Pre-vacation organizing makes my head spin and my belly ache (more on that later).  I am always overwhelmed by the packing and organizing piece of travel. The lists are long and challenging.  Trying to go “carry-on” for a 12-day trip is my latest challenge and I’m not sure I will be able to downsize my wardrobe into the overhead dimensions.  Never mind the clothes, I’ve got hair stuff, night cream, sunblock, and anticipatory prescriptions. My cosmetic/ER bag is full to the brim.

We are going to Israel with our good friends and we have put together our own day-by-day tour. Because there’s just the four of us we will be able to make our own decisions of how long to linger and when it’s time to “move along.” However, because we are energetic travelers and we are covering a lot of the country I am anticipating there will be little “down time.”  This leads me to a topic that comes up over and over again when I’m traveling and feeling rushed.

Eating and vacationing are indeed an activity, a sport and a cultural immersion. Whether it’s the spices of Thailand or the pastas of Italy, the sushi in Japan or the wines of France — there is no limit to what I can ingest in a day. The cuisines may vary but the results never do. I am stumped by how I can go days without the satisfaction of a good reason to flush. How can that be? Days into my travels I am inevitably in search of a pharmacy to solve my problem. I have learned how to say constipated in French, Italian, German and Japanese and frankly, I’m not interested in learning how to say it in Hebrew.

The topic seems to be gender specific (but there is no scientific research to substantiate this).  It turns out, that more women talk to doctors about this issue than men but that doesn’t mean men don’t suffer as well.  However, I never hear the men on our trips discussing this travel issue as much as my girlfriends do. Both extroverted and introverted women seem to engage in this topic–it is not really personality specific.  As a teen traveling abroad, a 20-something and beyond–the topic has not dissipated as time marches on.  So, before I take flight, I decided to do a bit of research to better understand this chronic issue and to see if there are ways to ward off the inevitable.

The Googlesphere turned up many sites but this one in particular may capture the attention of travelers. http://vacationconstipation.com

It turns out vacation constipation is a common risk for travelers. This site’s language is a bit odd but it can be a first stop on getting the low-down on what’s happening inside your colon during travel.  The descriptions border on the elemental and are somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but it’s a primer on the problem. This is the tone of the site: “What is your gut, what does it look like, and why oh why does it have poo stuck in there while you travel?”  Oh my!

So have I got your attention? Just in case you didn’t have a good visual of the organ at issue — this site has taken the skeleton out of the closet with their bit on “MEET THE COLON.”

After some more research, I discovered a lovely simplistic slide show that gave me specific guidelines combining science and a solid dose of common sense.  Here’s the summary:

1. Eat plenty of fiber (stay away from cheese and processed fast food – isn’t that redundant?)

2. Hydrate often – it will help keep your stools soft.

3. Get off your butt – get moving. Sitting for too long is bad news for the bowels. Get up and move, move, move.

4. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol when traveling – they will dehydrate you further.

5. Suppositories are available and good as a last resort but, if you’re traveling the deserts on jeeps and horseback, the first four are your best bet and will keep you in charge of your body. Once you turn over your “system” to “drugs” you may get results but not on a timetable that’s workable.

Pack Food for the Road
Finding healthy food choices on the road can be an adventure. Don’t fill up on low-fiber foods at fast food chains, rest stops, or airports. Instead, pack a few high-fiber snacks for your trip to help keep you regular. Good choices include whole grain crackers, dried or fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, or whole grain cereals. Click here to see the whole slide show.

Ok readers, we need you! Any helpful suggestions or remedies you can add?

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