Schools out for the summer! Whether you're a student, have school-aged kids yourself or are somewhere in between, there's nothing like that feeling of freedom that summer brings. And with summer comes much needed vacations. Travel is great for the mind and body, providing a break for New Yorkers to get away from our fast-paced city and kick back for a bit. And while we’re all for a little healthy indulgence here at Provenance, who wants to go away only to come back bloated, fatigued and in need of another vacation? Here are our top 5 tips and tricks for staying in a holistic state of mind and having your healthiest and most enjoyable vacation yet.
1. Plan ahead - Before you leave, increase your vitamin C intake with citrus, kale, strawberries and broccoli. No one wants to catch a cold en route to their destination. And even though airports across the country have improved in their fresh food and healthy snack offerings, nothing beats bringing your own. Our prepared meals and cleanse programs are ready to go in our handy insulated tote bag and our Raspberry Rose Bars are the perfect snack. Other Provenance-approved snacks include hard boiled eggs, nuts and seeds, nut butter in individual packets, and cut up veggies. Our founder Caroll's go-to snacks these days is a handful of Sacha Inchi seeds, which due to their high fiber, protein and omega fatty acids content, keeps her full and sated in between meals. And make sure to plan your reset for when you return from vacation to get you back in the groove of your clean eating routine. Our Provenance Detox is the perfect program for when you return or even in-between trips to boost your immune system and keep you feeling energized.
2. Hydrate - Travel, particularly airplane travel, is dehydrating. Plan on drinking at least 8 oz water per 1 hour of flight time. Bring your own bottle so you can refill at will. (Don't forget to empty it out before going through security, though!) Avoid salty snacks and don’t overdo it on caffeine and alcohol.
3. Move - We’ve all been there. You pack the fitness clothes and sneakers, taking up that valuable suitcase space, only to have it go untouched for your entire vacation. But workouts don’t have to be boring treadmill time in a stuffy hotel fitness room. Use city parks, the pool, or the beach as your playground. Swimming is a great low-impact exercise, or you can make it more challenging by doing resistance training in the water. (Just search for “pool workout” on youtube for ideas.) Park benches are great for tricep dips or barre moves, and if you really want to get your sweat on, try this deck workout from Equinox, no equipment required. On the plane to and from your destination, we love Chair Yoga moves from wellness partner Kristin McGee.
4. Indulge wisely - Vacation is for kicking back and forgetting the rules for a brief period of time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be strategic in your fun. A simple rule of thumb is to choose proteins over carbs (i.e. head to the make-your-own omelet bar instead of the all you can eat pancakes). Savor that cocktail or decadent dessert slowly and always go for high quality as opposed to quantity. And when you do indulge, do it sans guilt, just like the French.
5. Avoid weight gain and bloat - Keeping your digestive system active and healthy is key to avoiding weight gain and bloating. Ayurveda recommends drinking a large glass of water 15-30 minutes before a meal to turn on your digestive fire (thermogenesis) and increase stomach acids to aid digestion. Bring your Metagenics UltraFlora Control Probiotics to help keep your microbiome in balance (available as an add-on when you check out), and eat fermented foods. If you’re feeling constipated, take a magnesium supplement like Natural Calm to deliver water to your colon and keep things moving along.
Following these tips on vacation will help you enjoy your time away even more, giving you the nutrition and energy to properly relax. Now get out there and have some fun, with an extra dose of Vitamin D!