Oh sure, occasional travel can be exciting and fun. I would be the last to knock it, having traveled extensively throughout my 20s and 30s. But truth be told, we have to be intelligent and skillful with our self care if we want our bodies to stay healthy while traveling. Only careful planning and strategic actions will keep our minds grounded during travel considering the stressors travel brings.

In the Ayurvedic, view, travel provokes Vata which is linked to overwhelm, anxiety and nervousness in the mind. Vata also causes constipation, dehydration, and dryness in the body.  Vata consists of air and ether.

How does Vata relate to travel?

Let me explain…

• Air is related to movement. When we go from point A to B that implies movement.
• Ether, aka space, is involved in travel as we start out in one space and end up in another space. This requires the body to adjust to the different requirements in those spaces including climate, food, timezone, altitude and maybe even a different culture.

Travel is particularly impactful the older we get

As children we are naturally strong and resilient because we are in the Kapha phase of life (earth and water). As adults we maintain our system with Pitta energy which is not quite as strong as Kapha, but still has a maintaining quality on our physiology.

As we hit 35 years of age, Vata increases with age. The older we are the more pronounced Vata becomes. Travelling, a Vata inducing activity during a Vata time of life, results in a lot of Vata.

Too much Vata has consequences…

Vata has a deteriorating quality by nature

For this reason grounding and nourishing practices are of utmost importance when we travel.  And, please, don’t think that I am unfairly judging. There are lots of beautiful things about Vata.

Vata is the great mover in the body. Circulation, lymph movement and breathing are just a few physiological processes that require Vata energy.

When Vata is balanced a person is creative, visionary,  enthusiastic and genuinely excited about life. The pitfall comes when Vata rises too much. We call that Vata aggravation. The equation goes:

Travel (Vata) + Age above 35 (Vata) + Vata inducing lifestyle = too much Vata

We don’t want too much Vata. As I said before, Vata is deteriorating to the tissues in the body and it creates an unstable mind.

Keep your Vata in check and make travel an easeful and enjoyable experience with these seven travel tips. Feeling good in your body and mind makes all the difference when you travel long distances to spend time out with loved ones for the holidays.

Seven Stellar Travel Tips from Ayurveda

1. Prep for your trip.

Get plenty of sleep before you start your trip. Eat grounding foods like root veggies, soups and stews, unless it’s the blazing heat of summer. Hydrate a lot.

Prevention is the best medicine. Also take at least 5-10 min to get clear on how you will spend your time. Write it down. Is there anything practical you need to attend to or can you totally chill? Being clear about the intention of your trip including what activities you’d like to do, calms the nervous system and allows you totally let go.

2. Eat grounding foods.

You know how they give you pretzels and crispy sticks in the airplane? Forget about those. They are drying and aggravate Vata. Instead opt for soup (before travel, while in the airport or on the road), lots of hydrating drinks (forget beer, wine and coffee all of which are dehydrating; go for the water instead, hot is best).

Beets have an incredibly grounding effect on the body and increase downward flow. That is good to prevent constipation. Eat those if you can.

3. Take a bath.

Upon arrival, the first thing I do is take a bath, ideally with epsom salts. Water counteracts the light Vata energy, salt is heavy and grounding. If you can’t take a bath because there is no tub, take a long, hot shower. If you can’t do that, wash your face, hands and feet with hot water.

This bathing practice not only grounds the Vata in the body but the mind too. Water relates to the Moon and thus our emotions. Surrounding yourself with lots of water grounds your emotions and washes away any anxiety, overwhelm and nervousness.

4. Take deep belly breaths.

Vata energy, when imbalanced, has an upward and outward movement. The feeling is: I am crazy and all over the place. Taking full, deep belly breaths draws the energy down into the center of our body. Do it whenever you are standing in line somewhere or first thing when you sit down in a chair.

5. Do Self massage.

Use oil. Lots of oil. Ideally with grounding essential oils or vata reducing herbs. Check out this blog on Abhyanga (aka self massage) to get more details. Also listen to this podcast on how to alleviate achy joints and muscles. Sarah and I talk extensively about abhyanga.

If you have never done this practice before, start out by massaging your feet with sesame oil. Add any grounding essential oils like Vetiver, Jatamansi or Chamomile. Put a pair of old socks over your feet and let the oil sink in.

6. Choose airports and places that feed your senses.

According to Ayurveda, one of the major ways we get out of balance is through the misuse of our senses. Misuse refers to both overuse, underuse or incorrect use. Travelling inherently causes overuse of the senses. We are exposed to tons of impressions, through our eyes and ears especially.

Consider eye masks whenever possible and ear plugs whenever appropriate. Also, what I have found helpful is choosing routes on my trip that are less aggravating to my system. For example, I frequently travel from the US to Germany. Choosing stop overs in smaller airports like Portland or Reykjavik keeps me more calm and settled versus travelling through noisy and overstimulating airports like New York. The smaller airports also tend to have more holistic food choices.

7. Use essential oils.

They are a great rescue remedy that fit into any purse. You can also go through security with small bottles when air travelling. Essential oils are power houses as they carry the essence of plants in just a few drops.

Putting various drops of essential oils on key places such as the crown of the head, palms of the hands and soles of the feet ground and seal in your energy and prevents Vata energy all over the place.

Making It Work

If this sounds like a lot, pick one remedy and do it diligently. Next time you travel adopt a second one, then a third one. Over time these practices will become habits. Your body will thank you.

And hey, if you need help getting a grip on these practices, we, as Yoga Health Coaches are here for you. That’s what we do. We help you establish healthy rhythms and routines even while travelling.

P.S. By the way, air travel is even more Vata aggravating than car or train travel. Think about it. Air travel as the name already suggests, makes you deal with the air but also the ether element. Vata is comprised of air and ether. in contrast, during car and train travel you still have some connection to the earth, thus counteracting the impact of the movement a bit more. Still in all cases you want to ground Vata.

Now one of my most decadent self-care gestures, Abyhanga has become something I have the possibility of doing daily… and I do it every day, even when I am traveling! I am a busy MD who loves to travel for work and play. I have a routine for doing my Abyhanga at home and one that I take on the road.

Here’s my routine when I am home, I dry brush my skin with dry brush shower gloves to slough off old skin cells, and awaken my body’s largest organ. Then I put a squirt bottle of oil into a cup of hot water to make it warm to the touch. Then I head to the shower. If time allows, I massage the oil into my skin and let it absorb for 20 minutes before stepping under the water. This habit has become as automatic as brushing my teeth. On days when I have less time, I skip the dry brushing and take the oil into the shower with me and rub it on under the water stream. The warm water helps it soak in.

What are the results of daily self-massage with oil?

I have experienced a deep nurturing that beckons me to stay inside my body physically, mentally, and emotionally. My body knows it is deeply cared for as a result of this practice. I cherish my body’s presence and I respect its opinion. I have learned to listen. I have grown to admire and love my body for it’s unique traits and shortcomings.

For many years, since my teens, I could only view my body with critique. Through daily Abhyanga, the relationship has changed.  As I have become the caretaker of myself by rubbing oil on my skin and caressing my tissues, I can embrace imperfections as parts of me and judgment falls away. I deeply appreciate everything my body does and I apologize for my lapses in mindfulness that occasionally lead to a bruised knee or poor food choices that make my belly feel uncomfortable.  I bolster all of the above with a daily check-in involving self-touch: a hand to my belly, a hand to my chest, a scalp massage, taking the time to work out some knots. Inner calm, presence and self-respect have evolved from this simple daily practice.

And yet, sometimes I forget, or get stressed, and my practice slips. Things come up. Stuff gets in the way. I prioritize others over self. I’ve noticed this to be especially true when traveling. It’s called life.

What I’ve learned the hard way is that by maintaining my practice, even when it’s difficult to do so, and especially when it’s hard to do so, is when it benefits me most! By treating my body, skin, and mind to an oil massage while traveling, I show up in my new surroundings very grounded and present. When traveling this translates into being more calm in unusual surroundings, more wise and making more mindful food choices. I also find myself getting better sleep in a strange place as a result of my traveling Abyhanga practice.  I feel that I am more present to myself no matter where travel. I take in more of the experience of a new and different place when I am deeply nurtured.

Last summer I traveled to Seattle for a continuing medical education course.  Although the content was dry, rote and boring, it was something I needed to learn.  Every morning I practiced Abhyanga in my hotel room and I think because I did this, I was able to find more calm while sitting in the 8 hours of dull lectures every day.  Because of the care I gave myself, it was easy to resist the tempting snacks in the afternoon and sleep more deeply at night.  When I did get outside, I enjoyed the sights and offerings of the big city by being fully present inside myself.

In certain travel scenarios, oil massage just isn’t possible. In this case, I bring shower gloves in my suitcase for a technique called dry brushing. I bought these exfoliating gloves at Target and of course they are also available online. In lieu of oil massage, dry brushing can be a great back up when oil can’t be used for whatever reason.  Before getting in the shower, I simply put on my gloves and massage the dry skin with mild friction in the same way I would massage oil on my skin.  This invigorates the skin, improves surface circulation and lymph flow, and offers exfoliation as well. Dry brushing can be done before Abhyanga or in lieu of it to maintain a connection with my body. When there isn’t time for a shower, quarters are cramped, or oil is unavailable, dry brushing keeps me in touch with my skin, my largest and most absorptive organ.

Here’s how I do Abhyanga while traveling:

1. I throw a small 2-3 oz. squirt bottle in my carry on luggage. It easily fits inside a walking shoe. I seal it in two zip lock plastic bags and voila, no extra space is taken up by my oil. 
2. Upon arriving, I buy a bottle of oil. I purchase sesame oil or a jar of coconut oil, depending on my destination. Sesame oil is warming for cooler climates, and coconut is cooling for warm climates. (Note: I don’t use a squirt bottle with coconut oil unless it’s warm enough for it to be in a liquid state.)
3. I take a larger bottle of oil. When I go to a place where finding or going to a ‘store’ to buy oils is impossible or it just adds too much stress to my  itinerary,  I take more than the carry on approved 3.4 ounces of liquid. In this situation, I am forced to check my luggage. I fill a larger squirt bottle, with a little bit of space for expansion while at flying altitude, wrap it in a paper towel, and seal it in 2 zip lock bags.  With this protocol, I’ve never had it leak onto my clothes.
4. I pack dry brush gloves to use as part of my daily Abyhanga routine or as back up for any unexpected situations that interfere with my typical practice. I stow my shower gloves in a zip-lock bag and use as needed.
5. When staying in a hotel, I  take advantage of the amenities…the shower gets cleaned every day and an oily towel gets sent to the laundry. When I stay in  private homes or at an Air BnB I adapt different strategies to keep my hosts happy. Sometimes I bring an extra towel for oily situations. Often I offer to clean the shower. It always helps to explain yourself as Abyhanga is not a common practice. Most people will be happy you took the time to explain what you are doing and how you will take responsibility for cleaning up after yourself.

Next time you say Bon Voyage, don’t forget Abyhanga is one of the way to literally stay ‘in touch’ with yourself.  Have a great trip!

As an OB/Gyn physician who often sleeps at the hospital waiting for a birth, I’ve found ways to incorporate my Ayurvedic-based self-care routine into my sometimes fractured schedule. This is especially helpful for sleepless nights when I’m away from home. I pack  a small bag and take it to work. In it I include small bottles of oils I use in my at home Ayurvedic routine. I’ve duplicated everything so there’s no thinking about what to take.  I just grab it and go. I’ve made it a project to figure out how to take Ayurveda and the healthy habits described in Cate Stillman’s book,  Body Thrive, on the road.  This allows me to maintain consistency, balance, and body integrity while travelling.  What has evolved is a blog series in which I share what has made my life easier while away from home.

We Become More Aware of Routine

In Cate Stillman’s book, Body Thrive, readers spend 10 weeks focusing on 10 healthy habits from Ayurveda that are used to fine-tune and simplify their lives. This opens us to the possibility of change in the rhythms and choices we make in our own lives. These types of changes allow us to evolve as conscious creatures on our planet. In the beginning, change happens on an almost imperceptible level. We soften. We shift. We become more aware. Many do not notice the subtle differences in their daily routine. Until one day, they do. For myself, I remember realizing that I warm lemon water felt better than tea or coffee to my body in the early waking hours.

As my life began to shift and the Body Thrive habits became a part of me, I saw how going on vacation or traveling for work threw the routine off. When staying in a hotel room that I share with three other people, it’s difficult to wake up, boil drinking water and meditate without waking up my roommates. A peaceful meditation can easily go out the window, and the domino effect of missed meditations ripples throughout the day and week. Any meditator understands the scenario of cumulative missed meditations has ungrounding consequences.

Start the Day Right

Recently I acquired a Hydro Flask, a trusty companion on every trip I take. Well insulated and vacuum sealed, it holds 32 oz of warm or hot water. In my experience, downing a full flask of lemon water every morning has produced amazing results. Prior to owning my Hydro Flask, I found it difficult to get hot water in the morning, especially early, unless on the rare occasion there was a hot pot in the hotel room.  Even on silent meditation retreats, the rooms were monastic and finding a kettle small enough to put into my suitcase was difficult.  Because my Hydro Flask keeps water very hot through the night, I can fill it  in the evening, put it by the bed, and it’s perfect temperature for drinking in the morning.  This saves time and commotion in the hotel room.  And the steel lining of the Hydro Flask makes the water taste clean and simple, not like plastic water bottles.

Silly American, Why is She Carrying a Jar??

Thank goodness I will no longer need to tote my glass mason jar around!  After landing in Paris two years ago I was making my way to the TGV (high-speed train) to visit a dear friend who lives in southern France. My bag collected and customs navigated, I had begun to taste my adventure. The fog that comes with international travel loomed as felt my feet on the ground after hours in the air. I walked outside and breathed my first gulp of cool, moist French spring air. I had arrived! As I walked along the patio with benches where people waited for trains, my brain rewiring itself to speak French again, I heard various announcements of arrivals and departures. Then, a crash that took a few seconds before realizing it was from me. My glass Mason jar worked it’s way out of the backpack bottle holder and shattered on the train platform. I cringed. My vision narrowed and I felt suddenly estranged. For the next three weeks my routine would be upset.

In the end, I adapted to plastic and avoided adding the lemon to my morning water. I still laugh at the expression of the French, “Silly American! Why is she even carrying a jar with her?” Glass no more!

Vacation Evacuation Made Easy

The finale of starting the day right is the esteemed morning bowel evacuation. To understand what happens when we travel we need to turn to Ayurveda. The dosha  or energy of Vata in Ayurveda is composed of air and ether. It transforms and evolves. Traveling exacerbates its force and it easily falls out of balance. With air comes dryness and with dryness, constipation. To remedy an interruption in bowel function while traveling, I take the supplement Calm every night I’m not at home. I carry a small 1oz Nalgene jar (that I bought at a backpacking store) full of it. I also take triphala tea at night and do the same with that powder. Many people take triphala capsules instead. The water I use to make these evening drinks fills up the Hydro Flask for the morning. Some restaurants and hotels have lemon wedges available too.

I am happy to share these discoveries. Please share what works for you. We all benefit!