airplane travel tips

[gutsybynature]

I'm getting ready to take my first international trip since going paleo. It's a loooooong flight to Asia, and I want to come prepared.

Who has some tips for airplane travel? What do you bring? How do you pack it? What do you buy in airports (I find that I can also get fresh fruit and often hard boiled eggs)?

[heyitsk]

I'm just paleo, not AIP, so I pack lots of nuts, grass-fed beef sticks, apples, and Raw Revolution spirulina snack bars. In the airport you may be able to find a chef salad. Then hit the grocery store at your arrival point. I've read that sometimes people who can't tolerate grains in the US do just fine in Europe, but I wonder how you will do in Asia? You might want to bring a bottle of coconut aminos in your luggage along with a small refillable container you can take into restaurants.

[alexandra]

I'm about to go back to France for the summer, as I'm doing full AIP I'm planning on packing a lunch for myself. I bought a box with a sandwich compartment on one side and two smaller compartments on the other.
I plan to take some lettuce, carrot stick, cucumber sticks, olives, bacon and roasted chicken strips plus some avocado ranch sauce to make wraps, plus some home made gelatin gummy bears, and probably some home made apple crisps. I don't buy anything but water in the airport as mostly everything contains "natural Flavors", plus it really varies between one airport and the next, some are great some only have a mcdonald or such.

If I was flying longer I would just pack more food and put a little thermal bag with small ice packs (or ice cubes in a little box) in it to keep it fresh.

[banannable]

Hi Gutsybynature, I'm wondering how your trip to Asia went? I've got my first international trip coming up since starting AIP, and it's a long one... Australia to USA. So it'll be 13/14 hours to LA, plus another couple of hours to our final destination. Hopefully I can find a salad or something at LAX??!

It's highly likely that I'll eat something non-AIP at some point, either unknowingly or otherwise. My major concerns are:
-Will I have a stronger reaction to non-AIP foods after being off them for around 4 months?
-Will it set me back to square one, or is it okay to just do the best you can occasionally?

Thanks!

[maren]

I have compiled a list on the FB Group "Paleo/AIP hosts and guests around the world":

Meat/Fish
jerky
canned fish (in olive oil or water)
bone broth (frozen, keeps cool for quite a while under "normal" weather conditions, not for long journeys)

Fats
olive oil
coconut oil

Fruit
avocados
oranges
berries

Vegetables
raw vegetables like carrots, fennel, cucumbers
cooked vegetables
plantain chips

Nuts
Brazil nuts
macadamia nuts
coconut chips

Spices
turmeric
garlic
salt
pepper
lemon
salad dressing in a sealed box/bottle

Doughs for wraps and sandwiches
www.deliciousobsessions.com/2014/06/plantain-sandwich-rounds/
www.simpleandmerry.com/blog/aip-plantain-wraps/
www.myheartbeets.com/paleo-naan-indian-bread/

Cosmetics
coconut oil (= body lotion! Mix with shea butter to avoid melting when traveling in hot weather, SB : CO = 4:1)
homemade sunscreen
homemade bug-repellent
baking soda (= makes a great deo with coconut oil)
Dr. Bronner's all natural soap (for EVERYthing, including toothpaste, washing clothes etc.)

Supplements
personal supplements
green clay (for your funny tummy > drink diluted in water before/with meals to avoid gastrointestinal issues when eating unfamiliar foods)

Great websites and posts about bringing along foods while you are traveling
On airplanes: foodbabe.com/2014/06/27/healthy-airport-food/

Read more: thepaleomomcommunity.com/thread/686/travel-tips#ixzz3FOghm29i

[EJ]

banannable, it is possible you'll have a stronger reaction to some foods after being AIP. Try to prioritize-if you know nightshades will cause the worst reaction, avoid them at all costs (ask for meat cooked on foil with only salt as a seasoning).

But since you're not traveling all the time, try not to stress too much about it-do the best you can. Hopefully, the 4 months you've been AIP have resulted in some major healing, so a setback won't take you back to square one. It will probably still set you back (in addition to loss of sleep and jet lag), but you'll most likely be better off than you were 4 months ago.

Living life is important, too Do what you can to prepare for your trip in advance-get your sleep nailed down, drink your broth, etc. Then maybe when you're traveling (and after, while you're recovering), you could try taking some supplements like digestive enzymes and/or whatever people take when they get "glutened"-is that L-Glutamine? (I'm not a supplement person, sorry-but I would definitely consider them while traveling!)

Make sure you pre-make some food for yourself for the initial long flight and just make sure you eat it all before you go through Customs. Get one of those freezable bags or similar if you can: www.amazon.com/PackIt-Freezable-Lunch-Bag-Polka/dp/B0049CVWCK. Then when you get to LAX, try to make the best decisions you can. Definitely pull the "allergy" card if you order food at the airport.

Then just make sure to give yourself time to recover. Dial in your sleep once you get to your location. And eat as healthily as you can to try to aid your recovery.

Have a great trip!

[banannable]

Thanks EJ : )

I'm back from my trip and it all went fairly well. When I have more time I'll reply again with some of my experiences / recommendations after my trip!