3 Things I Travel With And Why

Hi friends! I’m still in Boulder, Colorado – I will be here for the week. It’s just so beautiful here!! The fresh mountain air just does something to you. After this I may drive out to LA for a little bit (road tripppp!) before going back to Brooklyn at some point in September. There are a few things I need to take care of in LA, i.e. going to the new Bulletproof Coffee shop in Santa Monica. ;)

Traveling fairly long-term (i.e. a couple of weeks or more) has become the name of the game in my life over the past few years, ever since I created a business out of this blog – which includes making “passive” income – and created my dream lifestyle – which includes a lot of traveling. I’ve gotten used to not being home in New York for more than a week or 2 at a time. I love Brooklyn, but I get a little antsy if I’m in the same place for too long.

Traveling and experiencing different cities and cultures is amazing, but it can really kick you out of your healthy routines quickly. One of the things I actually love and look forward to about travel is that I loosen the reigns a bit. When I say that, I mean I don’t usually follow any strict rules or game plan when it comes to my food, aside from knowing what my “feel good baseline” is and going back to that anytime I feel off. (Read here for what I typically eat – this is generally my feel good baseline and it includes a lot of veggies, juices, smoothies, and super clean food).

Aside from that, though, I always give myself the freedom explore the local foods of the different places I’m in. It’s life!!! My good friend Vani Hari (The Food Babe) did an awesome Periscope video the other day about why she doesn’t label herself as any certain dietary category (i.e. “vegan” or “paleo” or “gluten-free”), because she loves traveling just as much as I do – and she loves experiencing the authentic local foods of each region she visits. I totally related to that and I agree. I always try to choose the cleanest foods possible, even on the road, but I always do end up getting into a few things I’m not accustomed to having regularly. And I like to leave some room for experimentation and the unknown. Of course — if you have an allergy or sensitivity or a condition you’re trying to heal, this kind of leniency might look different for you.

So, that being said, when I’m traveling I always stick to a few basic self-care routines to make sure I’m feeling my best, and detoxifying my body properly. The truth is that traveling WILL throw you off track a bit, so keeping up with a few healthy habits really makes a difference, and can ground you, even if you’re not eating as cleanly as you do at home.

Aside from sleep, hydration and movement, here are 3 things that have been part of my travel routine lately and why. These things have come with me this year to Austin, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Montauk, Berlin, Barcelona, and Boulder.

3 Things I Travel With And Why

1) Coconut oil.

I’ve been oil pulling *almost* every day as soon as I wake up for the last few months, and it makes a big difference in how clean my mouth feels. If you don’t know what oil pulling is, the basic concept is that your mouth is full of bacteria as soon as you wake up (our bodies are naturally detoxing while we sleep). Bacteria in your mouth can enter your bloodstream and cause infection in the body. Your mouth is a reflection of your digestive tract. This book says, “our mouths are the entryways into our bodies for bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses.” Oil pulling has been used for cleansing and detoxifying for a long time, originating from Ayurvedic medicine. If you’d like to really get an idea of some of the benefits people feel from oil pulling, read these Amazon reviews. I put about a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in my mouth every morning, swish it around for about 15 mins or so, and then spit (in the trash, so the oil doesn’t clog the sink), and brush my teeth. I like to do it while I’m showering and making tea and doing whatever morning things I need to do around the apartment. My mouth feels SO CLEAN afterwards and I just know good things are happening. The oil pulls bacteria and toxins from your teeth and gums, which can have an effect on your entire body. I believe it’s a powerful detox method. At worst, it’s harmless, and inexpensive. But don’t take my word for it. Read this book + the reviews.

Tip for traveling with coconut oil — get a TSA approved size jar or container and put your oil in that. I’ve also frozen my coconut oil in a regular jar before going to the airport so it won’t show up in security as a liquid and I’ve gotten through just fine. If you can’t get your coconut oil through security for some reason, just head to the grocery store when you get to your destination and grab some coconut oil to keep in your apartment or hotel room. It’s a game changer, my peeps! In fact, I gotta get myself over to Alfalfa’s (my favorite store in Boulder) stat to get another jar.

A quote from the oil pulling book from an oil pulling enthusiast that I find HILARIOUS — “anyone who won’t research this method and try it for a month to understand that it works is truly dumber than a rock.” HAHA! I’m not saying I agree but you gotta admit that’s funny.

2) Activated Charcoal.

I’ve already written a full, extensive blog post about activated charcoal here, but I will not – I repeat – I WILL NOT – travel without it. Activated charcoal is another powerful detox tool that keeps me feeling my best when I eat at restaurants or eat anything of questionable quality (which, really, is anything I’m not making for myself). I never really take activated charcoal when I’m at home in NYC, because I cook for myself a lot and use super clean ingredients, or I eat at restaurants I trust wholeheartedly with their oils, etc. But when traveling, this isn’t always the case. Taking activated charcoal when you eat restaurant food or drink alcohol can pull the toxins in the food from your body and help you eliminate them without absorbing them into your bloodstream. I think this is one of the most important and useful supplements available in the entire world. There’s a reason it’s used in high doses when someone is poisoned. Because it pulls poison out of the body. Seriously, it’s so freaking legit. I prefer the Bulletproof activated charcoal, obviously, but you can also find other brands at health food stores if you’d rather pick some up in person.

3) Rose Water.

I was at a yoga class a few months ago and I overheard someone ask the yoga teacher how she keeps her skin looking so young. She said, “I spray rosewater on my face every day.”

I’ve been using it ever since. :) This beauty product is less than $10 and I use it every single morning and night. I spray it on my face after I wash and moisturize my skin, and I also spray it on after I put makeup on — it helps to set any makeup you have on and gives your skin a dewy glow. I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! It’s so refreshing for the skin. Traveling (especially on airplanes!) can cause dehydration, skin dryness and inflammation, and this rosewater is hydrating and soothing. Trust me on this, it’s amazing. It’s especially helpful to refresh your skin and eyes if you’re feeling tired during your travels. Just mist it onto your face. This is the rosewater I use because it’s 100% pure rosewater. Just rose petals and water. It’s cheap and amazing.

Pro tip — keep your rose water in the fridge and give yourself a good spray on the face first thing in the morning (while you’re oil pulling). ;) Cold rosewater on the face is the most refreshing feeling ever.

Ok! Those are my 3 staples for feeling detoxed and refreshed while I’m traveling no matter what else I find myself getting into. :)

Supplements I’m Currently Taking Daily

Side note, I also do take supplements, but those change often. Right now I’m taking these supplements while I travel, and it’ll likely change soon depending on what I’m feeling drawn to at the moment…but here’s an idea of my daily supplement routine lately:

•  Thorne Basic B Complex with the proper form of B vitamins to support my methylation pathways, due to my homozygous MTHFR mutation.
• Probiomax Probiotic – I take a super strong one to support digestion while traveling.
• Meriva Curcumin – concentrated turmeric, super good for inflammation.
• Crucera SGS- basically concentrated broccoli, I’m also taking this for my MTHFR mutation to support liver detoxification.
• Onnit Alpha Brain – I take this supplement when I sit down to work. I took 2 capsules before writing this blog and it helps me focus.

(Oh, and ya’ll already KNOW the workout I travel with). :)

Yeah! Ok cool. Any questions?

Travel on friends!!! And FEEL GOOD DOING IT! :)

Make sure you don’t miss out on any of my healthy travel finds!! Follow me on instagram for legit resources around the world to help you feel awesome more often.

Love you big time!
Jenny