How to Stay Healthy, Safe and Sane At Expo West

Monica Watrous Mar. 4, 2024 at 9:30 AM

A number of possible medical conditions may befall an Expo West attendee – indigestion, trampling injuries, anaphylaxis and or synesthesia (“Wait, there are mushrooms in this milk?”), a raging hangover, jet lag, claustrophobia, COVID-19… The list goes on.

We have collected hacks from seasoned badge holders to ensure a productive event. Here’s your guide to staying healthy and safe during the so-called Super Bowl of the natural products industry.

For a Grateful Gut

Pocket Tums or Pepto-Bismol tabs, hydrate intentionally, and sample strategically.

“You’re tasting, you’re not eating, and if you don’t love something, don’t eat the whole thing,” said Kirsten Sutaria, owner of product development agency KS2 Consulting.

Several regulars at the Anaheim Convention Center suggest eating meals rather than relying on continuous grazing for nourishment. Meghan Shookman, founder of brand consultancy Extraordinary Things, recommends stocking up on salads at Erewhon the day before the show begins.

In a pinch? “Digestive Rescue from WishGarden Herbs is the best cure I’ve ever found for trade show gut,” added Sam Kressler, owner of Stir Innovation.

For Happy Feet

A few experts advise swapping shoes midday to combat the pain of prolonged standing or slow shuffling through the halls. Top picks for trade show kicks include Hoka, typically found on the feet of marathon runners, and Rackle, made with sustainable hemp and biodegradable soles.

Alison Cayne, founder of Haven’s Kitchen, counts on compression socks to vanquish swelling and discomfort.

Others suggest reserving a hotel room as close to the convention center as possible to reduce total step count. (Book at least eight months in advance; spots fill up fast, so maybe next year?)

For Protecting Your Pipes

Hours of yapping over the collective din of conventioneers is sure to strain a few throats. Our experts recommend mainlining manuka honey lozenges and propolis spray.

Kim Biddle, founder of Clutch Affiliate, typically swipes a sample of Throat Coat Tea from the Traditional Medicinals booth, noting, “you’re going to need it after all the talking and late nights.”

For Preventing a Panic Attack

Good news! You are never more than 20 feet away from an adaptogenic beverage.

But if that doesn’t calm your overstimulated nerves, Kristoffer Quiaoit, co-founder of Good Journey, recommends meditation. Several others described wind-down routines involving hydrating face masks and foot cream.

Kate Fosson, founder of Brand Pollinators, opts to skip the final day of the show entirely to “decompress.”

For Combating Exhaustion

A significant portion of Expo-goers travel from far-flung locales. Gardar Stefansson, co-founder and CEO of GOOD GOOD, arrives from Iceland at least two days early.

“Us Vikings are great with slow-moving boats, but modern planes? That’s another saga,” he said, noting the extra forty-eight hours “gives me time to conquer jet lag like we conquered the seas — just with more sleep and less rowing.”

If all else fails… good news! You are never more than 20 feet away from an energy drink or craft cold-brew coffee.

For Hangover Prevention

Don’t drink alcohol. Plenty of zero-proof options are available on and off the show floor, allowing for more inclusive (and potentially less awkward) social interactions, sans the booze.

But if you insist on imbibing, several exhibitors offer supplements designed to curb the aftermath of one too many aperol spritzes.

Ray Latif’s Guide to A Healthy Expo West

Perhaps no one is as well-versed in zero-tolerance wellness chic as Ray Latif, the host and editor of the Taste Radio podcast and the resident germ ninja of BevNET.com, Inc. Latif, who has been known to wear Scuba gear on airplanes to avoid ingesting viral particles, shared his top tips for a healthy (and hygienic) Expo West:

If you’re staying at a hotel, make sure you have a mini-fridge in your room. You’ll need it to keep your organic, cold-pressed green juice cold. This is non-negotiable. Drink 16 oz. of the stuff each day that you’re at Expo. If you need to, break it up into two parts – 8 oz. in the morning, 8 oz. in the evening. Don’t buy green juice that’s made with apples as an ingredient (you don’t want the sugar). Make it easy on yourself and get an Instacart delivery. Buy the juice as soon as you check into your hotel. And, I know some people will say, “Well, I can get it on the show floor.” Yeah… good luck.
Pack two pairs of underwear, socks and top underlayers (Is that a real term? It is now.) for every day that you’ll be traveling/at Expo. Wear a new set in the morning and a new one when you get back from the show. “But I don’t plan on heading straight back to the hotel/AirBnb after each day.” Really? You need a refresh. And you need to get out of those sticky, sweaty clothes. You know it… and your dinner mates know it.
Speaking of which, when you get back to your room, don’t work. No emails, Slack, text or anything business-related for at least 15-20 minutes. Just chill. Get in the shower (cold water for at least the last 30 seconds), spread out on the bed, or go to the window, lean forward and press your forehead against the glass (Ferris Buelller-style)… anything is fine. Just no work.
You know what goes well with green juice? Alkaline water. Lots of it. As part of your Instacart order, get yourself plenty to drink during your stay. Of course, there will be thousands of bottles handed out at Expo. If you drink the entire bottle in one sitting, great. But, I’ve walked Expo with a lot of half consumed bottles in my backpack. It’s not fun. And, you don’t realize it until your spine seizes up.
Wash. Your. Hands. With. Soap. Frequently. Hand sanitizer is fine in a pinch, but washing your hands is a significantly better option.
Everyone will say, “don’t overimbibe.” That’s good advice. Also, don’t mix beer, wine and liquor. There’s no hangover recovery method in the world that will help you.
Last thing: no fried food. Unless it’s from Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. That’s good eating, my friends.

Read more: Nosh’s Unofficial Guide to Expo West

Thanks for reading! Our five-part guide hopefully helps you survive Expo West, with strategies for making the most of the event, tips for maintaining your health, and enough chuckles to keep you sane. Click the links below to read more.