With the travel corridors opening far and wide (plus my little sister-in-law heading back to Australia next week), I thought it a good time to share a few tips for remaining balanced before and after your journey.
When we travel, we incorporate the principles of movement and irregularity, increasing the levels of vata (air and space elements) throughout the body. As the subtlest of the body types, vata can be quickly thrown out of balance mentally and physically during long journeys or air travel. So we must take extra care to stay grounded and stable to avoid the vata disturbance of dryness, unsettled digestion, spaciness and fatigue.
Here are a few tips to pack on your journey…
Self-massage
Before, during and after flights. Apply a little organic sesame oil to line your ears and nostrils (either soak a cotton bud in the oil or simply use your fingertip), then gently massage some into your hands and soles of feet. Additionally, a full body self-massage prior to a warm shower is good for grounding and nourishing when you reach your destination. Remember - ‘flying is drying’!
Drink
Naturally, hydration is super important whilst in motion. Sip on warm water at regular intervals
Cinnamon, tulsi, ginger, CCF (cumin, coriander and fennel) teas
Avoiding or limiting caffeine, alcohol, carbonated or ice-cold beverages, as they disrupt digestion
Golden milk upon landing (warmed milk with turmeric and nutmeg)
Pop a teaspoon of Chyawanprash into hot water or warmed milk to boost immunity
Nourish
Favour warm and soothing spices to keep your Agni (digestive fire) balanced; cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, black pepper
Foods like quinoa, roasted veggies, rice, lentils, sweet potato, tahini, nut butter, lemon, garlic sauce, root vegetables, soups, fish, chicken, oatmeal with cooked apples are a few examples of grounding foods
Avoid extremely sour foods such as pickles and vinegar and very spicy foods, such as hot chilli peppers
Cooked prunes and figs (try to pre-soak all dried fruit when you’re on the move)
Limit or avoid consumption of fridge-cold foods and drinks; they force your body to work harder to heat up what you are eating before it can be digested and absorbed
Avoid raw foods, salads and cold smoothies; all are drying foods that will further aggravate the air and space elements in the mind and body
Eat fresh fruit and light, easy-to-digest foods. These will help balance both Vata and Pitta elements in the body
Avoid fast food, heavy, overly greasy hard-to-digest foods
Breathe
Travelling in fast-moving vehicles and unpredictable routines can aggravate our mental and emotional balance. Deep abdominal breathing aids stimulate the vagus nerve – the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and digest’ state). This reverses the stress response, soothes and clams the mind, with the knock-on effect of allowing higher volumes of oxygen to reach the body’s cells and tissues. Try this next time you experience any travel jitters:
Start by closing your eyes. Soften your facial muscles, unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders
Place one hand on your belly
Take a deep breath in through the nose for a count of 4, drawing air in toward your lower abdomen. Feel your hand expand and rise as you inhale
Exhale slowly through the nose to a count of 6, feeling the belly contract and lower. The breaths should be deep and elongated
Practice this technique 3 to 5 minutes, or whenever you feel stressed
Rest
Sync with the sun; a change in time zones will cause your natural circadian rhythm to be a little out of wack. So shifting your sleeping and eating schedule to mirror the current time zone will assist an easier transition
Keep your head in your present time zone, avoid the temptation of thinking “what time is it back home?”
Sip on chamomile, valerian or lemon balm tea in the evening to soothe nerves, aid sleep + digestion
Rosewater spritz on face and neck; this rehydrates and calms the skin and eases the mind
Pop on a warm, fuzzy pair of socks to ground and feel homely
Even just committing to one or two of these recommendations will alleviate some of the strain travel may cause when the vata dosha becomes overstimulated.
Happy, stress-free travels everyone! 😊
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