hydrated reduces constipation, often one of the biggest side effects of travelling
  6. Flushing it out: Water helps your kidneys and liver flush out waste and toxins (and all that alcohol!)
  7. Keep that blood flowing: With enough water, the blood flows and blood pressure stays normal.
  8. Drop the pounds: Drinking water regulates appetite and increases metabolism.
  9. Best to digest: Water is needed to produce gastric juice for digestion.
  10. Get energized: Water is needed for your metabolism and energy production. The more energy you have, the more activities you can enjoy while travelling.

Safe and healthy travels to all!