5 tips for traveling with digestive issues

Travel can feel difficult with a chronic digestive condition, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Here are some of our best tips for how to manage your symptoms, or avoid them altogether, so you can enjoy your trip. 

1. Choose a seat near the exit row or on an aisle

Whether you’re on a plane, train, or even at a large gathering, choose a location that is close to the bathroom. That way, you can get up as many times as needed without worrying about access to the bathroom or relying on people around you to move. 

2. Avoid trigger foods

While it’s always tempting to take in the local cuisine, avoid foods or beverages that can aggravate your symptoms. This can also include large meals, fried foods, coffee, caffeine or alcohol that may provoke or worsen your symptoms. 

3. Learn how to ask “Where is the bathroom?” in the native language

If you’re in a foreign location, make sure you know the native language well enough to ask where the bathroom is and understand the response back to you. This can help put your mind at ease if you can’t seem to locate the nearest one on your own. 

4. Take time to relax

With such a close connection between our brains and our gut, stress can really throw off the gastrointestinal tract. Even while traveling, make time for deep breathing, meditation, exercise, or other ways to unwind and keep your mind and gut at ease. 

5. Pack an emergency kit

Pack a small bag that includes gut-friendly snacks, sanitary wipes, water, hand sanitizer, a change of clothes, and anything else that you might want in case of an emergency. 

If you have questions or want more tips about managing your GI symptoms so you can enjoy travel and get back to the things that matter, get started with Oshi Health today.