Do's and Don'ts for Traveling

THINGS TO DO

WASH UP

Keeping clean hands is the best way to prevent infections and illnesses.  And keep your hands away from your face and mouth.  Most viruses are spread from hand to mouth

GET UP AND MOVE AROUND

Whether you are travelling by plain, train, or automobile try to get up and move around to keep the blood moving to avoid blood clots, to avoid getting stiff by changing position, and to change your activity.

ONE CUP AN HOUR

Try to drink one cup (8 ounces or 250 ml) for every hour you are travelling, especially by air.  The low humidity at high altitudes makes the air cabin very dry on both our airways (which makes you more susceptible for airborne viruses and bacteria) and is very constipating.  I know you want to use airplane toilets as little as possible but staying hydrated makes you enjoy the rest of your trip better.

PACK A NUTRITIONAL SNACK TO KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGAR STEADY

Plan to take some fun healthy snacks with you.  Don't count on airport, plane, and gas station food.  Think of fruits, nuts and seeds,  or veggie sticks.  (Remember for air travel if the homous is already on the crackers it will make it through security but if it is separate, in its own container it won't)

MAKE SURE YOU GET SOME SLEEP

For car travel a minimum of 6 hours sleep the night before and during the trip is a BCAA recommendation.  As for air, the more tired you are the more susceptible you are to catching things.

PREPARE FOR DELAYS

Whether it's due to road conditions, accidents, or weather.  Always have your car packed with warm clothes and plenty or water.  And your carry on with a toothbrush, underwear, a clean t shirt and your supplements and medications.

THINGS NOT TO DO

DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL ON YOUR FLIGHT

Alcohol is dehydrating, interferes with sleep, and suppresses the immune system.  Since it's not free anymore what's the point anyways.

DON’T GO TO SLEEP THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE

Have a shower on your arrival and go for a walk, this will help you sleep better and deal with the jet lag faster.

DON’T OVERLOAD YOUR SCHEDULE

Try to only schedule one activity/day.  Your body, mind and energy levels will thank you for it.   If you are visiting friends and relatives, invite them all to a gathering at once, whether at a home or in a café, pub, or park.  Once they have all been invited, it's up to them to make the effort so you are not taking all your time visiting them individually. 

DON’T FORGET TO WINTERIZE YOUR CAR

That includes tires (check the spare), chargers, flashlights, and a first aid kit.

WHY SHOULD YOU CLEANSE?

In the Taber’s Medical Dictionary there is no listing/definition for cleanse, but according to Google the definition is as follows:

“cleanse

klenz/

verb

make (something, especially the skin) thoroughly clean.

rid (a person, place, or thing) of something seen as unpleasant, unwanted, or defiling.

free (someone) from sin or guilt.”

Which I think is quite accurate for what we are trying to do from a Naturopathic perspective.  Cleansing is NOT fasting and the two should not be confused.  In a cleanse we DO  eat and drink but it's what we decide to eat and drink that make it a ‘cleanse”.

So, why should you cleanse?  Because life is toxic.  We have a choice of how clean a life we decide to live by our habits (good and bad) and what we put into our body (food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.). However, there are many things that are less in our control.  For example, I ride my bike to work (good for me) but I ride with traffic and suck in all that exhaust (bad for me).  I love my job (good for me) but it can be quite stressful especially when you find out all your data has been corrupted in your accounting program and you need to re-enter the last two months worth of data and are trying to  get all the information to the tax accountant to get year end done in time (bad for me).

Hence, I cleanse, to get rid of all that is unpleasant and unwanted.  If that is not reason enough, I believe a clean body is both anti cancer and anti aging.

Cleansing can take many forms.  There is never the perfect time, when the weather, the stars, and your schedule all align to get it done so you just have to commit.  If life is busy, as it usually is right after Christmas and New Years, do an easy cleanse that just eliminates alcohol and cleanses the liver.  In the spring  I do my major cleanse where I consume just  broths and juices.  It’s my spring cleaning of the body and it just feels right.  The weather is changing and the flowers are blooming and it's not too hot.  (Is it ever too hot in Vancouver though?)

It is often the case that you don't feel well during the actual cleanse but you feel so much better afterwards which is why it's important to choose a cleanse that is applicable to where you are and what you are trying to achieve by it.

Remember, it's all about balance and strivingto maintain a homeostasis!  Nike had it right.

“JUST DO IT”.