Travel in Digestive Style

Summer is winding down, and that means that many people will be taking those last-minute trips or heading out on a vacation to take advantage of end-of-season discounts as they get those last few kicks in before the fall and winter months are in full swing. And while travel is fun and exciting, it can also mean a few difficulties…

At no other time is digestive health more critical than when we travel. It’s no fun to be jammed into an airplane with only a few bathrooms when you're faced with a digestive emergency. It’s even less fun to face one of these episodes halfway through a thigh-crunching hike or during a night out sampling local cuisine.

Our first hero in the quest for trouble-free travel digestion is a good probiotic supplement. Probiotics help replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut. You want to keep an optimal balance of good bacteria as the majority and bad bacteria as the minority.

Probiotics help alleviate occasional diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. Plus, because more than 70% of your immune system is located in your gut, they help boost immunity! Many experts recommend taking a probiotic supplement before and during travel for the best results.

You’re probably eating a lot of unfamiliar food when you travel. Exotic fare can be fun, but when you need a little extra help breaking things down, digestive enzymes may be your #1 appetizer choice. When taken with a meal, a digestive enzyme supplement supports efficient breakdown of carbs, fats, sugars, and proteins. When your body is breaking food down efficiently you’ll probably notice you have more energy, less digestive upset, and better transit time.

A lot of us have trouble with digestion when we travel, from occasional constipation to diarrhea, gas, bloating, or just general stomach distress. It might be the different foods we eat, the water we drink, even a change in altitude – the bottom line is; there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s a fact of life, and as long as you’re doing what you can to support digestive health, its one fact of life that will run as smooth as silk!