Top tips for keeping your digestion on track on holiday

This summer, whether it’s local day trips or a journey abroad that you’ve got planned, you’ll hopefully be looking forward to enjoying some time off work, relaxing and soaking up some good weather. However, if you suffer from digestive issues this could be playing on your mind and you may be wondering how best to prepare. I’m here with some of my top practical tips to help ensure that your digestion doesn’t hold you back and that you can look forward to enjoying your summer holiday without having to worry!

Prepare beforehand

Holidays are all about relaxing, slowing down and the main aim is to avoid stress at all costs. The best way to allow for this is to be prepared! We know that stress can affect our digestion at the best of times, so the last thing we want is for you to feel stressed and have an adverse reaction before you even set off.

Have a folder with all of your travel documents and any other information you’ll need handy, do some research into restaurants and local attractions to start planning your days ahead of time, pack a few days before the big day a bit at a time and aim to head off in plenty of time when the time comes to help keep your tummy settled and avoid a mad rush at the last minute.

Don’t forget to hydrate

Travelling can easily make us dehydrated, so have a bottle of water handy for the journey. Then, once you’re there, it’s important to keep hydration top of mind too. In warmer climates you’ll be losing more fluids as you sweat, especially if you’re busy enjoying day trips and adding more alcohol or salty foods to the mix, so up your water intake to at least 2l daily to help to keep your bowel moving along.

Be sure to opt for bottled water abroad and look out for any ice being added to your drinks. If ice has been made from a local water supply you could risk upsetting a sensitive tummy.

Make sensible choices when it comes to food

Although it’s nice to relax and enjoy some foods you might not normally eat at home whilst on your trip, it’s also important to know your limits and eat in moderation. Extreme changes in your diet can easily cause digestive upsets and leave you suffering as a result.

Stick to fresh foods as much as possible and make the most of the amazing choice of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood you often see on holiday. These will be gentler on your system, be rich in beneficial fibre and, from a more practical point of view, eating more of these will mean you’re filling up less on fried options that will only leave your stomach feeling heavier and more uncomfortable!

It’s also useful to stick to regular meal times and stick to your normal routines as much as possible whilst you’re away – eating right before bed time is never a good idea no matter how fun it sounds! Finally, ensure that any barbequed foods are cooked through and only have alcohol, strong coffees or sweet treats in moderation or your digestive system could soon protest.

Pack your toilet bag to support your digestion

As already covered, it’s important to be organised before your trip – this will help to keep your stress levels under control but will also mean you have everything you need on hand, to ensure that you have a more comfortable trip.

Make a list and ensure that you pack a few of my summer essentials to help support your digestion when travelling:

1 – Herbal bitters

Have a herbal bitters complex such as Digestisan on hand to help calm any discomfort (for example if you’ve gotten a little over excited at the buffet and have overeaten). For symptoms such as indigestion or flatulence take 20-30 drops in a small splash of water, up to 3 times daily.

2 – Silicol Gel

If you have any existing digestive issue such as IBS or a prone to a bout of traveller’s diarrhoea, Silicol® Gel can help to calm any flare ups in your symptoms. It’s soothing and healing so can help get any issues that risk putting day trips on hold, as soon as possible.

3 – Probitoics for travelling

We recommend taking a good quality probiotic product for a few days before you go on holiday and also whilst you’re there. By supporting the balance of bacteria in your gut with Optibac Probiotics for Travelling Abroad, you’ll become more resilient and less likely to fall victim to bugs as you travel. The convenient one-a-day travel pack is compact and doesn’t need to be kept in a fridge.