When you travel it is easy to get caught up in your vacation and not think about your gut health. When you neglect to look after your gut it can lead to many problems like unintentional weight changes, upset stomach, constipation and/or diarrhea, constant fatigue, and a weakened immune system.
Recently, I had a patient struggling with these symptoms and she finally decided to get to the bottom of what was going on. “I traveled a lot, I drank glacial waters while backpacking and brushed my teeth with local water. I ate from street vendors and drank chai tea from clay cups that you smashed on the ground when you were done.” Her account of recent travels, while spectacular, gave me the clues to know she had seriously disrupted her gut microbiome. While correcting this patient’s gut imbalances was very treatable, there are also lots of ways to help prevent these issues while you are traveling.
Your gut health is so important and you do not need to suffer. Here are 4 easy tips that you can implement to help keep your gut happy and thriving while you travel.
1. You can take a digestive enzyme to help you digest foods that your body is not used to. It helps cut down the heavy bloated feeling of eating foreign food while you are traveling so that you can enjoy your experience fully.
2. A good probiotic is extremely beneficial to giving your gut a head start at being balanced while we step out of our typical routine. An added benefit is that probiotics boost our immune system.
3. Consider taking an antiparasitic to fight off bugs while you are consuming new and exciting foods and beverages. Part of traveling is immersing all of our senses in an unfamiliar culture. This includes taste, however our delicate guts might not be ready to fight these intruders off.
4. My final tip is never to drink untreated water! Boil it for teas or hot beverages first. Even brushing your teeth with untreated water can introduce parasites and bacteria that our guts are not used to.
Traveling is something that many of us love to do. With these tips, you can make your trips more enjoyable and be sure you are coming home with only memories, not symptoms acquired on your journeys. If you brought more than memories home with you and need some help, give us a call at 970-963-6500.