Pooping while Traveling

Who doesn’t have challenges with pooping when traveling? Well, if you don’t, then you have been gifted with a rare, super-sonic digestive system that is adaptable to varied circumstances. For the rest of us, let’s obtain a better understanding of what causes the travel poop challenge and how to overcome, or at least minimize it. After all, your entire trip may be fantastic or not based on your pooping ability!

Travel challenges can range from:

• Stress
• Change in sleep patterns
• Lack of or decreased exercise
• Dehydration
• Time changes affecting your regular routine
• Dietary changes
• Sitting too long
• Or, convenience of toilets

So, what can you do to support your bowels?

• Hydration is your number one defense to keeping your bowels moving. Some of the tricks I use to insure adequate hydration are:
  • Drink 30 ounces of water prior to arrival at the airport
  • Pick up a liter of water after going through security
  • Pick up a liter of water upon arrival at the next airport
  • Stop at stores along the way to pick up bottle of clean water to maintain a good supply throughout my trip
• Fiber is key and is best accomplished with high-fiber foods such as cooked greens, grains, and nuts, as well as fruits (preferably ones you can peel for safety), salsa, vegetables, seeds, and legumes.
• De-Stress with periods of quiet rest, especially after arrival. Applying meditation techniques provide calming effects on the nervous system which directly affects the intestinal tract, relaxing the bowel to improve your ability to poop.
• Lubrication will assist in easy of movements coupled with adequate hydration. A couple forms of lubrication that might be easily found while traveling are coconut (oil, water, milk, and meat) and olives (oil or whole). You may also want to pack suppositories.
• Avoid eating foods that cause constipation, such as processed foods, white bread, dairy products, or bananas.

Some of my personal tips include carrying snack food such as whole grain crackers, granola bars, turkey jerky (be careful, though—this has a limited “shelf” life), rice cakes or puffs, cereals, dried fruits (watch out for mold), cacao beans or nibs, and nuts.

One of my clients just returns and was so excited to let me know that my travel tips worked! Not only did she follow my hydrate, lubricate, fibrous food recommendations, she added my “tricks” and she said it was the best 3 weeks overseas travels she ever experienced because she pooped everyday… I gave her probiotics, Fiberzon (by Amazon herbs), and green powder for daily drinks.

These tricks all work for me and many of my clients, perhaps you might give them a try!

So much more information about constipation and intestinal health can be found in this practical guide, Intestinal Health. Go to www.IntestinalHealthBook.com for all links to purchase this amazingly proactive book.