How to Stay Energized, Healthy and Balanced While Traveling

Summer is a time for adventure. Whether you’re hopping on a flight, planning a road trip, or spending long weekends outdoors, it’s a chance to unwind and explore. But with all the fun, it’s easy to slip out of your routine and overlook your health.

The good news? Staying well doesn’t need to feel like hard work. With a few simple strategies, and insights into your body’s needs, you can enjoy your travels without compromising how you feel. At Aware, we believe that health starts with knowing your body. So before you take off, here’s how to prepare for a balanced, energized, and stress-free trip.

Your Healthy Travel Checklist‍

Here are the essentials to know before you pack your bags:

1. Start with a Quick Health Check

Before you even pack your bags, check in with your body. A simple blood test can reveal if your vitamin, mineral, and hormone levels are where they should be, so you can feel energized from day one.

Aware provides fast and reliable testing that can identify common nutrient imbalances such as low vitamin D, iron or omega 3. These deficiencies are more common than many realize and can quietly affect your energy levels, immune system, mood and overall well-being. Since results are usually available within 48 hours, you still have time to replenish what your body needs before you head off.

2. Hydrate Smarter (It’s Not Just About Water)

Hot weather, long flights, salty airplane snacks, and increased activity can all lead to dehydration. But drinking plain water alone may not be enough, especially if your electrolytes are out of balance.

What are electrolytes?
These are minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium that help regulate hydration, muscle function, and nerve signaling. Losing them through sweat or poor diet can make you feel tired or dizzy.

Hydration tips for travel:

• Use electrolyte powders or tablets (low-sugar) in your water bottle.
• If needed, add a pinch of salt and lemon juice for a DIY electrolyte boost.
• Sip water regularly throughout the day instead of drinking large amounts at once.

3. Keep a Routine

Your body loves rhythm. Even small habits can help you feel more grounded and reduce the impact of travel on your digestion, hormones, and metabolism.

Try this:

• Wake up at the same time every day - yes, even on vacation.
• Expose yourself to morning sunlight to reset your body clock.
• Stick to consistent meal times to support digestion and blood sugar.

Tracking your cycle?
Travel stress, time zones, or sleep shifts can affect your menstrual cycle. Aware’s Female Hormone Test helps you understand your baseline and monitor how your body responds throughout the month.

4. Support Gut Health and Energy Levels

Trying new foods, eating at odd hours, or drinking more alcohol than usual can all affect your digestion and energy. If your gut isn’t happy, your whole system can feel off.

Pack these gut-support tips:

• Bring a clinically backed probiotic (look for strains like "Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG" or "Saccharomyces boulardii") to support your microbiome and reduce traveler’s digestive issues.
• Snack smart, pack nutrient-dense foods like trail mix, protein bars, or dried fruits to stabilize blood sugar between meals.
• When dining out, aim for balanced meals: combine carbs with fiber and protein to reduce spikes in blood glucose.

Low energy on the go?
It’s not always jet lag. Low energy, brain fog, or trouble focusing after travel might actually be caused by underlying nutrient deficiencies—particularly in vitamin B12, iron, or ferritin. These three are essential for energy metabolism, oxygen transport, and neurological function, and even mild imbalances can leave you feeling off.

To understand what’s really going on in your body, the Aware All Biomarkers Test gives you a 360-degree view of your current health status. It measures over 70 biomarkers across key systems like metabolism, immunity, inflammation, and nutrient balance, helping you detect what your body needs to recover, recharge and feel your best, especially after travel stress.

5. Stay Active, Recover Smarter

Whether you're exploring a new city on foot, hiking scenic trails, or diving into spontaneous summer sports, travel often comes with more movement than your body might be used to. While physical activity boosts mood and circulation, it can also increase inflammation, muscle soreness, and joint stress—especially without the right support.
To feel strong during your trip and bounce back faster after activity, it's important to prep your body in advance and support it throughout.

Here’s how to help your body keep up with your adventures:

• Increase your omega-3 intake (especially EPA and DHA) 1–2 weeks before an active holiday. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce exercise-induced inflammation and support joint flexibility and recovery.
• Magnesium plays a key role in muscle function, energy production, and sleep quality. Low levels are linked to cramps, soreness, and delayed recovery.
• Vitamin D also supports musculoskeletal health and may reduce the risk of strains or injuries.

6. Watch for Post-Travel Immune Dips

You’ve returned home, unpacked your bags, and maybe even uploaded a few photos, but suddenly, you feel rundown. Sound familiar?

Post-travel fatigue or getting sick after a trip is more common than you might think. Long flights, disrupted sleep, exposure to new pathogens, alcohol, or crowded events like festivals can all temporarily weaken your immune system. This creates the perfect window for viruses or infections to take hold—especially if your nutrient levels were low before your trip.

Why it happens:

• Air travel and climate-controlled environments dry out your mucous membranes, your first line of defense against pathogens.
• Jet lag and poor sleep suppress immune cell activity.
• Low vitamin D or elevated inflammation can leave your body less equipped to respond to new threats.
• Post-travel stress or under-recovery can keep your immune system from rebounding quickly.

What You Can Do

Give your immune system a post-trip check-in. A simple blood test can reveal how your body is doing and whether it's bouncing back, or still under stress.

The Aware Immunity Panel or All Biomarkers Test checks for:

• White blood cell count (leukocytes) – indicators of your immune readiness or possible infection.
• CRP (C-reactive protein) – measures systemic inflammation that can linger unnoticed.
• Vitamin D – essential for immune regulation, and often depleted after long periods indoors or travel-related stress.
• and much more!

These insights give you a 360º picture of how well your body is recovering and whether it needs additional support, like rest, nutrient boosts, or time off from intense activity.

Pro tip:
If you’ve been feeling “off” or sluggish after a trip, don’t just power through it. A blood test can save you weeks of uncertainty and help you act early, before a minor dip becomes a bigger issue.