What Detox Foods To Eat While Traveling

I have a passion for traveling and now with the uplifts of Covid-19 restrictions, many of us are traveling again. When we are away from home it can difficult for us to eat healthily. We begin to binge on foods that can affect our energy levels, affect our skin, and cause our natural detoxification system to slow down. In today’s blog post, I will be sharing with you what detox foods to eat while traveling.

Often while traveling we are eating out rather than cooking a meal. Once at the establishment, we evaluate a menu to see if they have meals that quench our palate rather than identifying which ingredients speak to our health.

When we order our preference we often choose foods high in fat and sugar. Processed foods are toxic to our bodies making it more important than ever to activate our natural detoxification process. 

The level at which we can effectively eliminate toxins or waste is 85% with diet and only 15% with genetic variations. Foods are effective in cleansing and detoxifying the body due to having a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants.

Therefore, nutrition plays an important role in assisting the process of eliminating waste and toxins. In addition, they provide quality nutrients that our bodies require to thrive.

Signs Of An Impaired Detox System

Below are six signs that you may have an impaired detox system.

• Acne/unhealthy skin
• Bloated
• Swelling
• Hormone imbalances
• Weight gain
• Poor bowel function (we need at least two good bowel movements a day to eliminate toxins)

Understanding Detoxification

Detoxification is essential for the removal of toxic molecules and hormones that send our cells on a destructive path. The detoxification system begins in the liver and requires glutathione and selenium to operate. Through a two-step process, the toxins are turned into metabolites and then excreted through urine, bowel movements, or sweating.

In addition, the gut, kidneys, and lungs also play a role in detoxification.

I recommend starting in the gut if you have an impaired detox system. You must ensure that the gastrointestinal tract is healthy for the body to efficiently remove oxidized species and toxins. That also means that you don’t want bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel.

Do you have gas and bloating after meals? Especially if you eat a high carbohydrate meal? This may mean you have bacteria in your gut.

5 Steps To Repair The Gut With Detoxifying Foods While Traveling

Step One – Evaluate The Menu For Detox Foods

The first process is to glance at a menu to see if they offer ethically sourced animal proteins (i.e. wild-caught, grass-fed, free-range, organic). This is important because animal protein supports the Methylation pathway, which is basically the primary method of removing toxins. The methylation cycle is dependent on the cofactors including B vitamins and amino acids. When considering food choices, note that animal proteins are the richest source of Methionine. All other sources are poor in methionine. Plant sources that are rich in methionine include Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and seaweed (spirulina).

Best Animal Protein to choose from: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Organ (Liver), Game Meat, Cheese (particularly Parmesan, Monterey, Swiss, Goat, Fontina, Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano), Egg Yolks, Poultry, and Seafood.

In addition, include foods high in methylfolate, a rich source of B9, to assist in removing toxins.

Ceremonial Cacao Mole Chicken with Sesame Seeds in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala 

Step Two – Order Sulfur Containing Vegetables 

Determine whether the menu contains vegetables high in sulforaphane. Sulfation plays a role in detoxification by eliminating bile acids that are synthesized in the liver. 

Foods High in Sulforaphane: Cabbage, Wild Greens, (Dandelion), Asparagus, Purslane, Mustard, Arugula, Kale, Broccoli, Turnip and Turnip Greens, Horseradish 

(Top Right) Red Cabbage and Jalapeño Slaw in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala 

Step Three – Order A Dish With Berries

Ask if you can order berries on the side, berries on your salad, or a fruit salad for dessert.

Why?

Berries are rich in glutathione. Glutathione is the most potent antioxidant in the body produced by berries and sulfur-containing foods and thus it’s crucial to have adequate levels of glutathione.

There is no need to buy glutathione supplements if one has optimal levels of glutathione (recommend Nutreval to evaluate) and an overall healthy diet with high amounts of sulfur-containing vegetables. Not only can supplementation be expensive but our bodies can produce glutathione and circulate it without supplementation. 

The levels of glutathione in the liver are critically linked to the liver’s capacity to detoxify. If glutathione levels are low you have less ability to detoxify. 

Step Four 

Herbs are a detox food too! Certain herbs also help with detoxifying such as cilantro, dandelion, burdock root, milk thistle, artichoke, parsley, and juniper berries. Either travel with herbs, ask your waiter/waitress to add the above herbs to your meal or order an herbal or green tea. 

Rawtopia at Sugar House, Utah 

Step Five

Fiber, Fiber, Fiber! Remember that to detoxify we need two regular bowel movements per day.

Fiber plays a major role in digestive health. Fiber is the fuel the colon cells use to keep them healthy. Fiber also helps to keep the digestive tract flowing, by keeping your bowel movements soft and regular.

Foods that contain fiber include Barley, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Oats, Legumes, Whole Wheat, Vegetables and Root Vegetables. and Fruit.

Vegan Chia Seed Pancakes at San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala 

Step Six

Enjoy your food, be present, be thankful.

The end goal of a meal, whether at a restaurant or at home, is to have diverse amounts of nutrients from diverse amounts of ingredients into the body. What is particularly important is to hone onto sulfur-containing vegetables because they are important for the detoxification pathway and upregulating Glutathione.

What are your experiences with eating healthy while traveling or detoxing? Write your comments below. 

Follow me on Instagram @thegenehacker and send me a DM what questions you have about detoxification or gut health.