I love nothing better than packing my suitcase and pocketing my passport.  If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably noticed I’m partial to visiting France (almost obsessively), however right at this very moment in time, New York is where I’ll be!

However, living with 2 autoimmune diseases and all the joyful symptoms that come with these 2 beauties, I find travelling, and in particular long haul flights, can be pretty challenging, where I no longer have the safety of my kitchen and routine.  

Over the last few years, I’ve confirmed that preparation is key to staying on track with your health, and here are some of my tried-and-tested tips that help me stay healthy up in the air.

my 5 in-flight routine tips to a healthier plane trip

Water | Drink up, especially on flights as this will help you to avoid dehydration and fluid retention.  I carry my stainless steel water bottle with me on the plane, filling up before climbing on board, and then asking the flight attendants to fill her up as we go.  Yes, you will need to pee more, but this also means you’re getting up out of your chair and walking from time to time.  Win/win!

Food | Being gluten and dairy free means plane food is pretty much a “no go zone” for me.  So I choose to bring my own.  This usually consists of some fresh berries, banana and chopped up veggie sticks with a favourite homemade dip.  A BIG arse salad (sometimes 2 of these, depending on how long the flight) filled with loads of cooked veggies - both starchy and non-starchy veggies, as well as some good fats.  I also will bring some protein balls and coconut yoghurt.  If you don’t eat all the food on the plane, then yes, you will need to ditch it before exiting the flight, however I’d prefer to have more than less.  Just in case.  I’m not great at being hungry!!  Oh, I also pack my own coconut milk in a pourable air-tight jar to add to any tea and coffee.  While on the subject of food, I also tend to limit the amount of times I eat during the flight.  What I mean by this, is I only eat at normal meal times – breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I don’t tend to snack in between meals as it is, so I don’t do it on a plane, and I also don’t eat simply because the flight attendants tell me to.  I eat when I’m hungry and when it’s meal time. 

Face Mist | You’ll find me spraying an organic natural face mist onto my face every hour or so to keep my skin hydrated – nothing too perfumed for the sake of my fellow passengers.  I’ve got my Herbivore Rose Face Mist packed and ready to go.

Essential Oils | To keep balanced during the flight, I inhale a mix of Lavender and Peppermint essential oils every few hours – just simply hold the 2 bottles up to your nose and inhale deeply.  I find this extremely calming, helping me with any emotional stresses. 

Move | Yes, a bit obvious, but an absolute must.  Get up and walk every few hours to help keep your blood flowing.  I also find this great for my tummy (digestion)!  If you’ve been drinking water the entire flight (see point no. 1), then this step will be super easy for you.