How to beat those [winter] travel blues — Part 1/3
Water, Water and More Water!
This time of year is one known for grey skies, frigid temperatures and cold and flu season. It also is a time of year when conferences begin to ramp up, with countless hours being spent in airports, in the air, and in hotels and convention centres. I was inspired for this three part health series from Andrew’s recent 35 day trip on the road (and a cold that I’m shaking off). I reached out to three women making waves in the health and wellness industry and approached them with the same five questions. Two things I realized off the bat is that I definitely don’t drink enough water, and that they all have great skin (which I have learnt go hand in hand).
For this edition I spoke with Davida Kugelmass, the creator, writer and photographer behind The Healthy Maven, a health and wellness website. Davida’s content is diverse, ranging from recipes to travel to fitness with a focus on how to make living healthfully easy and attainable, without having to make sacrifices. When Davida isn’t in the kitchen, she is travelling the world, learning about new cultures and their recipes to showcase on her blog. She is an avid coffee drinker, hiker and will go to endless lengths for the perfect cup of coffee.
Kathleen Killin: What snacks do you carry in your bag?
Davida Kugelmass: I can’t go anywhere without snacks. I generally have some kind of trailmix (make sure you get a no-sugar-added version or make your own!), snack bars (I love RXBars and Larabars) and fruit. I never reach for low-calorie snacks as they never sustain me, so I prefer to eat things made from whole foods like nuts, seeds and fruit.
KK: Your complexion is flawless, what advice do you have to frequent travellers to keep their skin fresh?
DK: Thank you! My skin is actually something I struggle with and especially with all the travelling I do. Something that helps a lot is drinking as much water as I can and travelling with my vitamins and minerals. I take a daily probiotic and zinc along with fish oil to help keep my skin in check.
KK: What are some workout tips one could do in a hotel room?
DK: Think outside the box when it comes to hotel room workouts. We often think we need equipment, tons of space and our usual set-up to get a workout in. Sometimes you have to be innovative, like doing step-ups with a chair or bodyweight exercises (which can actually be quite tough!). Bringing an exercise band with you is a great way to add some challenge without bulking up your suitcase.
KK: Since it is cold season (as well as conference season!), what are your suggestions on keeping healthy?
DK: I swear by sleep and vitamins when it comes to preventing sickness. Probiotics are amazing for keeping your gut health in check as well as Vitamin D, C and multivitamins. Plenty of water and a healthy diet full of vegetables are key for keeping off and healing from cold and flu season.
KK: What are some general other tips/tricks that you would give to a frequent traveller to remain healthy?
DK: Always travel with an empty water bottle and running shoes. If I have time to kill at an airport I will walk laps around the terminal and keep refilling my water bottle. Your routine may look very different when you’re travelling vs. your regular routine at home but that’s okay! It’s just important to not let your diet completely falter and stay active in whatever way you can.
Davida — thank you so much for taking time out of your hectic schedule to speak with me! I loved your recent article on the Healthy Maven that focused on quick cold fighting soup recipes.
If you are interested in following Davida’s world travels (she was just in Israel on an incredible food tour which made me very hungry watching her Instagram stories), cooking up her delicious recipes or want to shake up your fitness routine, catch her at:
Web: http://www.thehealthymaven.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHealthyMaven
Twitter: @TheHealthyMaven
Instagram:@TheHealthyMaven
Podcast: #ThatsSoMaven
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