My Approach To "Being Healthy" While Traveling (And What I *Actually* Pack In My Carry-On)

HELLO from Paris! 
 
…er, well, hello from 10,000 feet in the air.
 
I am currently writing this email on the “notes” app of my phone while we fly home from our family trip to FRANCE! 

We are currently cooped up on the plane, Miles just breastfed,  Adam is reading him a book, annnnd mama found some time to type!

For the past 10 days, my sweet lil fam of 3 explored France. (take a peek at our little digital scrapbook here— including these photos we took in a vintage photo booth!) and, TBH, this trip felt like my personal vision board had exploded into real life. 

For whatever reason, I have always DREAMED of traveling to Europe with our baby, and it truly was so magical for it to be… REAL?! [cue misty-eyes]

So, while I fight back #SappyPostPartumTears thinking about this trip, let's talk about something more general and applicable to YOU!

HOW THE HECK DO YOU  APPROACH “BEING HEALTHY” WHILE TRAVELING??

my lil travel buddy! not too shabby to check the eiffel tower off of your bucket list at FOUR MONTHS OLD?!

my attitude on “treat yo’self” vacation mindset

Here's the thing- I truly think vacations (and, um, life in general) are meant to be ENJOYED. not overly calculated & obsessive & restricted, ya know?!  

…but, at the same time, my health & how I feel are major priorities in my life. 

Basically-- I try to find that balance between “treat yo’self” *and* respect yo’self, ya know????

Because the fact of that matter is while eating nothing but delicious French carbs & cheese & meat all day *sounds* great— the reality is, I will FEEL better if I *also* prioritize a few veggies, good water intake, & have appropriate portions along the way. 

• You can have the meat & cheese AND order a salad as your appetizer

• You can have the delicious wine AND hydrate w/ water between each glass

• You can stay up late enjoying the trip AND do your evening bedtime routine

Something I work on with my health coaching clients is being honest with yourself on what you THINK you want (endless supply of carbs, wine, & cheese for every meal, oh my!) & what you are actually craving from an emotional perspective (Eating food with loved ones! Experiencing culture and delicious foods! Flowing conversation! Eating to feel fueled & nourished! Feeling GOOD!), and set your intentions off of THAT experience. 

Sometimes we over-fixate on certain foods as the only way to have an enjoyable bite, but the truth is, there are a LOT of foods that can make up a “satisfying” meal-- mind, body, & soul.

And so while I did go into this vacation with a purposeful intention to ENJOY & SAVOR & TREAT MYSELF (and I did!), I *also* wanted to FEEL my best.

To help accomplish that balance, I made sure to *set myself up* for success by planning ahead & bringing a few small things that support my health, wellbeing, and mental state! 

keep reading to find out the SPECIFIC things I pack in my travel-on to support my health!

you can have the wine & gluttonous meals…

AND go to the grocery store and stock up on a few healthy items for snacks & meals!

wellness items I pack when traveling:  

Please note that I, Kate Eskuri, DID pack in a carry-on for a winter trip to Europe with a newborn. (that isn’t even a humble brag— just a blatant brag)

Please, please, don't hold your applause, ladies and gentlemen.

So, as I defied the laws of physics and crammed 3 coats into a carry-on, let’s just say EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. I packed was very intentionally chosen due to my space restrictions so I REALLY wanted to bring these things below. 

These are the small things that help me FEEL my best and take care of my bod in the small ways-- even when traveling!

[drum roll plzzz….]

a few simple items for health & nontoxic living (anywhere in the world!)

(pssst: none of these are sponsored-- just my own honest opinions and some affiliate links! thanks in advance for shopping with my links/coupons-- you are directly supporting this small biz of mine!)
 

the world’s EASIEST way to take your supplements while traveling. just grab 1 packet per day you’ll be gone, and you’re SET. coupon KATEESKURI20 saves ya 20% on alllll of their unique women's multivitamins, prenatals, and postnatal!

• this electrolyte packet for hydration: I am the self-proclaimed hydration queeeeen and that doesn’t stop when I travel. In fact, I am probably MORE intentional about making sure I am 1) drinking enough water, but 2) absorbing it properly. These little electrolyte packets are a godsend for truly hydrating yourself (think of it like. A clean-ingredient pwoerade). I had 1-2 of these per day while traveling to ensure I stayed hydrated, my milk supply stayed up, etc.
  
  

• this senna leaf tea to help constipation:  anyone else get, um… constipated when they travel? Hahahah. Nothing is TMI on this blog.  Well, if you’re like me, I always pack 2 packets of this smooth move, laxative-quality tea and drink it on the plane. It’s made of senna leaf, all natural, and gets the job done. be warned though-- this tea WILL get ya MOVIN' so i would save it for when you truly need it (For 10 other holistic remedies for constipation, click here)
  
  

• the supplements I am taking postpartum: my supplements! Even while away from home, I wanted to make sure my postpartum body is getting the nutrients it needs. This little packet is a postnatal multivitamin, ashwaganda for stress relief, biotin/collagen to reduce postpartum hair loss & promote skin health… I take this everyday in my “real life” but it’s especially EASY for traveling. Gone are the days of having to “prep” my supplements in a pill organizer before a trip or bring along 5 different supplement bottles in my suitcase. Instead, I just put 7 little packets in my bag, and I am good to go! Both in my everyday life or jet-setting, it's amazing to have everything I need for my health, hormones, and postpartum in one lil packet :) my affiliate coupon KATEESKURI20 saves ya 20% on alllll of their unique women's multivitamins, prenatals, and postnatal!
  
  

• this clean-ingredient self-tanner: Somethin’ about having a tan just instantly makes me feel more confident & I wanted that sun-kissed glow while on vacation (even though I was literally in Europe during winter, ha!). But, you know  me— I am VERY picky about the ingredients in my products, and this nontoxic self-tanner is theeee best. I would mix this in my morning skincare routine to help me have a nice, subtle glow :)  
   

• this organic CBD: This stuff is theeeee best for sleep. I brought this along to help promote restful sleep despite the changing time zones & jet-lag— just a little bit goes a long way for DEEP, restful, rejuvenating sleep. Obviously check with your doc, but I have found CBD a beautiful tool in better sleep & reducing anxious thoughts. (coupon: kateeskuri)
  
  

• this holistic supplement that actually helps w/ bloating:  Ummmm, it’s not want— it’s a NEED. These digestive herbal supplements help sooo much with everyday bloat & digestion— but was especially crucial when I was on a cheese & wine diet in France. (i've loved them forever & my affiliate code THEFOUNDATION20 saves ya 20%)
   

• this more-sustainable way to wear fun clothes: okay, this has NOTHING to do with health, but it's a travel must-have, ok?!  Instead of shopping before a trip, I just rent a few fun clothing pieces to wear! I love nuully all the time— but ESPECIALLY for travel. It’s so fun to get a few pieces specifically for a trip. (Also hack for all my fellow midwestern cold gals— renting coats is SO fun to have different jackets to wear all winter *without* having to, ya know, *buy* 9038420 different coats). Not sponsored at all, but here's^^ a refer-a-friend link for $10 off your next box!
   

• this unique meditation app: I always talk about my fav meditation app because of it’s UNIQUE meditations— and they even have a full “travel” section. (i'll show a picture below) I listened to the “Feel Calm & Confident Before A Flight” meditation while we were preparing for takeoff. It TRULY helped me get into a calm, positive mindset before flying with my little babe and approach it with GOOD energy. Coupon “KATE” gets you 6 weeks free through this link! 

^^here's a peek at just the TRAVEL focused meditations. like, what?! i swear this app has mindfulness exercises for every situation. i love it s'much. (coupon KATE gets ya 6 weeks free!)

So, basically, here is what it all boils down to. 

I try to do my best at finding the balance of healthy foods *and* living life in the moment. as mentioned above— my biggest hack is to just UPGRADE whatever situation in with a little bit of health-goodness. 

Not depriving myself, not holding back, just ADDING a healthy habit in. 

Tangible examples of what this looks like during travel for me:

• meditating in the morning (yes, even when I don't “feel” like it),

• walking while we sightsee (instead of taking a taxi, train, etc.),

• making sure I have a lot of water (even when I'm having a lot of wine, wink)

• taking my supplements, having herbs/teas that support my digestion, etc.

• making sure I have at least one veggie per meal

• AND enjoying more “splurge” foods, having extra pastries, enjoying my surroundings, local food, etc.

Just a reminder with health-- it doesn’t have to be “either/or”, it CAN be “both/and”Okay, well we are preparing for descent— time to put my laptop away!
 

XX,

Kate

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