13 Wellness Tips I Swear By as a Frequent Traveler
I travel a lot. Sometimes for work. Mostly for pleasure. And I love it. It’s what I dreamed of being able to do when I was younger. There’s something about being in a new place, exploring a different city, eating food you’ve never tried, and seeing how other people live that feeds something in me that nothing else quite does.
And also it can wreck you if you’re not paying attention.
There’s always a balance when you travel. You want to experience the local cuisine and you don’t want to be so rigid that you miss the point of the trip. But you also don’t want to come home feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation. I’ve experienced both extremes and the difference almost always comes down to a few key choices I made along the way.
I’m not going to tell you what I share is the only way. It’s just what’s worked for me after a lot of trial, error, and one very memorable Orlando trip.
My Go-To Strategies (The Actual List)
These are my personal strategies, developed over years of traveling for work and pleasure. Everyone is at a different stage in their wellness journey, so take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. My hope is that something here sparks an idea that works for you.
1. Find a place with a kitchen. This is non-negotiable for me.
When I’m traveling for personal trips, I almost always book an Airbnb. You usually get more space for around the same price as a hotel, plus it has more character. And the kitchen is the whole point. Being able to cook even a few meals changes everything for how I feel.
For work trips, I look for hotels like a Residence Inn or something extended stay style, with at least a kitchenette.
2. No kitchen? Get creative.
If I genuinely can’t have a kitchen, I find ways around it. One time I traveled to Orlando and wanted to stay at the theme park hotels for early park access. I knew I didn’t want to eat park food, so I packed a hot plate and a frying pan in my suitcase. Yes, really. And I felt great.
If that’s too much, here’s a simpler approach: find a local grocery store or a Whole Foods. I skip the hot bar (you don’t always know what’s actually in the food) and instead grab a rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon, or canned fish like sardines. Check the ingredients for sneaky additions like natural flavors, dyes, or sugar.
Then I’ll grab some fermented veggies like sauerkraut or kimchi, maybe some lettuce and avocado, mix it all together, and I have a genuinely delicious meal.
3. Rent a car. The flexibility is worth it.
This one changed everything for me. When I fly domestically, I now rent a car instead of relying on rideshares. I do this for both work and personal trips. My job will cover either a rental or rideshares, so I started choosing the rental and honestly, it gives me so much more freedom to shop where I want, eat on my own schedule, and not be dependent on someone else’s timeline.
I decided to start doing this for personal trips and I am grateful for my job’s “leisure” travel discount on car rentals. I recognize not everyone has access to this kind of discount and rentals aren’t always the obvious financial choice. But I’d encourage you to do the math. Rideshares add up fast, especially if you’re somewhere spread out and you’re taking them multiple times a day.
When you factor in the flexibility you gain — being able to pop into a grocery store, find a good restaurant off the beaten path, leave when you’re ready — a rental might make more sense than it did initially.
That said, if you’re somewhere genuinely walkable, this changes. A lot of U.S. cities are not. It all depends on where you’re going.
4. Use the Three Zone Framework to check in with yourself
I developed the Three Zone Framework originally around technology, but honestly, it applies to everything. Including how you’re managing your health on the road.
Green zone: I’m energetic, I feel good, I’m functioning in a way that feels like me. Yellow zone: I have enough energy to get through the day but I’m a little grouchy. Red zone: I’m zapped, possibly faint, hard to be around. When I notice I’ve slipped into yellow or red, I ask myself why. Did I eat things my body doesn’t love? Do I have jet lag? What does my body actually need right now? Maybe that’s a simpler meal, some groceries instead of another restaurant, or just more rest than I planned for.
5. Consider fasting when you fly.
I’ve started fasting when I fly and it’s made a real difference for my digestion. If I have a few hours before my flight, I might eat breakfast at home, but then I don’t eat on the plane or at the airport. If I can push it until the next day, I find it resets my system even faster.
Airport food tends to be low quality, and I’d rather save my appetite for a real meal with a real experience somewhere that matters to me.
I have lounge access through my credit cards and I enjoy the lounges. They feel fancy. But I mostly go there to hang out, not to eat. I’ll grab water and sometimes they have good organic tea options. That’s about it.
6. Smoked salmon and canned fish are your travel best friends.
If you’re not fasting and need something on the plane, smoked salmon and canned fish are great because they keep well. They’re also easy to throw in your bag for when you land. I’ll sometimes pack leftovers from a meal I made at home or a pack of smoked salmon to tide me over. Just avoid anything liquid if you’re going through security.
7. Drink a lot of water and taste it first.
It’s almost impossible not to get at least a little dehydrated when you’re flying. I make hydration a real priority when I travel. My approach to airport water: I’ll taste it first, and if it tastes off, I’ll buy spring water. Yes, it’s ridiculously overpriced in airports. I consider it a health tax and move on.
8. Have a few targeted remedies on hand, not a supplement cabinet.
I’m not a big proponent of taking supplements for everything. I think the wellness industry pushes them too hard as a blanket solution. That said, there are things we individually might need more of — vitamin D, iodine, zinc, trace minerals — and it’s worth knowing what those are for your own body.
When I travel, I keep it targeted. I bring digestive enzymes and gluten enzymes because eating out constantly means I’m eating differently than I normally would. I don’t take immunity things preventatively, but I do have a colloidal silver spray with oregano and other essential oils that I reach for if I start to feel something coming on. Oregano oil is no joke. It packs a serious punch. I’ll sometimes grab vitamin C too.
For sinus stuff, I swear by nasal flushing. I travel with a neti pot, and in a pinch, a needleless syringe works just as well. I mix my own saline solution with distilled water and salt. I only do this when something is starting, but some people might find it helpful preventatively. Again, learn what works for you.
9. Stretch before your flight and move on the plane.
I try to pull over and stretch before I get to the airport. I focus on hamstrings, deep squats, and chest openers. And whatever else that feels good. Sitting in a compressed position for hours is brutal on the body and a little preparation goes a long way.
On long flights, I book aisle seats so I can get up without feeling like I’m inconveniencing anyone. I’ve also been working on the belief that it’s okay to ask the person next to you to let you out. This sounds small but I have genuinely held it for an entire flight because I didn’t want to bother someone, and then the pilot circled the airport for an extra hour. If you need to go, go. Advocate for your own needs.
10. Think of airports as part of the experience.
A lot of airports have designed their spaces intentionally and I actually enjoy exploring them. A coworker of mine with three boys says airports are when she gets her best shopping done. I love checking out the shops, the souvenirs, seeing what a city is showcasing about itself before you even leave the terminal.
Some airports are genuinely worth walking through rather than taking the shuttle. The Atlanta airport has a “plane train” between terminals, but if you walk, you pass through some beautiful exhibits. My favorite is the rainforest section. Many airports have put real thought into creating an atmosphere. Consider exploring it.
Some airports are also experimenting with things you don’t see in everyday life. The Austin airport has a VR experience area and lots of digital kiosks where you can order anything at the push of a button. I want to pause and say something about that though: when you see a digital kiosk, you might also notice a real human being standing nearby who looks like they could use a conversation. I once walked past a kiosk, glanced at the person behind the counter, and went to ask him a question instead. He was so happy to have someone talk to him. Technology is convenient. It’s also worth remembering what it sometimes replaces.
11. Give yourself permission to decompress.
That said, airports can also be overstimulating. And it’s completely okay to find a quiet corner, take some deep regulating breaths, and just be still for a few minutes. A lot of airports have prayer rooms or yoga rooms. Sometimes even sitting down at a restaurant gives you a sense of normalcy when everything feels chaotic. Journaling helps me. It’s how I figure out what I’m actually feeling in the middle of a trip. As you get to know yourself, you learn your limits, and that knowledge is one of the best travel tools you can have.
12. Jet lag: work with your body, not against it.
My main strategy is to stay up until close to a normal bedtime in the new time zone so my body adjusts quickly. But I also allow myself a nap if I need one. Sometimes that’s exactly what your body is asking for. Go ahead and honor it. I might go to bed at 7 or 8 pm when I first land somewhere. I try to get up when it’s light outside. Light exposure is one of the simplest ways to reset your internal clock.
13. International travel is a different game.
Domestic travel is easier to navigate because everything is familiar. I know how to find grocery stores, I know what to look for on labels, I know my way around. Internationally, you’re figuring things out in real time.
When I traveled to Germany for work recently, I stayed at the same hotel as my coworkers because being with a group in an unfamiliar country just felt smarter. I couldn’t easily find grocery stores with prepared food I felt good about, so I found a butcher shop nearby that sold cooked meats and I made that my go-to for most of my meals. It wasn’t my usual setup, but I worked with what was available and I felt good.
Final thoughts
Traveling well isn’t about being perfect. It’s not about packing a pharmacy in your carry-on or finding an Airbnb with a gourmet kitchen every single time. It’s about knowing yourself well enough to recognize when something’s off, having a few reliable strategies to fall back on, and being willing to get creative when your ideal situation isn’t available.
Some of my best travel memories involve figuring it out: packing the hot plate in my suitcase, using a slow cooker in the car for a cross-country road trip, DIY-ing meals without a kitchen. I wasn’t trying to replicate being at home. I was figuring out how to feel good enough to actually be present for where I was.
That’s the renaissance approach to wellness: not outsourcing your health to a system or a set of rules, but developing enough body literacy that you can navigate whatever situation you’re in. Travel is honestly one of the best training grounds for that. It strips away your routines and asks you to pay attention.
So take what’s useful here. Adapt it. Build your own version. And send me a message if something on this list actually changes a trip for you. Or if you have other tips or questions for me. I’d love to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
I summarized the tips from this article into a few of the top frequently asked questions about staying well while traveling. All these answers come from my own experience as a frequent travel.
How do I eat healthy while traveling?
The biggest thing is finding accommodation with a kitchen so you can prepare at least some of your own meals. When that’s not possible, grocery stores are your best friend — look for simple proteins like rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon, or canned fish, and pair them with fermented vegetables or fresh produce. Eating out every meal is what tends to throw people off the most.
Is it okay to fast while traveling?
It works really well for a lot of people, especially on flights. I fast when I fly and it’s made a noticeable difference for my digestion and how I feel when I land. If you’ve never tried it, start small — skip the airport food and see how you feel when you arrive.
How do I avoid jet lag?
Try to stay awake until close to a normal bedtime in your new time zone so your body adjusts quickly. Get outside in natural light as soon as you can after landing. Allow yourself a nap if you genuinely need one — sometimes rest is exactly what your body is asking for.
Should I rent a car or take Ubers when traveling?
If you’re somewhere that isn’t walkable — which is most cities in the U.S. — a rental car often makes more sense than it appears to on paper. The flexibility to shop for your own groceries, eat on your own schedule, and move around freely adds up in ways that are hard to quantify but very easy to feel.
What supplements should I take when traveling?
I’d push back a little on the idea that you need a travel supplement stack. The wellness industry oversells this. A few targeted things can help — digestive enzymes if you’re eating very differently than usual, something for immunity if you start feeling off — but the bigger levers are hydration, sleep, and food quality.
How do I stay grounded and not get overwhelmed in airports?
Give yourself permission to decompress. Find a quiet corner, take some slow deep breaths, or sit down somewhere that feels normal. A lot of airports have prayer rooms or yoga rooms if you need real quiet. Journaling helps too — sometimes you don’t know how overstimulated you are until you write it down.
Made it to the end? That means you’re someone who cares about feeling good and not just getting through the trip. That’s the whole Renaissance Rachel ethos. Take what works, make it yours. Consider joining my newsletter for more tips and thoughts around intentional living.
