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Traveler's Tip: How to Manage Gut Health When Outdoors


Traveler's Tip: How to Manage Gut Health When Outdoors
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People travel for various reasons, like meeting family, for work, or for a vacation. Reaching the destination, staying there, and returning safely makes a trip successful and memorable. Comfort plays a vital role. If you are not comfortable and struggle throughout the trip, it can be stressful for both mind and body.


Stomach issues and related headaches, traveler's diarrhea, and vomiting are common travel illnesses. Every issue is in the gut. Therefore, keeping the digestive system fine is crucial to dealing with such problems and having a pleasant trip.


Travel can disrupt your digestive tract, but there are simple actions you can do to avoid a grumpy gut.

 

Travelling may be a frantic experience. You might not have your usual, nutritious diet available. You may be eating out more and trying new foods in different places, including more processed meals, and it is easy to overeat in this environment, putting greater strain on your digestive system than at home. Travelling by airline, car, or any other method of transportation affects your body and digestive system.


All of these variables can increase your susceptibility to stomach disorders while travelling. You may have diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, nausea, and bloating.


However, no one wants to interrupt a trip to cope with intestinal troubles. So, to keep your gut healthy when travelling, follow this expert advice.


1. Avoid overeating and keeping body cool


Eating at new restaurants and experiencing new dishes are all part of the trip. However, it is always better to resist the temptation to overeat. The metabolic rate does change as per climate, movement, and motion. Also, you may end up consuming something unhealthy and unhygienic due to food cravings. You can go for trials and experiments with new food or any edible that may look tempting but is not healthy. Choose the right foods in the right quantity.


Keeping the body and stomach cool is the best way to avoid headaches and vomiting. Stay hydrated; use an umbrella or hat to protect yourself from the sun. Take a regular shower.  


2. Eat plenty of fiber


Consume as much fiber as you regularly do at home to maintain regular bowel motions. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans are all excellent sources of fiber. To lower your risk of food-borne illness, consume cooked veggies and peeled fruits only.


Reduce your intake of processed foods. Pack healthful snacks to consume or buy them at your local supermarket. Even if you're eating out, make an effort to incorporate as many whole-plant foods (high in fiber) as possible.


3. Drink more water


Dehydration is another big cause of constipation, so drink plenty of water while on vacation. If you're concerned about the safety of the water, stick with bottled water. There is a risk of drinking contaminated water in tourist areas, which will disturb the gut.


Even regular water available in restaurants or public places is dangerous. Be very careful about water; it's a game changer.


4. Try self-cooking


Purchasing fresh food from local markets and preparing meals at your home stay is an alternative if you want to give your stomach a break from processed and restaurant cuisine.This is a better way to avoid eating out, save money, and discover a new culture.  

When travelling regularly, the risk of contracting food poisoning is higher than when dining at home. Food poisoning can induce GI distress in the short term, but it can also result in lifelong irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. Also common food triggers for diarrhea while traveling include spicy and oily foods. Try avoiding,Another common sickness that can develop by consuming food or water tainted with bacteria, viruses, or parasites is traveler's diarrhea. Observe precautions to prevent traveler's diarrhea. Steer clear of street food, drink only bottled water, and  make sure your food is properly cooked.


5. Carry probiotics & first aids


Over-the-counter medications, such as probiotics, antacids, and medicines for headaches, colds, flu, and dysentery, should always be carried along. Probiotics help your gut stay clean and enhance the digestion process. Since it is safe to consume, you may have one dosage every day for better gut health throughout the trip. In cases of any severity, it’s important to see a healthcare provider first. Let the good bacteria grow and help you in having a robust digestive system.


6. Maintain a healthy lifestyle in advance


The best practice is to maintain a conscious lifestyle ten days or a week in advance of the trip. Your body becomes stronger and better equipped to tackle situations, and in this way, you are going to enjoy your journey in a jolly mood.


7. Minimize alcohol and beverages


Over-consumption of drinks high in sugar, caffeine, or alcohol can irritate the digestive system, particularly in persons with sensitive stomachs.


8. Don’t control nature calls


While having a bowel movement in a public restroom or shared hotel room can be uncomfortable for some individuals, you should not ignore your urge to use the restroom. This can result in irregular bowel motions and gastrointestinal discomfort, such as acidity. Ignoring the desire to go might cause constipation.


9. Maintain hygiene


Before eating, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to avoid spreading germs and illness. While travelling, you may touch so many places and things in comparison to normal days. In excitement, people ignore the fact that there are numerous harmful microorganisms in their hands, faces, and bodies. Hence, clean your hands thoroughly before eating, and clean yourself once you are back in your room. You may necessarily carry hand sanitizer like iSafe and wet tissues.

 

Follow these steps and enjoy your trip without discomfort and diseases.





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