How I Overcame Travel Anxiety and Got Back on the Road Post Pandemic

Like many, I knew I'd be going back on the road, it was a matter of when not if. I wanted to know, was it safe? Is it right for me and can I make it work given the post-pandemic environment? My decision to get back on the road was predicated on how healthy I was so before the call came I knew I had to make the most of my knowledge and preparations to make sure I could travel again with confidence.

I had always maintained that exercise nutrition and recovery were important parts of what travellers needed to do, and now it was time to knock my own preparations in these areas up a notch. As an advocate of getting great sleep and being able to measure it, I had a few tools at my disposal. The most important to me was being able to measure the quality of my sleep, to make sure I was well-rested as I knew from pre-pandemic times, sleep would be disrupted again. Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness’s book Peak Performance really rang true for me, they suggest we don't underperform from a lack of ability but from a lack of being adequately recovered. I took that to heart  I upped my game from my weekly 2 to 3 runs to 4 to 5 plus commensurate relaxation, yoga and stretching sessions.

I was able to measure and monitor my progress through a mix of subjective feeling and apps I use and recommend to other people I consult within the Travel Wellness space. I then turned my mind to what I like to think of as game-changers in terms of wellness for people on the road, Adaptogens.

I used adaptogens prior to the pandemic and will continue to use them.  They give me much comfort in what they're able to help me achieve in terms of warding off any untoward health issues which are particularly relevant in post-pandemic times.

They are Holy Basil, Amla, Rhodiola and Liquorice. I focused on these 4 because they were within easy reach and I had used them before. Why else did I pick these? Well, they are relatively easy to get hold of even now in times of COVID. Three are powerful adaptogens in their own right and the fourth is a mild adaptogen with a track record of being an anti-viral powerhouse. All four if used therapeutically have very adaptogenic and anti-viral properties. This was important to me because I wanted the science that backed these up. The science says they all work through the HPA axis of the body and have a dual direction action in their capabilities. This simply means they work intelligently in the body and can be taken over a long period of time with increasing accruing benefits. This is health insurance I like!

Holy basil also known as Tulsi is a powerful antioxidant and anti-viral. The reason I take it is it increases the presence of two powerful antioxidants superoxide dismutase and superoxide catalase, both are useful in helping my body detoxify.  The first thing I noticed when I took it in a therapeutic dose was I had an immediate sense of calm come over me. A great thing about tulsi is you can find it in teabags,  it travels well and is widely available.

The second adaptogen is Amla also called the Indian Gooseberry. It is the second-highest fruit in vitamin C and it beats my pesky store-bought vitamin C hands down unless it has accompanying flavonoids like rutin and quercetin. When I couldn't find Indian Gooseberry I have been known to use vitamin C which will give me some value.  Even though amla is a mild adaption it is a great choice with proven documented validity on account of the high amount of vitamin C it contains.  For me, the trick with vitamin C has been to take it to bowel tolerance levels for it to deliver a therapeutic dose (it may be different for you). This can be uncomfortable on occasion but once I've done that, I've been able to back off just under that level and still been able to maximise its benefits.

The third is Rhodiola also known as Winter Cherry or Arctic Root. It's great for chronic stress and immune depletion. It's a well-researched adaptogen and has significant comprehensive benefits. It is neuro-protective, hepato-protective and radio-protective. Radio-protection is quite important for us as we travel the globe being exposed to more than our fair share of cosmic and non-ionising radiation. Rhodiola is also known to help reduce fatigue, I love it for this fact alone. As a cooling adaptogen, it is less likely to cause overstimulation and nervousness. The one thing I would say about Rhodiola is that it has quite a sharp taste, if you don't like consuming it away from food be careful how much you put into your smoothie or drink as it can throw the taste off.

Finally Liquorice,  I have to be a bit careful with this one because high blood pressure has a history in my family line so I use it sparingly. I'm not talking about the sweet store-bought sugared confectionery either, I mean the sap of the liquorice root. If you don't have access to twig liquorice,  you probably could use the store-bought type for some of the beneficial aspects of the pure root.  However, you want to use a little as you don't want the sugar to overpower the beneficial effects of its adaptogenic properties. Liquorice can be used for adrenal insufficiency which is also known as adrenal fatigue. This is where liquorice comes into its own for us travellers, adrenal fatigue is one of those things that challenges frequent flying.  Liquorice can also be used to balance out cortisol levels and it is an immuno-modulator.

I like to keep things simple, so how I use these adaptogens is, I always pack Holy Basil teabags on my person when I'm travelling, this is my go-to adaptogenic herb and it hasn't failed me yet. When I'm home I tend to either take Amla in my smoothie which can give it a nice taste, or I combine Amla with Rhodiola and Liquorice to make a hot herbal stove-top tea I can use for my duration at home. This means I always have something on the boil I can warm up in the morning and get a good cup of goodness.

While I've been waiting for that "CALL" to get back on the road I have an increasing sense of readiness, vitality, and space, even though the stresses of not being on the road have taken a different turn in terms of working from home and juggling other priorities.  As a post-pandemic travel landscape awaits us, all we can do is build resilience. I hope this has been useful, this has been my experience with a really good group of adaptogens which have earned a place in my travel wellness toolkit.

References

Holy Basil - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376420/

Amla - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21317655

Rhodiola - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6208354/

Liquorice - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4629407/

The Heart Health Risk to Frequent Flyers

KLM pilot suffers heart attack during runway taxi at Glasgow Airport

A recent news item highlighted once again, the heart health risk associated with the frequent flying lifestyle.  

While cardiovascular disease is not exclusive to pilots and frequent flyers there are some facts about cardiovascular disease and flying worth  a mention.

Cardiac arrests have the highest percentage of deaths for any ailment on board flights. One study of medical emergencies over a 3 year period looked at data from 5 airlines and 12,000 passengers. Only 0.3 per cent suffered cardiac arrests. Of that percentage which is 38 people, 31 died. 

Risk factors include

• Diabetes
• Being overweight and obesity
• A Poor diet*
• Physical inactivity*
• Excessive alcohol use*

*Note - Risk factors often common to frequent flyers of all walks of life.

As a frequent flyer what can you do about it? 

Awareness is a good starting point. Risk factors from flying need to be addressed by all flyers alongside or in the absence of reactive medical action, i.e. private medical insurance is not enough.

Flyers deserve a mixture of the right type of support from the usual channels of healthcare with a mix of preventative tools, in short flyers must place priority cardiovascular health through their own actions.

Did you know?

• The constant pressurisation and depressurisation of the aircraft cabin can lead to a condition called Vascular Remodelling.
• Vascular remodelling is part of the pathway that can lead to congestive heart failure if not dealt with.
• Supplementation with D-Ribose is one way of addressing heart health.
• Rhodiola is a herb useful for prevention of the deterioration of the endothelium, implicated in cardiovascular health.

Contact us at here to book an appointment, find out more about the healthy flying habit and get started on your road to beating jet lag whenever you travel.

Disclaimer.

Ps - Always work with your primary healthcare practitioner when making important health decisions.

  

How to Series - Avoiding Noise Pollution at Altitude

An often overlooked aspect of healthy flying and jet lag is noise pollution.

The scale of noise pollution was made apparent to me once again when the door of a 747 aircraft I was on would not close properly. The Captain ended up cracking the offending door slightly and closing it again to get the problem resolved (which it did). The noise the cracking of the door let into the plane was phenomenal, even for me as a seasoned frequent flyer.

Noise pollution is a danger to flyers for the stress it causes and as a danger to our eardrums in particular.

Flying better and avoiding all types of stress that contribute to jet lag is a priority all flyers should take seriously.

Do This

Invest in the best quality noise-cancelling headphones you can afford, Bose seems to be the market leader here but there are other brands that do a decent job. This is a worthwhile investment, stretch your price point if you have to, most savvy frequent flyer do.

Lets Connect the Dots

How does noise pollution contribute to jet lag? It does so indirectly. As a factor always present when you fly noise pollution is a danger to the nervous system via the sympathetic nervous system of the body. Exposure to such high levels of noise are not normal or good for the body. Such noise causes stress which leads to acidity in the body. Acid build up is the foundation of what later becomes the start of desynchronisation of the body clock and in turn jet lag.

One of the most common complaints amongst cabin crew according to one study was the loss of hearing from a career in flying.

Takeaways

• Noise pollution causes avoidable stress, avoid it whenever you can and protect your ears.
• Not all headphones are created equal, I prefer Parrot Zik's which are noise cancelling and noise measuring with their proprietary free app.
• Anything that increases stress when you fly increases the chances you will succumb to jet lag.

Disclaimer - I have no other interest in Parrot Zik headphones other than bringing tools that work to the attention of my audience. I receive no commission for this recommendation.

How To Series - Staying Hydrated for Frequent Flyers 3

It is always good to have options.
Having sodium bicarbonate on hand can help flyers stay hydrated and help beat jet lag.

You know the drill by now -

Do This

Step 1: Get your preferred non BPA water bottle.
Step 2: Pick up sodium bicarbonate inexpensively at the chemist or drug store.
Step 3: Start with an eighth of a teaspoon and at least 16 oz of water. Use less than an eighth of a teaspoon if you can't hack the salty taste .

Tip - If you use cold water you can mask the saltiness a bit.

Lets Connect the Dots

First a word of caution. Use sodium bicarbonate with diligence and the awareness that it can interact with certain types of drugs. If you are not sure about it's use consult with a doctor or your primary healthcare practitioner.

- Sodium bicarbonate is a base (it has alkaline properties) bases can neutralise acids in the body. As acids can be harmful to the body they are often kept neutralised and out of the way. Sometimes the medium used for this is water, the same water that could be used elsewhere to keep you hydrated.

- Maintaining a good acid/alkaline balance to start with is one way to help maintain hydration, especially onboard an aircraft with its acidifying cabin environment due to the positive ions in the air.

Takeaways

• Use sparingly as there may be drug interactions if you are on medication.
• The Acid/Alkaline balance of your body plays into how hydrated you are.
• Aircraft cabins are acid forming.

How To Series - Staying Hydrated for Frequent Flyers 2

Another post with ideas on how to stay hydrated on the road. Follow the 3 steps of my previous post - 

Do This

Step 1:  Buy a non-BPA water bottle

Step 2: Buy the PRODUCT (this time Beetroot Crystals)

Step 3: Add a tablespoon of the Beetroot Crystals to a full bottle of water

Lets connect the dots

Beetroot has been researched and found to increase oxygen uptake. Where there is oxygen there is water, therefore there is hydration.

Beetroot has also been found to help the cardiovascular system develop tone via the production of nitrate. This is valuable as through its function the cardiovascular helps the body stay hydrated.

Takeaways

Use Beetroot to

• Hydrate via the production of oxygen. 
• Increase the tone of your cardiovascular system from nitrate.
• Help your body detox, beetroot contains methyl groups that aid detoxification if you detoxify regularly you stand a better chance of hydrating better.

References

Beetroot juice and exercise pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships - Wylie, L.J., Kelly, J., Bailey, S.J., Blackwell, J.R., Skiba, P.F., Winyard, P.G., Jeukendrup, A.E., Vanhatalo, A. and Jones, A.M. 2013. Beetroot juice and exercise: pharmacodynamic and dose-response relationships.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 115, 3 (Aug. 2013), 325–36.

How To Series - Staying Hydrated for Frequent Flyers

Following the Inflight Health Briefing Sheet on Hydration on Hydration, the next few posts will concentrate on practical tools for flyers

who want to arrive hydrated every time.

Do This

Step 1: Buy a non-BPA water bottle

Step 2: Order Echo Effervescent Hydrogen tablets online

Step 3: Drop 1 tab in 16 oz of water and sip throughout your flight, repeat as often as needed

Lets connect the dots...

• Hydrogen the number one element of the periodic table is the most abundant element in the universe
• Hydrogen + Oxygen typically produces water = Hydration
• An abundance of hydrogen protects the body against alpha particles of cosmic radiation, ps a hydrogen polymer, is used in the NASA space shuttle for this very reason

Takeaways

1. An alternative theory of jet lag says the over-acidification of the body tissues at altitude sets the conditions for jet lag in motion
2. A lack of hydration equals systemwide acidification
3. Remember lemonade colour urine inflight GOOD (↓dehydration), apple juice colour urine BAD (↑more dehydration)

Disclosure - I have no affiliation with Echo Effervescent, but I do use this kick-ass product. Warning : Use supplements responsibly and under supervision if necessary. 

Inflight Health Briefing - Hydration

You may have heard it all before -

" The plane leaves me so dehydrated" 

"Drink plenty of water"

"My skin is so dry, I went to sleep on the plane and woke up with a dry mouth"

"I went to pee and it was yellow" 

These are all symptoms of various stages of dehydration. Dehydration is almost unavoidable if you travel often. Get the cure to this problem with this insider scoop, the Inflight Health Briefing Sheet on Hydration. These are some of the tools the pro's use.