How I Stay Hydrated Through (the Hustle and Bustle of) Holiday Travel

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #HydrateYourDay #CollectiveBias

Partnerships such as this are what make this blog possible, and I am so grateful to all of you for your support.

I counted.

I have been on 48 separate airplanes in the last year alone.

In part on account of a relationship that carried me from New York to Michigan to the Cayman Islands and back again.

To couple that with regular travel, I became somewhat of an expert in taking care of myself as I made my way from jet bridge to jet bridge.

This holiday season will be no different with trips planned to Massachusetts, Vermont, a return to Grand Cayman, and a long-haul retreat to Thailand booked for early in 2019.

As I prepare for these trips, I consider the obvious: the outfits that I want to pack, how I will get to and from the airport, and the (perhaps) not-so-obvious…how I am going to stay hydrated.

Consider that an airplane is a reduced oxygen environment, with low humidity.  In fact, the relative humidity can dip all the way down to 10-15%, which believe it or not, is 3x drier than the Sahara Desert. {source}

Imagine for a second what exposure to that air supply (or lack thereof) does to your body, both internally and externally?

Not to mention, that in my case, I am often moving between different climates.  This is another factor that tends to have a direct effect on my skin in particular.

That being said, I am armed with a secret weapon that helps me to look and feel my best when I travel; water.  Specifically, smartwater.

The biggest lesson that I have learned here is that preparation is the key to success.  These are the ways that I stay hydrated from the time my boarding pass is emailed to me, to well after I land:

the day before

Beginning the day before a flight, I make an extra effort to fill my cup and my plate with nutritious ingredients.

I am not going to pretend that I always have it this together, but when I do, I make a colorful meal for dinner.  I cook with foods that contain a high-water content, like the Mexican-inspired bowl you see below.  A few excellent choices include: bell peppers, cauliflower, celery, greens, tomatoes, and radishes.

Before and after my dinner (At least 20 minutes after, to be exact. Allotting this time allows for proper digestion to take place.), I drink water.

The rest of my routine consists of a cup of decaffeinated tea, meditation, and a reasonable bedtime.  The latter of course is pending that I am not throwing last-minute outfit changes into my suitcase.  It happens.

the morning of

This is much easier for me to do in a warm environment, but weather permitting, I will take a cool to lukewarm shower as soon as I get out of bed.  The cooler water serves as an effective wake up call as it aids in sealing moisture into the skin, as well.  Hot, or near scalding hot water (as I actually prefer), does the opposite.

Caffeine further depletes the body of water, so I swap out my regular cup of coffee for a bottle of smartwater and a simple blended juice.  You can find my favorite juice combinations here.

In all of the locales I mentioned above, I have an hour+ commute to the airport, so I toss an additional bottle in my bag to drink en-route.

while in-flight

I am perpetually the girl with the overweight, filled-to-the-brim carry-on, and to be honest I see no sign of change in sight for me.

The thing is that next to the necessities, there are several items that I want to have with me while on board.  These items include my reading materials, camera and lenses (to protect them), and certain beauty products.

Especially during the holiday season, it is rare that I have even 20 minutes to take care of me.  I believe this is true for most of us.

What better opportunity than to do a bit of pampering, when at cruising altitude, with little interruption?  One of the ways that I accomplish this is by packing essential oils.

Chamomile, frankincense, lavender, and sandalwood oil all promote hydrated skin, as well as work to calm harried nerves.  The purpose is two-fold.  I mix a blend of two or more of these with coconut oil in a (TSA-approved) bottle, and roll-on my face and my wrists.

I sip on water as I do this, and will either read or get some work done, depending on my mood.  I am not usually an airplane napper, but I am practicing that too.

after the airplane lands

You guessed it…I drink more water.

If I am not rushing off to somewhere, I will make a stop at Target on my way home.  Target is not yet in the Cayman Islands, but one can hope…

There I know I can purchase my groceries and a pack of smartwater.

Once all of my belongings are unloaded, I attempt to move my body.  If the circumstances allow for it, I will take a long walk in my neighborhood or if not, practice a short yoga sequence.  This aspect of my routine is so important to me, because again, it ties back to both looking and feeling my best.

The final thing that I do after I land, is to take a double-dose of a therapeutic-grade probiotic, following a meal.  This is something that I do on the regular, but I find it to be essential in staving off travel-induced illness, and overall in developing gut health.

My question to you is, how do you stay hydrated through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season; whether you are at home or traveling?  I am always looking for new tips and tricks and would love to update this list.