When tummy troubles strike on holiday – How to feel better, fast
- chandy Rodgers
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Author: Chandy Rodgers
In most cases, a few simple tricks and a bit of patience is all it takes to calm a troubled travel tummy, but if symptoms persist, it’s always okay to ask for help
Often a few days into a holiday, things in the tummy department can start to feel a bit off. Whether you’re bloated, bunged up, queasy or dashing to the loo, gut issues can have a nasty habit of creeping up on you or arriving totally unannounced. The good news is that most holiday tummy troubles are temporary, and with the right support, you can feel better quickly.
Questions this blog series will answer include:
In this blog post we will look at how to improve travel tummy troubles associated with bowel regularity, stress, new foods, new bugs and motion sickness.
When Your Routine Goes So Can Your Regularity
Constipation is one of the most common issues while travelling, especially if your daily rhythm has been disrupted. If you’re feeling heavy or sluggish, start with the basics:
1) Drink more water
Travel often interrupts our drinking habits; airports, sightseeing, or heat can leave you short on fluids. A dry mouth, headache, or sluggish digestion are signs that you’re simply not drinking enough. Sip water consistently through the day, rather than gulping down a large glass in one go, and if you’re feeling especially depleted, try adding rehydration salts or an electrolyte drink to speed up recovery. Here is a travel sized liquid electrolyte supplement from Bodybio that we recommend. Coconut water can be helpful too, giving you both hydration and minerals.
2) Keep moving
Physical activity helps get things going even if it’s just a walk around the hotel or a stretch before bed.
3) Give your gut a nudge
A warm drink in the morning; coffee, herbal tea, or warm lemon water can help. And a couple of kiwi fruit for breakfast can gently get things on the move.
Stress and Nerves Can Play Havoc With Your Gut
Even if you’re excited about the trip, your body can’t always tell the difference between happy butterflies and anxious ones. The gut and brain are tightly connected (the gut brain axis), so stress, whether it’s from travel delays, language barriers, or that nervous feeling about not knowing where the nearest toilet is, can trigger nausea, loose stools, constipation or just a tight, unsettled feeling.
1) Deep breathing
Deep breathing works wonders and is a good habit to get into whether you are home or away. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four counts and then holding for four counts (box breathing). Just a few minutes can help calm your nervous system. Stepping away from crowds or noise, even briefly, can also help reset your gut response.
2) Tummy soothing teas
Peppermint, chamomile or fennel infusions can soothe a tense tummy and are often easy to find, even abroad, or pop some tea bags in your suitcase.
3) Toilet associated anxiety
Toilet anxiety is a common problem. If you are someone who can’t go unless you’re in a familiar bathroom, you’re not alone. The fear of unfamiliar loos, lack of privacy, or being heard can cause people to ‘hold it in’. Try to give yourself the same quiet routine you’d have at home. Get up a bit earlier so you’re not rushing, find quieter public toilets (like in larger hotels or department stores), carry a pack of disinfectant wipes for less appealing locations and if it helps, use a sound app or run water to give yourself some peace of mind.
New Foods and Unfamiliar Bugs Can Stir Up Trouble
If you’re bloated, crampy, or spending too much time in the bathroom after trying local dishes, your gut may be struggling to adapt. This isn’t always food poisoning, it can often just be a reaction to unfamiliar ingredients, minerals or bacteria your body isn’t used to.
1) Avoid or reduce your intake of rich, spicy, or heavy foods
Ease off rich, spicy, or heavy foods for a couple of days and stick to simple meals; plain rice, bananas, crackers or dry toast can all calm things down, or a bone broth powder you can add hot water to which will boost your protein and help you re-hydrate. Here is a travel friendly chicken bone broth powder.
2) Sip water
Keep sipping water, even if you don’t feel like eating.
3) Take probiotics
If you’ve packed probiotics, keep taking them as they can help rebalance your gut. Here is one of our top travel probiotic recommendations: Optibac Travel Abroad Probiotic.
4) Ginger is your gut health friend
Ginger, whether in tea, tablets or sweets, is a great all-round soother for both nausea and cramps.
Motion Sickness Can Make Things Wobbly
Boats, buses, winding roads, or bumpy landings can leave you feeling dizzy and queasy. That’s your brain getting mixed signals from your eyes and balance system. If you’re prone to travel sickness, it helps to prepare.
Ginger is your friend; tea, chews, or capsules all help.
Acupressure wristbands are a simple, drug-free option (these are our favourites).
Motion sickness tablets - If you know you need something stronger, take motion sickness tablets before the journey starts.
Looking at the horizon
Get fresh air
Keep your head still
In most cases, a few simple tricks and a bit of patience is all it takes to calm a troubled tummy but if symptoms persist, or you’re worried something more serious is going on, it’s always okay to ask for help.
In the next blog post within this series we will be looking at helpful tips on what to pack in your holiday tummy first aid kit. From calming snacks and supplements to emergency medicines and what to do if things get more serious.
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