Travel Tips for the IBS Sufferer

I recently went on vacation, and wanted to share with you some of my tried and true IBS travel tips! With summer upon us, I hope you can take a vacation, and that IBS won’t get in your way! Here are some tips that may help with that:

Try to sit near the bathroom and in an aisle seat on your flight

Whether you have IBS-D and have an emergency, or if you have to pee a lot, or if you have IBS-C and took a laxative, sitting near the bathroom on the plane is key!

Wear comfortable clothes!

Long plane rides aren’t comfortable for anyone, but especially for the IBS sufferer. Make sure you are wearing pants that aren’t too tight around your waist. I also like to wear lose tops so I am totally relaxed and not worried about my stomach blowing up from the stress of travel.

Bring snacks

This tip is one that I use for everything; always have IBS friendly snacks with you! Especially on the airplane where the snacks may or may not be IBS friendly. Or if you are going to a place you’ve never been, and you’re not sure how your body will react to the food, having protein bars that you know that your stomach can tolerate, is a great alternative! It can even save your vacation!

Take Airborne before you travel

I made the rookie mistake of not boosting my already weak immune system before traveling, and caught a cold the second day of vacation. Maybe if I had taken Airborne, I could have skipped the cold!

Drink bottled water

Going out of the country? It’s safe to stick to bottled water. A lot of water around the world isn't safe to drink, and can really upset your stomach!

Relax!

If you are worried about your IBS flaring up on vacation, there’s a big chance that it will! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy! Take this time to take deep breaths, enjoy the scenery, and really soak up the good times. Having a relaxing mindset going in will make for a much tamer tummy!

Take your medicine with you

Don’t forget all of your medicine! Do you use essential oils at home for IBS? Have prescriptions? Or take supplements? Bring them with you! Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you get to take a vacation from your gut health. :)

Enjoy yourself!

Try the cake, drink the umbrella drink, have a bite of steak! All in moderation, of course. :) I have found that when I am on vacation, my gut is more relaxed. My IBS doesn’t flare up to as many things while I am on vacation. Of course, there’s still those few things that I stay away from at all times, but if there’s something that you sometimes get a little flare from at home, you’d be surprised that it may be just fine to eat or drink while on vacay!

Enjoy your travels! What precautions will you take for an IBS flare free vacation?