Travel Tips for The Body Ecology Diet
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Holistic nutritional support for healing yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).
Traveling – whether by car, plane or train – can interfere with our digestive system working well. Most of the stress we encounter when traveling is beforehand with the organizing and packing and getting out the door. We in a flurry for our trip and then we sit for long periods as we are whisked away at unnatural speeds ….
The last thing on our body’s mind pummeling down the highway at 65 miles an hour or flying in an airplane, is “what’s for lunch?”. Yet, we are human and get hungry out of mostly habit or as is in my case, leave the house in a rush to get somewhere in time and later realize my tummy is empty!
Fight-or-flight
Traveling at fast speeds can whack out the digestive system and whether we realize or not, we are naturally put into a “fight or flight” mode just because of moving fast as we do in a car, plane, or train. Our core energy goes to our arms/legs to get us moving. Danger, danger! Yet, our body isn’t actually moving, nor are we in any real danger, and so the body can get confused which is what slows digestion.
If you struggle with digestive issues, traveling can make things worse. Which stinks – literally! As if constipation, bloating, and gas aren’t bad enough …. when I was on stage 1 of the diet I did my best to stay in the comfort of my home with a working kitchen and bathroom at my fingertips. That was not always possible though and at those times I planned ahead with lots of lists 🙂
What to eat
Choose easy-to-digest food when you travel. If it’s summer and 90 degrees, pack light ‘n cooling foods that don’t require cooking. I like to travel in the early part of day. I load the kids in the car at dawn and typically a couple hours into trip before we’re ready to stop and eat.
Travel Tips
1) Wait until you stop driving/flying to eat or take a break from constant hum of car or train and find a spot to eat (i.e., State Parks, rest area, playground).
2) Before you eat, move to get blood circulating and get grounded. There’s something about having our feet touch earth. Try bouncing on heels, doing jumping jacks, or take a brisk walk to wake your body up.
3) Take digestive enzymes or betaine HCl with pepsin to keep digestion strong.
4) Bring enema kit to keep bowels moving, relieve tension, and stay hydrated/energized.
5) Pack lots of snacks, especially if you have kids!
6) Drink water, preferably with apple cider vinegar or lemon for good hydration.
7) Get calm in your body, whatever that means to you. Mindful eating is one way to connect with the nervous system that live in your guts …. a calmer nervous system = a calmer digestive system.
I’d never be this healthy on the road if weren’t for you! ~ M.V. (touring musician)
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One reply on “Travel Tips for The Body Ecology Diet”
So much good information from you, Tara, and you too, Mari. I never knew the bit about the body’s reaction to travel. Will have to pay more attention to the body over mind. What is your source for the baked blue corn chips? I haven’t been able to find any in my store that don’t have canola or another of the “forbidden” oils. And (1) deli meats are really okay? (2) why not eat the egg whites? Thank you for leading the way, both of you.