
Travel is exciting, refreshing, and often necessary. But while your passport gets stamped, your gut might be under stress. Whether it’s a long-haul flight, unfamiliar foods, or disrupted routines, travel can throw your digestion and energy levels off balance.
At NuMeSA, we’re passionate about helping you stay well from the inside out — even when life takes you on the road. Here’s how travel affects your gut, and how to support your microbiome before, during, and after your trip.
The Travel–Gut Connection: Why Your Microbiome Takes a Hit
Your gut thrives on routine: consistent sleep, regular meals, hydration, and familiar microbes from your environment. Travel changes all of that.
Common gut stressors while travelling include:
- Jet lag and time zone shifts: These disrupt your circadian rhythm, which affects digestion
- New foods and water sources: Unfamiliar microbes or ingredients may upset your gut balance
- Increased alcohol, sugar, or processed food intake: Often part of holiday meals or airport snacks
- Stress and lack of sleep: Travel can be exciting, but also exhausting or nerve-wracking
- Inactivity and dehydration: Long flights or road trips reduce movement and water intake
These shifts can lead to bloating, constipation, stomach cramps, or just that “off” feeling in your belly.
According to this study (Exploring the Impact of Short Term Travel on Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Bacteria Mediated Stability), even short-term changes in diet and environment can significantly alter the composition of the gut microbiome. Here is also another short read about the topic.
5 Simple Ways to Support Your Gut While Travelling
The good news? You can prepare and protect your gut with a few simple strategies. Here’s how to stay one step ahead:
1. Pack Probiotics
Whether in supplement form or as sachets of kefir starter, probiotics help reinforce your gut with beneficial bacteria.
- Choose shelf-stable probiotics if refrigeration isn’t available
- Pack travel-sized fermented foods (NuMeSA milk kefir starter are great for this!)
2. Hydrate Early and Often
Air travel and heat dehydrate you quickly. Carry a reusable water bottle and avoid excess caffeine or alcohol. Add lemon, mint, or cucumber to your water for extra gut support.
3. Stick to Whole Foods When Possible
Airports and hotels can tempt you with processed snacks. Look for fibre-rich options: fruits, veggies, nuts, and oats. Pack a small stash of gut-friendly snacks to avoid desperate decisions.
4. Move When You Can
Even short walks or stretches after long travel legs can stimulate digestion. Gut motility improves with light activity — and so does your mood.
5. Support Your Return with a Reset
Once you’re home, help your microbiome recover:
- Add fermented foods daily (like milk kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt)
- Load up on prebiotic fibre (bananas, lentils, oats, NuMeSA Gut Powders)
- Try our NuMeSA Gut Powders to gently support digestion and regularity
- Get back to consistent sleep and hydration
A recent article in Frontiers in Microbiology highlights how restoring microbial balance through diet and probiotics can reduce inflammation and support immune function.
Final Thoughts
Travel doesn’t have to derail your gut health. With just a few proactive habits, you can explore the world while keeping your digestion and energy in balance.
Because wellness shouldn’t take a holiday.
Explore more gut-friendly solutions at www.numesa.co.za
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