11 tips to stay healthy this travel season

What not to leave behind when you take off

Travel happens. Some people make a strong habit of it. Staying healthy on the road is another game, and like chess, one to master. Being on the fly may lead to eating food that is overly processed and made with poor quality oils. It takes a bit of extra planning and foresight but you may never again toss a banana in your bag at the last minute only to pull out pudding later on your journey.

Here is a list of the 11 most crucial items to bring with you to stay balanced and full of vigor.

1. Water. Aqua mas fina. Water is the staff of life. The most crucial element on the planet and in your body.
2. Empty vessel. Bring an empty thermos or insulated water bottle.  After you have gone through security, find a coffee shop. Have them fill it with hot water. Spice it up with a dash of cinnamon, found at the coffee shop creamer station. Cinnamon has warming, grounding properties, stimulating the digestive fire and counter balancing the cold, dry energy of vata. All it takes is regular sips of hot cinnamon water to improve hydration on a cellular level.
3. Kefir or kombucha. You are leaving the comfort of your home microbiome and entering a new environment. If you are driving, you can bring along your fave fermented beverage. If you are flying, you can stash some probiotics in your bag to help ease your body into its new surroundings.
4. Cucumbers. This plump summer veg with a dash of salt will do wonders for your skin on the road, providing hydration with a crunchy flair.
5. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt. I never leave home without my grinder. With a good quality salt you can flavor anything easily and it is also an electrolyte source which includes sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium. It is also rich in trace minerals, helps avoid dehydration and balance fluids.
6. Nutribullet. It’s small enough to fit in almost any suitcase without taking up too much room. Yes, it means you can still have your morning smoothie.
7. Meditation seat. Just because you are away from your routine doesn’t mean you should not sit. Bring your seat and it will silently remind you to seek it. The benefits of daily meditation will thank you later.
8. HANAH ONE Go-Pack. Whether you are driving or flying, you’re running and putting your body under stress. HANAH ONE is your frontline defense to maintain your vitality. ONE for overall wellness, boosting your immune system as well as your stamina to pick you up and keep you going. Jimmy Chin, HANAH Hero and adventure photographer, is constantly on the go traveling all over the planet, and more often than not, dangling from a precipice to capture the ultimate shot. No matter how hectic his schedule, he simply never gets sick. He attributes this fact to his daily intake of HANAH ONE and Ashwagandha.
9. Ashwagandha. The powerful adaptogen that helps your body adapt to the stress of travel. It’s been used for thousands of years as a potent adaptogenic herb to promote physical and mental health and bring the body into balance.
10. Ghee. Versatility at its finest. Add it to any bread or muffin, coffee or dab a bit into your nostrils! It’s an old ayurvedic trick to alleviate dryness during air travel. Our bodies create mucus in order to protect and lubricate the nasal passages. If we are experiencing dryness due to travel, then our body’s natural healing mechanism is to generate mucus.  We can then end up with a cold because excess mucus is present. The use of nasya (ghee up your nose!) can prevent the onset of colds and sinus infections.
11. Road food. The best food to stash in your carry on: Avocados. Apples. Roasted root veggies (ground yourself!). Carrots (and hummus… though TSA doesn’t love your hummus, the car won’t mind!) and the HANAH lei bar, which is full of fiber and vital nutrients, and most importantly, it’s delicious!

HANAH lei Bar

See all the pictures here. 

• 1 cup almond butter or pecan or walnut butter
• 1-4 tablespoons HANAH ONE
• 6 dates, soaked and rinsed
• 1/4 cup date water (from soaking dates)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted slowly over low temperature
• 1 orange, juice and zest from
• 3 tablespoons organic agave nectar (optional, I leave out)
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1 cup goldenberries
• 3 cup raw oat flakes
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• celtic sea or himalayan salt to taste

Directions

1. Combine the almond butter, HANAH ONE, dates and date water in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth.
2. Remove to large bowl and stir in coconut oil, orange juice, and liquid sweetener. Stir.
3. Add the remaining ingredients.
4. Press mixture into a 11 x 7 inch pyrex or similar glass baking pan.
5. Frost with White Cacao Orange Glaze if desired.
6. Chill
7. Cut into squares.  Wrap individually in parchment lined aluminum foil. Keep chilled when not enjoying for longer shelf life.

Orange White Cacao Glaze

• 1 cup raw cacao butter, finely chopped or grated (not coconut butter)
• 2 or 3 tablespoons organic agave or maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
• zest from one orange (about 2 tablespoons)

Directions

1. Melt cacao butter slowly and carefully in a double boiler over low heat (I use a stainless bowl over a pan of shallow water.)
2. Stir in sweetener and orange zest.
3. This part can be a little tricky. Cool the liquid mixture over ice water until it barely starts to set on the edge. Start whisking and it will thicken up before your very eyes.
4. Once it gets to a frosting consistency, spread quickly on bars. If it gets too hard, just gently warm again. It will harden beautifully once on the bars.

Author Megan Henderson is a mom, yoga teacher, former organic farmer and a writer living in Boulder, Colorado, where she grows nightshades and three children while drinking homemade kombucha under the suburban starlight.