One of the most exciting things, especially when you live in the cold tundra of Minnesota, is a trip to Mexico in the winter. The minute the trip is booked, my daydreaming begins. I begin thinking about the sun shining down on me, laying by the pool, reading a book, enjoying the relaxation with my husband. I think about refreshing drinks poolside and delicious drinks watching the sunset over the ocean. I think about the food, the decadent splurge of incredible food. And then….I panic. What will I eat? Will they have food I can have? Will they be able to accommodate my restrictions? I am going to be able to enjoy the trip without being in pain? Am I going to be bloated in my swimsuit for the entire week?
There is so much excitement that can instantly be wiped away by food fear. So, let’s plan.
The Resort
When going to another country, I have found that it is best to find a nicer hotel/resort that offers a higher level of dining experience. I understand that this isn’t always possible with each persons budget, but if it is, look into it. Just like if you were going out to eat at home, there are certain restaurants that will be able to accommodate your needs better than others. A neighborhood sports bar is less likely to have the flexibility in food as the upscale bistro in the city. I find that I can usually find something to eat at either place, but the upscale location may be able to alter a menu item to meet my needs. The same goes for a resort.
The Menu
Many resorts will put all of their dining menus on their website and I will study them at home before I go. My husband thinks I am ridiculous, but he also gets it. If I review the menu at home, I get a better understanding of what restaurants I will be able to go to and enjoy a meal, a snack, etc. When there are ingredients that I am not familiar with, I am in the comfort of my own home to do the research. Take your time, be thorough on the items that you haven’t heard of. If I find the item is fish, I know I am good to go. If I find out it is a vegetable, I will go to my search engine and type in (for example) “kohlrabi and fructose”. This will generally pull up a variety of answers and information. I will go through all of them to make a determination, am I confident I can have it or should I just pass. If there is a sauce I don’t recognize, I will look up the ingredients in that sauce and do the same additional research. This can all take time, but it is worth the pre-planning to make sure that you are at ease and can simply live in the moment.
The Language
Although it would be extremely helpful to speak Spanish, I am a slow learner at 41 years old. With that said, I find that it is helpful to learn a few key phrases to help. Of course it is great to know the basics of corresponding, hello’s, thank you’s, etc.; however I am talking about key phrases for your restrictions. Sin ajo ni cebollo…no garlic or onion. Soy alérgica…I am allergic. Many of the staff members that you talk with will be very fluent in English, however sometimes it can be helpful to use Spanish to emphasize the issue to make sure that it translates to them. I will not pretend to think that I can explain fructose malabsorption, but I do know that there are certain foods that will cause a bigger reaction for me and I want to make sure I do my best to know those words and how to request that they be removed from a dish. If your allergy is serious, make sure they know that.
Snacks
Do not be afraid to pack snacks. I usually grab a gallon size ziploc and add snacks that will help me get through the day. I will add a few granola bars and protein bars, pistachios, maybe even chips or crackers. I don’t want to bring my whole cupboard, but I know that there will be some days that I just want to be guaranteed that my snack is something I know I can have.
Cleanse
Before I head out on vacation, I try do do a full cleanse. My cleanse is for at least 1 week, maybe more. I go back to the basics of following strict fructose rules. I only consume the vegetables that I can tolerate every day, I don’t even bother mixing in the veggies I can eat 1-3x a week. If I am going to drink, I only consume 1oz of alcohol. I stick to meat, potatoes, rice, along with the seasonings and herbs I know I can have. I want to go into vacation feeling my best, knowing that if I am not able to stay strict the entire time, I have at least given myself a chance to start the vacation on the right foot.
Relax
At the end of the day, you are going on vacation to relax. For me personally, I have intolerances, which means my body will disagree with things, but my body will not shut down or have a serious allergic reaction. If I eat something I shouldn’t have, my stomach may bloat, I may have some GI issues, I may have some discomfort, but I’ll be ok. I know that there may be a few days that I just have to live with it and when I get home, back to reality, I can do another cleanse and rid my body of any of the toxins that I consumed. I try not to worry about how my swimsuit looks, I hopefully packed some forgiving outfits for the boated days, and I just get back to relaxing and enjoying the beautiful vacation I am on.