6 Ways TRAVEL Can Teach You HOW To Be Healthy

1. Travel forces you to move your body

In nearly every African, European and Middle Eastern country I've visited, it’s most common to walk everywhere. Sure, there are taxis and city buses everywhere, but what better way to enjoy a city than walk its streets?

I'd walk to the outdoor market to buy vegetables and fruits, then walk to a grocery store or butcher, and then a health food store to buy dairy free milk, gluten-free breads, etc. I didn't jump into a car to drive to Whole Foods or pull out my phone to buy something on Amazon. I walked everywhere!

I had to work for it - or walk for it - and carry my goods with me. It gave a natural way to get a "workout" in, and at the end of the day I always felt better because of it. It’s no wonder that the people in most of these countries are not overweight, movement is an ordinary part of everyday life!

2. Local, Fresh, Quality Food:

Outside of the US and Canada, Farmer’s markets and local butcher shops are almost always the cheapest places to find fresh food. More likely than not, there will be a weekly market or local produce stand within walking distance of your accommodation. Sometimes it takes a bit of research or talking with locals to find them. Going to the local market is a great way to see what the locals eat, and shop like a local. You will likely feel a bit overwhelmed and out of place, but with a little courage, a little cash, and the help of Google Translate, you have a rich experience!

Most major cities around the globe also have more western-styled Supermarkets where you can find a variety of things you are more used to, but they are often more expensive, and less of a cultural experience. The foods also may not be as fresh.

Contrary to the American way of life, buying in bulk is not always best. You sacrifice freshness and quality. Buying fresh and local means you get more of the nutrients that your food contains because it is still living (fun fact: vegetable are still living when they are picked). I found that the food quality was typically higher outside of the USA. Many countries outlaw the use of chemicals and pesticides that are legal in the US. I can often eat a non-organic diet and feel way better than I would eating an organic diet at home.

3. Holistic Medical Care:

There are many versions of medical care in our world. Not all look like the American version of western-reactive medicine. In many places, there is more of a focus on preventative health care. This is especially good for those of us that have chronic health issues and can give us some fresh ideas.

Victoria, British Columbia is a large island halfway between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. Because it is expensive to import goods to the island, there is a strong “buy local” movement and a communal mentality that is unique to the island, and in addition to that a strong holistic medicine community. While there, I scheduled an appointment with an herbalist who custom-made a tincture specific to my body’s needs. She had me test it over a week and adjusted it until it was perfect for me. Talk about feeling heard, seen, and cared for. WOW! And best of all, the appointment was free! If you have any plans to go to the area, send me a message and I can share her info.

In Ecuador, the country runs a national health system and the doctors themselves are oriented more towards naturopathic and homeopathic remedies than the US. which is usually more helpful for those of us with food allergies and chronic health issues. One of the more unusual methods of healing I came across was apitherapy, which uses bee products, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom to help you heal. I didn’t get a chance try this but I might return one day to give it a chance. Also In Ecuador, it was not uncommon for your doctor to make house calls to care for you as needed. Wouldn't this be nice instead of sitting in offices for hours and getting nowhere when you are really sick!?

4. maximize the food’s health benefits and minimize waste

In many countries around the world, it’s customary to eat the whole animal. In the USA, we don't really do this, frankly, it freaks us out. We eat the steaks, roasts, hamburgers of the cow and pig and then ditch the rest. But we are missing out on so much of the nutrients! And this isn't ideal if you have an autoimmune health issue and are not absorbing nutrients well to start with, your losing out on so many beneficial healing nutrients in the "trash" parts of the animal.

The organ (liver, heart, lungs, kidney) meats contain liver rich in Vitamin A, B 1/2/3/6/12, D, K, Folate, Pantothenic acid, Choline, Iron, Selenium, Zinc, and Copper. These are all necessary nutrients to help our body function, sleep, move and more.  

For those who eat meat, understanding the life of the animal is so important. Seeing the way many cultures who still understand their food has taught me the value of of respecting that animal that gave its life for me to live. Throwing away the “unusable parts” is a disrespect to the animal and to life itself. All animals deserve a good, happy life and our respect if we are the ones who will be consuming it.

If we mistreat animals or the environment around us, how can this make us healthier? Let me tell you, IT WON'T! 

5. Health Food Stores:

I found so many new brands and foods that I did not know existed before I had traveled. When I left the States, vegan cheeses that I could eat cost SO much and tasted terrible. In Europe I discovered vegan cheeses that tasted amazing. My taste buds came alive with the flavors, I missed cheese so much! In Bogota, Colombia, I found an extremely simple ingredient, gluten-free quinoa bread that tasted like normal bread! OMG, I felt SO scared that I had ate gluten because it tasted so good! I found this in one small shop and have yet to find it anywhere else in the world.

It's fun being an explorer and finding new foods that I can eat. My favorite way to see a city is by walking from health food store to health food store. This gets you off the beaten path and discover truly incredible places! This is one of my innumerable reasons for why travel is a must for those with food reactions.

6. Live Mindfully:

There is no single correct way of living life, and traveling lets you experience the cultural richness slowly crafted over thousands of years. You get exposure to new ways of living and seeing the world around you.

In Sweden and the other Scandinavian countries, there is a high value placed on being in nature. In Stockholm, a city of a million people, there are so many parks that make you feel like you left the city and stepped into a forest. I found that the Swedish people are so calm and relaxed because they are in touch with the nature around them, whether that's the forest walking paths, or the waters spread throughout the city.

In Spain, they know how to enjoy their dinner! They eat tapas, which are small plates of food that come slowly with wine and friends. A dinner can start at 8pm and last until 11pm or maybe even later. The waiter doesn’t bring the bill until you ask for it. They savor each bite, laugh loudly, and enjoy. In Italy, they eat large, quality meals but also eat it slow with good wine and with friends. They slow down to enjoy. Scientifically this is good because when you eat slow you allow your body to digest better. So let's take a lesson from them and enjoy each bite, laugh with others, and drink something we enjoy!

In some parts of Spain, it’s customary for stores to close down from 3pm to 5pm everyday. These hours are meant to be a period of rest for the shop owners and employees. This dates back centuries ago when people would take siestas (naps) in the middle of the day. In many parts of Germany, everything is closed on Sunday for a day of rest, even if you work at a supermarket!

Just writing this, I feel jealous of these people, so while we may not be able to actually take this time off in our own jobs, let's start incorporating rest into our lives. When our fuel reserves run down to nothing, then we know it is hard to keep going, and this is even more true for us with autoimmune health issues. So Lets go SLOW for at least an hour a day and see how much it helps our health!