Let’s talk traveler’s gut

Traveler’s gut: why two weeks abroad left me bloated and miserable

I just got back from two weeks traveling through Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. Amazing trip, incredible experiences, fascinating people, beautiful places.

But when I got home? Heartburn. Bloating. That uncomfortable, inflamed feeling in my gut that made me want to live in stretchy pants.

This wasn't food poisoning. It wasn't a stomach bug. It was traveler's gut - the perfect storm of air travel, jet lag, irregular eating, and sleep deprivation that wrecks your digestive system even when you're being "careful."

Let me explain. 

The triple threat: sleep, stress, and blood sugar

1. Jet lag destroys your gut barrier.

Your gut has a circadian rhythm, just like your brain. The cells lining your intestines operate on a 24-hour cycle, with specific times for repair and regeneration.

When you cross time zones, that rhythm gets scrambled. Studies show that circadian disruption weakens tight junctions - those cellular "bouncers" that control what gets into your bloodstream and what stays out.

Add in sleep deprivation, and you're compounding the problem. Poor sleep reduces gut barrier integrity and increases intestinal permeability.

Translation: stuff that should stay in your gut - like bacterial endotoxins and partially digested food - starts crossing into your bloodstream, triggering inflammation.

2. Travel stress spikes cortisol and blood sugar.

Travel is stressful, even when it's fun. Early flights, security lines (ahem - Heathrow!), navigating unfamiliar places - it all elevates cortisol.

Cortisol raises blood sugar, even if you're not eating differently. It also directly affects gut motility and reduces blood flow to the digestive tract. That's why stress shows up as bloating, constipation, or that generally "off" feeling.

3. Irregular eating creates blood sugar chaos.

When you're traveling, you eat when you can - airport food at odd hours, rich restaurant meals, delayed dinners. This creates blood sugar spikes that directly damage your gut lining.

Your gut lining regenerates every 3-5 days, but only if it has the right fuel and isn't under constant assault.

When you're traveling, you're hitting your gut with all three stressors at once. No wonder I came home with heartburn.

What helps: the Equalizer strategy

This experience reminded me why we paired tributyrin and dihydroberberine together in our HOP Box Equalizer pill.

GlucoVantage® (dihydroberberine): Improves insulin sensitivity and helps manage blood sugar. When you can't control when or what you eat, this key ingredient helps buffer those swings.

NewBiome® (tributyrin): A stable form of butyrate, tributyrin fuels gut cell regeneration, reduces inflammation, strengthens tight junctions, and supports gut barrier function even under stress.

Together, they break the cycle from both directions: managing blood sugar to prevent damage and fueling gut repair.

Practical tips for traveler’s gut

Before/during travel:

• Take your HOP Box consistently, especially your green Equalizer pill.
• Prioritize protein and fiber at meals to blunt blood sugar spikes.
• Move after eating when possible (even a short walk helps).
• Stay hydrated. Dehydration worsens gut barrier function.
• Prioritize sleep!

The bottom line

Traveler's gut isn't about eating "bad" food abroad. It's about cumulative stress on your gut barrier from disrupted sleep, elevated cortisol, and blood sugar chaos.