Four Ways to Stay Healthy When Traveling with Celiac Disease

How to Feel Well on Vacation When You Have Celiac Disease or Food Allergies

Traveling the world is a dream for many people, even those of us who have Celiac disease. However, eating out can be challenging when you have a food intolerance, food allergy, or auto-immune condition that prevents you from eating certain foods! And, if you don't know how to order out, or you don't know where to eat that's safe, your relaxing vacation can be more of a nightmare than an adventure!

While it's significantly easier to maintain your health when you're at home rather than traveling, we don't want to limit our life experiences by playing it safe 100% of the time. In addition, when we travel, we tend to indulge because what's the point of going on vacation if you don't indulge yourself for that short period away from daily life?

Traveling is a great adventure where you can "let loose." So how can you stay healthy during your travels when you're ready to get outside your box for a new adventure? Read on to find out four tips that can help you stay healthy and avoid chronic illness symptoms on your next vacation.

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Keep a Journal to Track Your Health

Keeping a journal and jotting down a few bullet points of how you're feeling, what you've eaten, where you've eaten, and other details of your trip can help you identify problem activities you may want to avoid.

A journal is also a great way to keep track of your feelings. You can document the ups and downs of your daily emotional journey. A journal can be used as a tool to manage your moods and thoughts by helping you understand how they are influenced by external factors, like events in your life and the people around you. In addition, journaling gives you a chance to reflect on what you've done and how it affects your overall health. Writing down your daily habits in a journal will help you keep track of everything.

Visit a Dentist Before Your Long-Term Travel 

I never met anyone who was excited to go to the dentist. However, this is one issue you don't want to have while traveling! When I vacationed in Maui, I remember I broke my tooth. Luckily, I was able to get to a dentist the next day who could remedy my issue. However, if they couldn't fit me in, I would have been in considerable pain for the remainder of my trip!

Before your long-term travel, a trip to the dentist is essential, especially when you're traveling to a country where you might not be familiar with the healthcare system. So before you leave for any long-term trip, make sure you get your teeth checked, whether you have straight teeth, good teeth, or dental issues. Dental health is just as important as the other aspects of health for the human body, so make sure to have your teeth looked at before traveling away from home for long periods.

Create Your Own Nutritious Meals By Cooking Rather Than Going Out to Eat

There are more than enough health factors to consider when traveling around. What you eat will play one of the most significant factors, especially if you have an auto-immune or food allergy! If you are looking for a way to save money and eat safely while on vacation, you might want to consider cooking your own meals. There are many benefits of cooking in your hotel or suite's kitchen rather than going out to eat. One benefit is the economy of eating in your vacation kitchen. When staying at a hotel long-term, I generally eat breakfast and dinner at my vacation rental, then eat lunch out while I'm on-the-go sightseeing.  

Another benefit of eating at your vacation rental is choosing and preparing your own food, avoiding cross-contamination. Just remember to thoroughly clean all cookware if you have Celiac disease to avoid getting glutened from a pot or pan that wasn't cleaned well. Eating at your place allows you to make food choices based on your body's needs. I review this in my book The Guide to Traveling Gluten Free.

Exercise While You're Away From Home

The idea of exercise while you're away from home is standard for those in the habit of working out daily. However, even if you don't have a regular workout routine, you can use an online exercise program, app, or the wellness center at your hotel. Alternatively, you can even go outside and allow the world to be your gym, take a nice, relaxing walk after dinner, or have a great run early in the morning. 

Unfortunately, exercise often gets neglected when traveling. However, staying active while away significantly helps with digestion issues and keeps your gut health in better shape! Staying healthy while away doesn't need to be complicated, so keep it simple and enjoy your walk on the beach - because that counts as exercise too!

Whether you go, you can use these four tips to help keep your auto-immune or other chronic health issues at bay when you are out exploring the world! In addition, staying healthy while on vacation leaves you with more time to enjoy the experiences with your family and friends on your adventure.

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