The Lounge
What’s in My Bag: Holistic Edition
While traveling have you ever felt the reality check of serious stomach pain, extreme bloating, or a bad hangover getting in the way?
For years, my family (filled with naturalist Persians) would make fresh ginger tea whenever someone in the family was sick, and as a kid I hated the taste, went for the globs of honey instead, and avoided drinking the spicy tea at all costs.
As I got older, I learned how uncomfortable gut issues feel, and ginger has since resurfaced and made a main character return in both my travel and daily life. To break down the basics – Gingerol, the bioactive compound found in raw ginger, boosts immunity with its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. To name a few of the anti-inflammatory benefits,
ginger helps improve coughs, lowers fevers, fights off infections, reduces headaches, and relieves stomach pain.
Beyond just impacting how you feel inside, the antioxidants in ginger protect the skin from UV rays and slow the breakdown of collagen, making the skin look younger and tauter.
When preparing for a big trip I always try to drink 32 OZ of homemade ginger juice the day before or the day of my flight. I make about 16 OZ of fresh squeezed lemon and grape juice with 5 OZ of fresh ginger, and I mix it with sparkling water. It's a great juice to help you get the digestive benefits of ginger and stay hydrated.
When getting through all of the travel prep, a homemade wellness concoction may not be realistic and I have found the right ginger pill can have the same effects. Whether it is before or on a trip, my number one tip for maintaining digestive health during travel is Arrae “Bloat” supplements. These natural capsules have a blend of five herbs (bromelain, ginger root, peppermint, lemon balm, dandelion root, and slippery elm) and a digestive enzyme. Together they reduce heartburn, speed up food breakdown, and prevent gas. I take them on an as needed basis and usually feel the effects in under an hour. When traveling, sometimes anxiety creeps up on flights causing my stomach to get in knots and my mind to race. Having relief for the discomfort almost prevents anxiety and the toxic cycle from even beginning. Also, when trying new foods in foreign cities, an uncomfortable stomach situation has ruined countless days and nights. Ginger comes to the rescue whether it's my own jitters or physical pain. In any form, I recommend giving my holy grail wellness hack a try in your travel routine.