Dr. Keesha’s Tips for Traveling Clean (and while on a detox):

1. Bring your own food (BYOF). Choose the foods that make you feel nourished right from your own kitchen, pack them up and bring them along with you for the flight and the arrival. If you happen to land at an airport where greens and fish or chicken do not exist then reach into your bag and dip into the foods you brought with you. I always have a tin of sardines or wild salmon with me and a baggie of cut veggies like red bell peppers, cucumbers, and baby carrots. One of my favorite packable snacks is a mixture I make of pomegranate seeds, large flaked un-sweetened coconut, and walnuts. I put that in a baggie and it holds up great on the road and tastes delicious! My current favorite emergency protein bars are RX bars and Primal Kitchen bars.

2. Do a little research before you travel. Make this a habit before you travel. It’s so easy to have food from Whole Foods’s Instacart delivered right to your hotel room now. If you are taking Lyft, your driver will take you to the local organic market as long as you give him or her an address. You can also find out where local fresh pressed juice is available on the Pressed Juiced Directory. Make sure you never drink juiced fruit and very little carrots or beets…pure sugar when you have removed the fiber.

3. Learn how to order off a menu like a Mystic Medicine Detox Pro. Use the menu as a guideline and ask for substitutions when you need to. Most restaurants are very accommodating these days I have found. Build a salad, order steamed veggies with salmon or chicken, or in a pinch mix quinoa or brown rice with a veggie medley. Leave out the sauces and ask for olive oil and lemon juice.

4. Make sure your hotel has an in-room fridge that is not already stocked with alcohol and junk. After you visit the health food store, stock your fridge with healthy fresh options that are easy to grab and eat. Some of my travel-friendly favorites are apples and raw tahini, mixed greens with olive oil and lemon juice and sea salt, avocados, baby carrots and hummus, mixed seeds and nuts, fresh organic blue berries, and a cooked chicken breast from the deli.

5. Bring along a small blender or ask the hotel if they will provide one. A blender really makes healthy traveling so much easier! I’ve got a small Nutribullet that packs easily in most suitcases. Surprisingly, some of the nicer hotels will even provide a blender in your room. You never know, until you ask. This makes smoothie making a breeze! I even make my famous “Hotel Room Chocolate Cherry Delight” in my
blender when I’m on the road. I am a recovering sugar addict. Those treats in the room can sound pretty loud to me if I don’t take preemptive measures. So, I have the ingredients delivered to my hotel room if I’m away from home for more than 2 or 3 days. Easy! (see recipe below)

6. Pack protein powder and powdered greens for emergencies and those morning smoothies. Have a supply of quick and healthy snacks for the plane and the car. Some things that pack easily are fruit, homemade trail mix, and a few bags of your favorite herbal tea. I know it won’t surprise you, but I bring avocado oil and sea salt roasted veggies in a glass dish and a cooked chicken breast with me on the plane.

7. Take Triphala Plus to keep your digestive system happy. We all know that travel aggravates the vata dosha (Ayurveda body type), which can cause constipation.

8. Move your body. The body thrives on movement! Building exercise into your trip, even if it’s only 20 minutes a day, can keep you feeling energized and vibrant. Check out your in-room television system.The hotels often offer routines you can do right in the comfort of your hotel room. Then there’s the gym you can also utilize.

9. Hydrate. For most of us, traveling means we’re eating out more than usual. The result is that we consume more sodium in our food, which can leave us feeling bloated. Make sure to drink at least ½ of your body weight in ounces plus a little more if you are at altitude or exercising vigorously.

10. Rest. Bring an eye pillow or mask, some lavender essential oil and ear plugs. Unplug your hotel alarm clock, sprinkle your pillow with lavender oil, draw the blinds and power down all of your electronic devices. If you need a little extra help falling asleep, try our Sleep Well supplement.

Dr. Keesha’s Hotel Room Chocolate Cherry Delight

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ripe peeled and pitted avocado
• 3/4 cup frozen organic tart cherries
• 3 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 3 TBSP water
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• A dollop of coconut cream from the top of a can of organic full fat coconut milk
• monk fruit or stevia to taste (add slowly until you get it just right)
• pinch of sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine everything in your travel blender and pulse at high speed until smooth. Serve immediately and store what you don’t eat in your hotel room fridge.