Travel tip #16 - Toileting problems

This travel tip is one that most people hate to talke about, their bowels. On vacation we tend to change our lifestyle and eating habbits which can upset out normal bowel schedule. This is especially true if you have kids. Here are a few foods (plus drinking plenty of fluids) to keep in mind to help keep you vacation from becoming an ER visit. Keep in mind that I am not a physician, this is research from a Mom and is limited to what I have been able to find. Please feel free to post additional foods in the coments if you know of any that work well.

Foods that are natural laxitives

• Raisins
• Raisin bran cereal for breakfast
• Oatmeal raisin cookies for a snack
• Oatmeal raisin granola bars for the car
• Apple juice & grape juice
• Readily available at most fast food resteraunts as a drink choice
• Easily transportable in juice box form for the car
• Fresh coconut milk
• Only availble regionally
• Makes a "special" treat for the kids
• Plums
• Also available in a juice form that works well
• Can sometimes be found on the fruit rack at the hotel breakfast bar
• Figs
• Can be more difficult to find, but available in both fresh and dehydrated (like a large raisin)
• Dragon Fruit
• Typically only found regionally or in specialty stores
• The answer is yes, you can eat the seeds
• Bran
• Bran muffins can be eaten in a hotel room and typically do not need refrigeration
• Bran cereals are readily available at hotels breakfast bars
• Best used BEFORE constipation sets in & when drinking lots of fluids
• Fiber
• Can be gained by eating "whole" fruit & Vegetables (not juice)
• Apples
• Oranges
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb
• Berries
• Mango
• Papaya
• Guava
• Broccoli
• Avacados
• Greens
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Beans
• Whole grain breads work well for making sandwiches in the car
• Best used BEFORE constipation sets in & when drinking lots of fluids
• Molassas
• Molassas cookies work great as a car or hotel room snack

Here are some foods to keep in mind to help with diarrhea in case you end up indulging a little too much in the tropical fruit bar or the spicy foods.

Foods that are natural constipaters

• Rice & Pasta
• Cheap addition to most meals, so readily available at most resteraunts
• Cheese
• Makes a great snack when combined with crackers to keep in your hotel room
• Travels well if pre-sliced and put in cooler
• Applesauce (not apples or juice, those do the opposite)
• Easily availabe in individual serving sizes
• Comes in different flavors
• Bannanas
• Readily available on most hotel breakfast bars
• Packs well for car trips
• Avoid pre-prepared foods
• Most have too much starch
• Most fiber has been eliminated in the processing

** Bowel problems are only one possible cause of belly pain, so if you have it you still need to seek care.