I've been an avid traveler since I was 10 when my parents moved us from our cozy NYC suburb to Tokyo, Japan. While pre-teen Erica didn't realize it at the time, living in Japan set a truly wander-lusty tone for my teen years and early 20s. But when my PCOS flared, travel suddenly became an overwhelming nightmare.
But before I dive into that, a bit more background on my wandering ways: while living in Tokyo, I gained confidence that I could navigate foreign cities, assimilate (partially) into other cultures, and handle change somewhat gracefully. My family traveled all over Asia and the South Pacific while we were in Tokyo. Then, once we moved back, my parents continued to plan amazing trips in places like Brazil, Uruguay, and Botswana. That my parents valued and had the means to expose me to such amazing places and cultures is one of the things for which I'm most grateful. Thanks M&D!
My time spent in Tokyo set the stage for college in Nashville, a city and region of the country that was totally new to me. Once I graduated, I took a leap into a full-time job that would require a ton (at times 70-80%) of travel. Work took me all over the US, and eventually to India as well. I always took the work travel in stride, navigating airport security lines like a BOSS (if I do say so myself) and trying to make the most of short periods of time in new cities and countries.
Cut to summer of 2016. My PCOS symptoms flared and as I worked to manage my symptoms with food and lifestyle changes, travel suddenly became daunting. How was I supposed to get 8 hours of sleep when I had a 4am wakeup call for my 6am flight? What the hell was I going to find to eat in the airport terminal that was gluten, dairy, and refined sugar-free? How would I keep my blood sugar from crashing while working 12-14 hour days and barely breaking for meals?
Since travel was a requirement for my job, I found solutions for these quandaries and many others out of necessity. I muddled through a few months of work travel with many sleepless nights and more cobbled together airport meals (carrot sticks and jerky for breakfast, anyone?!) than I'd care to admit. But I was so committed to healing my PCOS holistically that I realized I needed to make some changes to make travel sustainable again. Below are the tried and true tips and tricks I live by while traveling. Thanks to these hacks, not only is travel sustainable...I truly ENJOY it again.
Tip 1: Research
Before PCOS, I had been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type traveler, trusting that I'd discover all that my new surroundings had to offer me, and not sweating a few McDonald's meals if I found myself in a hangry pinch. Now, research plays a huge role in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable trip. It's definitely a learned skill, but I've found the time and energy I put into researching the place I'm headed is more than worth it because it's such a stress reliever once I arrive. Food is the main thing I look into before heading to a new locale. Having a few spots where I know I can get a blood-sugar balancing meal provides me with a sense of calm and gets me even more pumped to explore! A few specific tips on this:
- Focus your search terms in Google. Some of the search terms I've found successful are "Best Gluten Free *Place Name*" or "Best Vegan *Place Name*." Restaurants that serve gluten-free or vegan food typically have a healthy-ish bent with at least a few good options for me.
- Look at menus. If you're headed to a restaurant that you didn't choose, always take a peek at the menu before you head out. You'll find something that works on most menus, but if the spot won't work at all, you can eat before hand, or suggest a new restaurant!
- Trust Yelp and Trip Advisor. Whenever I find an interesting restaurant, I head straight to both Yelp and Trip Advisor to verify that it's as delicious as its menu makes it out to be. If there are a few less-than-positive reviews, I nix the option.
Tip 2: Sleep Hacks (Kinda)
For me, there is no substitution for a full 8 hours of sleep. But sometimes 8 hours is just not possible, especially on the day that I'm actually traveling. Here are a few things I do to combat the sleepies, and make day 1 in a new place as enjoyable as possible:
- Get as much pre-sleep as possible (duh). For me, this means I look at my calendar a week in advance of my travel and keep my evenings the few nights before travel totally free. This allows me to wind down and get to bed as early as possible. I'm no stranger to a 9pm bedtime the night before travel, folks!
- Nap on the plane and on day 1. I'm not gonna lie, I'm an excellent napper. Plane naps are challenging, but with a few good accessories, it becomes much easier (more on that in a moment). I also never beat myself up for a quick 30 minute nap on the day I arrive in a new place. Just be sure to set an alarm to keep yourself from taking an 8 hour snooze.
- Meditate. Especially on the plane. Ok, I know this one is annoying, but it's actually VERY helpful for me! If you're not a good napper, I highly recommend working some meditation into your travel day schedule. When a plane nap is not happening for me, 10 minutes of meditation can help me feel refreshed and replenished.
Tip 3: Airplane Swag
I won't sugar-coat it: if you're flying economy (shout out to my back-of-the-plane-biddies!) plane travel sucks no matter what. But there are a few things you can bring with you to ease the suck-age and make it a less stressful experience. After all, stress spikes cortisol, and high cortisol sets the stage for MANY other hormonal woes. Let's avoid that! Here are my airplane must-haves:
- Warm clothes, ESPECIALLY SOCKS!!! I feel so strongly about this. If you get cold easily, you know that a plane can be literal hell (but the cold kind of hell). Regardless of the temperature outside, I always bring a lightweight down jacket that can be rolled up and tucked away easily, a scarf that can be used as a blanket in a pinch, and long socks to cover cold ankles!
- Eye Mask. I have an amazing silk one that is so comfortable, and helps me block out the fluorescent plane lighting, or the light from the inevitable single open window in an otherwise dark plane. It's great for napping or meditating. I actually wear this to bed every night, so you definitely won't find me traveling without it.
- Earplugs or Noise Canceling Headphones. Planes are loud and overstimulating. Invest in some noise canceling headphones, or pick some cheap-o plugs up from the drugstore. You won't be sorry.
- Moisturizer. There's been a craze around sheet-masking on planes. Ain't no shame in the game. But if you're not ready to go full Jason in flight, then packing your lotion in your carry-on is a great alternative. I always remove my makeup before taking off, and get my face and neck NICE and slippery before stepping foot on the flying tin can. I typically reapply mid-flight for longer flights. This saves my skin from the SUPER drying plane air.
Tip 4: Snacks
This might be the area where I've learned the most. I think of packing snacks as an insurance policy. Gone are the days of scarfing down some high-sugar, low protein bar from the nearest Hudson News. Now, when I feel hanger come-a-knockin', I reach for something that will fill me up and make me feel good. Packing snacks for your flight AND the duration of your trip sets you up for hormone health success. Plus, airport food is SO expensive-- they know they have ya trapped. And having snacks with me during my actual trip helps ease anxiety about when and where my next meal is coming from. SNACKS people! Do it! Here are some of my favorites:
- Thrive Market Paleo Snack Mix. If you're looking to up your trail mix game, this is where it's at. The ingredients are super simple and clean, and just a handful is very satisfying.
- Epic Products. I've always loved jerky, but a lot of the brands you find in airports and on gas station shelves are, surprise-surprise, pretty nasty when it comes to ingredients. Epic's ingredients are on point and their jerky provides a perfect protein boost! I like the strips and the bites best.
- Tuna/Salmon. I love adding a packet of tuna or salmon to a salad when the protein options are iffy, which is typical in airports or on the road.
- Sea Snacks (Seaweed/Nori): These are a little untraditional, but I love them. They're dried seaweed that is seasoned and delicious. Perfect if you have a salty-cruchy craving. They also help if you're nervous about getting greens in wherever you're traveling.
- Olives. I like to bring little packets of olives with me. They pack a perfect salty/fatty punch and keep me full.
In a pinch, I can make a full meal out of these snacks. A little fish for protein, sea snacks for greens, and olives for fat. Obviously not ideal, but better than an Auntie Annie's Pretzel!
Tip 5: Pack Your Essentials
There are a few things I use daily at home that I pack to make travel feel much more seamless. For example, my Vitamix. KIDDING, even I'm not nuts enough to pack a full-sized blender! But in all seriousness, there are some things I make sure to pack no matter where I'm headed. This list is very unique to me, but below are my must-haves:
- Supplements. I take supps on the daily, so I bring them along with me when I travel and try to take them as I would at home (some with breakfast and some at bedtime). I use this cute pill box to bring them along.
- White Noise. I sleep with a white noise machine at home. It blocks out city hustle/bustle and has become a comforting sound for me. I don't bring my whole machine, but keep an app called White Noise on my phone for travel.
- Skin and Haircare Minis. I work hard to keep my bath and body products as clean and minimally endocrine disrupting at home, so bringing my typical products along with me in miniature keeps me feeling balanced while I travel. I have a few carry-on approved squeeze bottles that I use for this purpose.
Tip 6: Travel is About Balance and New Experiences
Tips 1-5 are about preparing and setting yourself up for success. This tip is about what happens when the proverbial (hopefully) shit hits the fan. This is one I'm still working on, but what I work to keep in mind is that life is about finding balance and that a few sugary meals while I travel are not the end of the world! If I want to try the gluten-free baked good at the local bakery, I'M GONNA! If I skip the hike in favor of a day lounging by the water, that's okay too! Letting go and truly enjoying my time spent away from home is what I've come to realize is most important, so that's what I try to do!
Phew! Big list! Do you have any must have/dos/brings when you travel? Tips for keeping it nice and hormone healthy? Let me know in the comments section!