Demi Ricario considers herself both a foodie and a globe-trotter. The “travel bug,” she tells SELF, hit her when she was 15 and took a solo trip to the United States from her native Philippines. It was an experience of a lifetime—she was hooked.
So when Ricario was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) at the age of 40, one of her first worries was that her days as a world traveler were over. “I especially love to explore places by way of their cuisine,” says Ricario, who now lives in San Diego with her husband. But with UC, she wasn’t sure whether she could get through a flight, let alone enjoy local food adventures once she landed.
“It took me about a year to develop the confidence and the will to travel again,” Ricario says. Now 10 years out from her diagnosis, she treks across the US and internationally, traveling at least once a month for work or fun while sharing her experiences on Instagram.
“I have to be more diligent in preparing for trips now, more mindful,” Ricario says. “If you want to get out there and explore, you can. You just need to explore in a smart way.” To help you do just that, we asked Ricario for her top tips for traveling with UC.
Do your homework before you depart.
When Ricario and her husband plan a trip, romantic thoughts of spontaneity aren’t the priority. Instead, they nail down the sites they want to see, then book a hotel within walking distance so they never have to worry about getting stuck on a subway or bus at the worst moment. Sometimes this means booking more than one stay per destination, which can involve a lot of moving around, but Ricario says it gives her the freedom to explore while knowing a bathroom is never far away if her symptoms act up. Ricario notes that she prefers hotels to other types of lodging, like vacation rentals, because she finds comfort in knowing she’d have the support of hotel staff if she were to have a bad flare-up. This is especially true for her trips abroad.
Ricario recommends scoping out some other key locations in advance to avoid frantic searches: public restrooms near your daily destinations (especially important if you expect long lines to get into them), as well as pharmacies and urgent care near your hotel—just in case. She also suggests learning crucial phrases like “Where’s the toilet?” in the local language.
Don’t be shy about asking for what you need.
When Ricario flies, she always books seats near a bathroom. She has yet to encounter a problem doing so, but if you do, her advice is to call the airline and request a seat reassignment. Tell them you have a medical condition that requires frequent trips to the loo. If that doesn’t work, Ricario suggests arriving early at check-in and asking again at the counter, since the seating situation may have changed.
Beyond securing your seat assignment, you should feel empowered to request things that will help keep you comfortable, says Ricario. For long-haul flights, for example, Ricario asks to preboard for medical reasons so she can settle in with less stress. For hotel stays, she will often request a mini fridge for her room to store UC-friendly snacks and her probiotics, which need to be kept cold.
Pack your meds strategically.
“I’m like a Girl Scout,” Ricario says of her packing routine. If you’re flying, your carry-on needs to be packed strategically—and should definitely include your full supply of UC medication in case your checked luggage goes missing. Ricario, who takes oral meds, brings enough to last at least two weeks beyond her planned excursion, along with her usual vitamins and supplements. This ensures she has a buffer in case her travel plans change or derail.
