Heading home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, or taking a longer break over the National Day holiday? Travel can take a toll. New environments, unfamiliar food, long journeys, and irregular schedules all add up — and little discomforts tend to show up when you least expect them.
The good news is that you don't need a full first-aid kit to handle the everyday stuff. Almost every restaurant kitchen keeps a handful of simple ingredients that can help you feel better fast. Here are seven easy, time-tested kitchen remedies worth keeping in your back pocket.
1. Constipation on the Road
Some people are perfectly regular at home but slow down the moment they travel or settle into a new place. If you're feeling blocked up on the road, this simple remedy uses just two items from any restaurant.
How to do it
Ask the kitchen for a small bowl of plain flour (about 30 g). Order a cup of chrysanthemum tea and let it cool. Stir the flour into the cooled tea until it's smooth, then drink it.
This traditional mixture is a handy travel trick many people keep in mind. Drink plenty of water and stay gently active during your journey for the best results.
Note: this is a traditional folk practice. Use your own judgement, and speak to a healthcare professional if you have concerns.
2. Upset Stomach After Eating Something That Didn't Agree
Travel food doesn't always suit every stomach. If you eat something that doesn't sit right and your belly starts to cramp, roasted garlic is a classic comfort remedy.
How to do it
Ask for one whole head of garlic. Holding it with chopsticks over a flame, roast it until the outer skin turns black and the inside softens. Peel it, then dip the soft cloves in a little sugar and eat them.
A handy backup
Keep a jar of black garlic at home and eat a clove or two a day as an easy everyday habit.
3. Stomach Discomfort From Getting Chilled
Not every upset stomach is caused by food. If you suddenly need the bathroom and things are loose and watery, you may simply have gotten chilled around your middle.
Drafts outdoors and air conditioning on trains and buses can reach your belly without you noticing, and a cold drink on a warm day sends that chill straight to your core.
How to do it
At a restaurant, ask the kitchen for half a block of fresh ginger. Have it sliced thin with the skin on, and order a cup of green or white tea. If they can spare about 10 g of tea leaves, that works even better. Steep everything in boiling water for three minutes, then add a little sugar to taste.
Carry it with you
If you have room in your bag, ginger tea sachets or ginger candies make an easy on-the-go option.
4. Cramps After Getting Cold
A chilled midsection can also bring sudden cramping and leave you feeling pale and uncomfortable. A warm cup of fennel tea is a gentle, traditional way to help things settle.
How to do it
Ask the restaurant for one spoonful of fennel seeds — the very same fennel used in cooking. If they can toast it lightly with a pinch of salt first, even better. Steep or simmer it in water and sip it warm. A little brown sugar makes it tastier.
Fun fact: fennel is a seasoning you probably already have in your kitchen at home — many bakers even use it in cookies and pastries.
5. A Sudden Toothache While Traveling
Teeth that felt perfectly fine at home can start aching a few days into a trip, often after exposure to cold. An egg cooked with plenty of pepper is a long-standing home remedy worth remembering.
How to do it
Ask the restaurant to cook you an egg with extra black pepper — a fried egg or a poached egg both work. Alternatively, crack a raw egg into a cup, add plenty of pepper, and pour boiling water over it to cook it through, then eat it.
6. A Sore Throat With a Cold
It's easy to catch a cold while traveling. If yours comes with a sore throat, a strong cup of chrysanthemum and green tea can bring real comfort.
How to do it
Order a pot of chrysanthemum tea blended with green or white tea, brewed extra strong. Add rock sugar or honey and sip it slowly, letting it coat your throat as you swallow.
Bring your own
A small pack of burdock tea in your bag can be just as handy when you're on the move.
7. Cold Symptoms: Chills, Sneezing, and a Mild Headache
Wind and air conditioning on the road make chills, sneezing, and a light headache common. Deal with them early, and they're far less likely to develop into a full cold or a fever.
How to do it
Ask the kitchen to simmer a pot of scallion, ginger, and tangerine peel tea: three scallions with the roots still on, three slices of peeled ginger, and one piece of dried tangerine peel. If they can't simmer it, ask for some pepper and sugar, mix them with hot water, and drink it to ease a cold-related headache.
Carry your own
Bottled scallion-ginger-tangerine tea, ginger-and-date drinks, or ginger candies are all easy things to keep in your bag for emergencies.
Travel Smart, Feel Better
A few small habits make a big difference on holiday:
- Pack a little of what helps — a jar of black garlic, some dried chrysanthemum tea, or ginger candies.
- Don't be shy at mealtimes — restaurant kitchens can usually spare a little ginger, fennel, garlic, or scallion.
- Handle chills early. Resting and warming up beats pushing through.
Wishing you a happy, comfortable, and healthy holiday trip!
Disclaimer: This article shares traditional everyday food practices for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, worsen, or are accompanied by a fever or other significant discomfort, please consult a qualified healthcare provider promptly.