Sisters Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips, authors of Self-Care for the Real World and Rituals for Every Day share their best travel tips for feeling fresh and rejuvenated, no matter how long your journey
Pack a lunch
‘We like to be organised so we can avoid eating plane food. Besides the fact that it tends to contain more salt than your usual pre-packaged food (in order to make up for the dulling of your taste buds at high altitude), most of the time we eat during flights because we are bored. Dehydration and the air pressure have a huge effect on the digestive system, causing gas and bloating. And it doesn’t help that you spend hours sitting without much movement. To avoid such discomfort, we either prepare something to take with us or try to eat a good meal before we fly. Fruit and a light snack will keep you hydrated on the plane: the body is already working harder than usual at that height, so don't ask it to digest a heavy meal, too. We also notice that eating fruit – or fasting instead – eases our jet lag and makes our leg swelling less severe.'
2
Drink a lot of water
'This one we know but don’t always do. Flying is incredibly dehydrating – not just for the skin, but for the whole digestive tract, hence all the problems with going to the loo when travelling. Drinking lots of water will aid jet lag as well as help to ease all the aches and pains your body can experience on long-haul flights. Bring your own water bottle with you to refill during your travels. This will also mean you’re doing your bit for the environment, as you won’t be using single-use plastic bottles.'
3
Take probiotics
'Your stomach always goes a bit funny when you travel, whether that’s due to flying or being in a new place and having a different routine. Probiotics will improve your digestion and keep things regular, as well as boost your immune system. We love the supplement Symprove, which we take every morning. We also travel with digestive enzymes to help soothe the gut, either when flying or when trying new foods in new places. Take one before your meal and one during. You don’t want to miss out on bread and pasta if you're going to Italy, for example!'
4
Move your body outside
'If you can, do some exercise before and after you travel to get your blood circulating. Being active is also good for getting your muscles moving after sitting for long periods of time. Try to go for a walk or a gentle jog, or find a yoga class. If you can get outside and into the sunshine, even better – it's important to take in some Vitamin D and fresh air after being stuck in a cabin for hours. But if that's not possible, just do some simple moves in your room to stretch out your body.'
5
Give yourself a half-day off on arrival and return
'We have a tendency to fill our schedules with so much when we go away and when we come back. It’s helpful to take a minute to allow yourself to arrive and return. When we touch down anywhere, we unpack straight away – there's something about this ritual that makes you feel, mentally, like you have arrived. We also take a bath or a shower depending on what time it is: a shower in the day and a bath at night. Use a dry brush or flannel to get the blood circulating throughout your body. It's always good to organise yourself a little when you get home to get your head in order – ideally, take a half-day to gather yourself.'
6
Go to a spa
'We know travelling can be expensive, but we like to incorporate a massage or a mini-spa trip into our budget. If you are staying at a hotel, head to its spa and have a steam or sauna and book in for a massage. Having a treatment is another good way to allow yourself to arrive. Travel causes real stress on the body, mind and spirit – something most people don't seem to consider these days as they do it so often. Massage is great for circulation and relieving any pain and discomfort left over from being stuck in one position for too long.'
7
Bring your favourite candle
'It’s a good idea to have something in your room that smells familiar. We like to bring a travel candle with us and light it as soon as we get to our hotel room or the house we are staying at. If you travel a lot for work, it's natural for you to begin feeling homesick or even lonely. Having a candle or a scent that reminds you of home will instantly put you in a good mood – smell is the most underrated sense in terms of its power to evoke memories. We even have a little diffuser that we plug into the computer with a few aromatherapy oils in it: lemon for the morning and lavender for the evening.'
See more at: Condé Nast Traveler
