A Guide to Healthy Travel
Business travel has the potential to disrupt your healthy routine if you let it. By planning ahead for business travel and implementing a strategy for eating well and staying active you will improve your performance and have more energy.
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Pack for Healthy Travel
Pack as lightly as possible while covering every possible contingency. The same is true with eating. Assume that you’ll be stuck on a runway for hours, miss lunch when meetings overlap, and have limited options for breakfast. Take healthy, non-perishable options in your carry-on item. These include nuts, healthy snack bars, apples, canned tuna with pull-off tabs and dry biscuits. Longer trip? Pack extra food in your suitcase.
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Avoid Airport Junk Food
If you have no other option but a fast-food restaurant between flights, try and do the following:
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Stay away from fried foods, go with grilled foods instead
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Chose a side salad or baked potato as your side item
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Grilled chicken or fish is a healthier option than a burger
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Remove the skin. If there is skin on your chicken take it off
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Avoid mayonnaise
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In-flight exercises
The following exercises/movements are recommended to keep your blood moving while in-flight:
Ankle rotations: Lift your feet off the floor and draw a circle with your toes, trying to get a full range of motion through your ankle. Repeat in the opposite direction.
Foot lifts: Alternate keeping your toes on the floor and lifting your heels with keeping your heels on the floor and lifting your toes.
Knee lifts: Sitting straight up, keep your knee bent and lift your thigh so that you’re flexing at the hip. Alternate legs.
Toe curls: Curl your toes and release. Also try pressing your toes down against the floor or just wiggling them inside your shoes.
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Avoid Hotel Challenges
Avoid the complementary chocolates! Stick to nutritional routines, as difficult as that can be whilst travelling. Turn to your healthy snacks brought from home.
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Fit In a Workout
Do some light exercises in your room. Running the hotel stairs is a quick and easy workout. If you prefer to run outside make sure you know where you’re going and leave the iPod in your room. Running in cities can be hazardous especially if you can’t hear any warnings.
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Stay Hydrated
It’s easy to get out of the habit of drinking adequate water while dashing to meetings and other commitments whilst travelling. Make it a point to carry a bottle with you. A small sports bottle that doesn’t take up too much room in your carry-on, backpack, or briefcase really comes in handy. Empty it before going through airport security and refill from a water fountain on the other side.
Seafarers Health Information Programme
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Safe Travel - You are part of it! Healthier, Fitter, Safer
https://seafarerswelfare.org/ship-shop/safe-travel/safe-travel-a5-booklet-16pp-detail
This booklet encourages seafarers to spend time preparing for their next trip. It covers illnesses that are common in particular parts of the world and advises on how to avoid them. It also provides a checklist of items that seafarers can go through before embarking on their next trip.
