Tag Archives: healthy traveling

Healthy Flying

March 3, 2014 Stephanie Carrington Leave a comment

When I’m at home I try my best to live a healthy lifestyle, with of course some indulging here and there (which tends to be chocolate! A girls gotta have her chocolate! :P). I’ve been doing quite a bit of traveling recently, for both work and holiday, and its not always easy to keep up with my healthy habits whilst away from home. Especially when I’m off on a vacation, as soon as I step foot on that plane my mind is automatically set on holiday mode, which means letting loose and indulging. Oopsies! But hey, thats what holidays are all about right? So its totally ok to enjoy yourself on vacation but I have noticed even if its a trip that isn’t too far, the flying part can sometimes take a toll on you.

So whether its for work or vacation, I thought I’d share just a few tips on how to kickstart your trip on a good note . 🙂

Stay hydrated: Just as it is important to stay hydrated when we are on land, it goes the same or more so, for when we are in the air. The air is extremely dry so hydration is key! I like to have a big gulp of water before boarding and I make sure to ask the flight attendant for water with my meal(s). With the strict security these days we’re usually not allowed to take bottled water onboard, so for longer flights I take an empty flask and ask the flight attendant to fill it up for me. This way it’s easier to remember to drink up and I don’t have to bother the flight attendant constantly.
Catch some zzz’s: I know it can be hard to get some sleep on the plane, but I try to rest up up as much as I can. I try to prep myself before the flight by not consuming any caffeine, drinking some camomile tea and carrying onboard some lavender oil which can help ease into slumberland, if not at least keep you relaxed. The main thing is you want to make sure you have energy to explore when you land. I’m never quite sure how my body will adjust to the time difference so I travel with some melatonin, which is a natural supplement that helps regulate sleep.
Go easy on the booze: Although tempting, I try to limit my alcohol intake to 1 maybe 2 glasses. Alcohol is super dehydrating and its even worse when you’re flying because its already soooo dry on the plane as is. Also, who wants to suffer from a hangover the first thing you get to your destination right?! Not fun!
Get movin’: During long haul flights I like to walk up and down the aisles and even go to the pantry area and do some stretches. A little is better than nothing I say!
Plan your meal: If you are really concerned about breaking your diet or want to save on the indulging for when you get to your holiday destination prebook your meal! For long-haul flights, most airlines allow you to book your meal preference 24hrs in advance online. If they don’t and you don’t mind putting in that extra effort, you can always pre-pack your own meal or take on board some healthy snacks. Honestly speaking, you have to admit, airplane food isn’t quite Michelin Star quality and can be a hit and miss……so if you really don’t want to risk having to eat nastified food and would rather save that appetite for whatever awesome food there is when you land……just do a little planning ahead. Thats all it takes! Otherwise, one bad meal won’t kill ya….so nothing to stress about either. 😉

If you have any suggestions or tips please do share as I would love to hear them! I’m always up for learning something new.

Happy healthy travels all!! Woohoo! 🙂

Healthy Travel Tips, Travel Adventures & Tips

Earth Friendly Ninh Van Bay

April 15, 2013 Stephanie Carrington Leave a comment

Our environment is precious to us and we all do our best to do our bit at home. Whether it be saving water and electricity, recycling, and of course, eating healthy…we try to do what we can. Even when we are on holiday, we can always aim to be be environmentally cautious, but some things are just usually not under our control. What if I told you that you can go on vacation and feel at ease because the entire resort follows an earth-friendly, body-loving motto? It’s like you are getting the best of both worlds, a two in one kinda package deal! Staying healthy while vacationing, at the same time being cautious of the environment? Wooot! Sounds like a win, win, win to me!! 🙂

I recently enjoyed an amazing three night stay at the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam and it was a total surreal and tranquil experience, to say the least. It had all the elements of a ‘feel good, ultimate escape’ holiday – privacy, relaxation, adventure, and the resort itself encouraged healthy living and an earth friendly lifestyle.

The rustic nature of the resort embodies the ‘back-to-nature’ feeling without actually having to camp out with your sleeping bag in the middle of the jungle. The entire resort is open concept and when I first learned about this, I have to admit that I did feel a a bit hesitant and I wasn’t sure how bearable the heat would be, but honestly speaking it wasn’t an issue at all! I grew up mostly in countries with four seasons and spent most of my life in Korea so heat is one thing that I am quite sensitive about, but at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay I wasn’t bothered one bit. Now the bedroom does have air-conditioning, which is really all you need truthfully.

The beach-front villa where I stayed was just a few steps from the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Anadaman Sea. In the evening I would enjoy the amazing sunset in my own lounge area upstairs and during the day I would relax on the sundeck chairs by my private pool. What else could one ask for?

My private butler, Luan, was incredibly helpful and he took care of all my bookings, arrangements, or any questions I would have.

Along with earth-friendly messages and reminders all throughout the resort, they encouraged healthy eating by even having their very own gorgeous organic garden with different herbs and veggies.

The in-room dining menu also had sections of healthy dishes and alternatives. My favorite was the delicious fresh vegetarian spring rolls! 🙂

To further the healthy vacationing experience, they also offer each villa two bicycles so you are able to cycle around the resort, to and from the restaurants or spa.

What’s a tropical holiday without a massage? I indulged a bit and treated myself to a massage each day I stayed. I tried the Thai massage, Vietnamese massage, and the Oriental massage which was out of this world!!!

The view from not only my room but the resort-wide was incredibly breathtaking – a collage of sights that I was getting very used to…..

After my stay at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay I can definitely say that three days is nowhere near enough. Times flies when you’re having fun right? But I can surely say I will be going back! 🙂

Healthy Travel Tips

A Peek Into My Carry-On Bag…

March 22, 2013 Stephanie Carrington Leave a comment

I’ve always been the type to pack my bag, whether its my daily handbag or travel suitcase, with things for that ‘just in case’ situation. It rains unexpectedly in Singapore so ‘just in case’, I have my umbrella. The heat can sometimes get unbearable so ‘just in case’, I have my handheld fan. I may get a hangnail while I’m out so ‘just in case’, I have my nail clippers. Who know’s what will happen and where right? Ok, so I didn’t need ALL the things in my bag every single day and my arms sure weren’t enjoying the torture of lugging it all around. So slowly over the years I’ve gotten better at downsizing and picking out just the major necessities (it was harder than it sounds). Yes, my handbag is still on the big-ish side, but trust me, it’s alot lighter than it used to be.

Over the years, I have got a lot better in my packing for holidays! Oh gosh, it would take me FOREVER to pack for a trip! I now pack my bag(s) with the things I know I will use and although it can be hard at times, I try to disregard the nitty gritty ‘just in case’ situations that ‘may just pop up’. Lets start with my carry-on bag -I pack it with my usual key essentials I feel are musts to take on board. After several trial and errors of going on different trips, these are my top 10 things that I normally like to have in my carry-on bag:

Healthy snacks: I LOVE snacking! I pack a variety of different healthy snacks or I pre-make my own trail mix to munch on during a flight. They can also be life savers when the inflight food turns out to be gross. Some of my fav snack options: mixed nuts, fruits, pretzels

Vitamins: Flying is tiring on our bodies so I like to pack a mutlivitamin and a vitamin C to ensure I don’t fall sick during my trip. Echinacea is also a good idea to stave off those germs in a closed cabin!

Tea: Tea is loaded with antioxidants which will help our bodies fight off germs that can cause us to fall sick. So I like to take a couple tea bags(my favourites are green tea and camomile) and I ask the flight attendant for a hot cup of water whenever I’m wanting a hot beverage. Also, when the flight attendant goes around with tea and coffee, I opt for the tea.

Sanitizer: I always carry a packet of sanitary wipes or small bottle of liquid hand sanitizer with me. With the amount of people on board a flight, imagine all the different kinds of germs! Ewww! Who knows what we’ll catch from who! Better to be safe than sorry, I say!

Moisturizer: The air is so dry when flying so a moisturizer is a must!

Lip balm: Our pouts need just as much love and care as our skin whilst flying. So I make sure to slather on the balm -regularly!

Throat lozenges or sweets: I find sometimes the dry air can make my throat a bit dry so I like to suck on lozenges or sweets.Also, sucking on a hard boiled candy/lozenger upon takeoff and landing is good to help your ear pressure.

Spray water: Great to freshen up the skin when its feeling dry or as a cooling pick me up when feeling tired and lethargic- Love it!

Shawl or jacket: The temperature on a flight is unpredictable, but most of the time it gets quite chilly. So I like to dress light and pack a shawl or a light jacket, which is easy take on or off depending on how cold or warm it gets.

Entertainment: Whether it’s a book, magazine or music, I make sure to pack some sort of entertainment to give me an option other than what is offered on board. Entertainment makes us happy and happiness makes us healthy!! 🙂