Toprican Pain Relief and Healing Cream has partnered with columnist, Roufia Payman to Natural Healing, to help travelers make wise and healthy decisions on the road. You can go to www.toprican.com to download the new issue of Natural Healing. for recipes from Roufia Payman such as Choco Coco Bananas, Savory Yogurt Dip, Cinnamon Oranges, Asian Rolls with Dipping Sauce, Hoison-Chili Dipping Sauce and Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce.
STRATEGIES FOR THE SAVVY TRAVELER
While snacking on wholesome foods will help keep your blood sugar levels from spiking and dropping, avoid eating full meals in the car. Take a break to relax and enjoy your food – it’s better for your digestion and will also enable you to pay attention to satiety signals and realize when you’re full.
Don’t skip meals, and don’t go more than four or five hours without eating. This will keep your energy level up and enable you to resist the temptation to overeat at your next meal.
If you don’t have the time (or the budget) for a lot of sit-down restaurant meals, you can avoid the pitfalls of fast food by visiting a grocery store or – better yet – a farmer’s market. Pack some eating utensils, plates, and cups and enjoy a picnic of fresh green salad, rotisserie chicken, and other healthy choices. If you opt for deli food, ask for mustard or oil and vinegar instead of fatty, high calorie mayo and special sauces.
Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, help flush toxins, and avoid travel/jet lag. Water also helps curbs food cravings and keeps you from eating too much.
Even if you’re in a hurry to get to your destination, be good to yourself by allowing ample time for rest stops. Take breaks to stretch and walk around in the fresh air. You’ll feel more alert and energized when you get back on the road.
Most importantly, don’t leave your good eating habits behind when you arrive at your vacation destination. Payman offers some positive steps you can take to avoid weight gain and enjoy maximum energy.
• Hotel mini bars are filled with all sorts of temptations, from alcoholic beverages and sodas to candy – and often at an inflated price. Refuse the key to save calories and cash.
• Power up with a good breakfast. It gets your day off to a high-energy start and helps fight hunger all day long, especially if you start out with a high quality, lean protein.
Some good choices include a vegetable omelet with whole-wheat toast, or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit. Oatmeal and whole grain natural cereals with skim, coconut, or almond milk are also good choices for lasting energy. Smoothies are another great option at breakfast (or actually a meal substitute at any time).