Should I Scoop Out My Bagel? by Ilyse Schapiro

Author:Ilyse Schapiro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2015-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

58. It’s hard enough to know what time zone I’m in when I travel. Is there anything that can help with jetlag?

Packing, getting to the airport on time, and through TSA seems like the hardest part of travel. However, the most stressful time on your body actually happens when you’re in flight. Once on board, as you fly across time zones, it becomes hard for your body to keep its natural rhythm. Sort of like Elaine’s dance moves on Seinfeld—it hears the music and finds the beat, but just can’t keep up with it.

Whether you’re traveling from NY to LA, Chicago to London, or Atlanta to Hong Kong, jet lag usually checks itself in at some point. It can make you feel sluggish, fatigued, and out of sorts. It does not matter if you’re out of town for business or personal reasons; this is the worst way to feel on the trip.

Melatonin is a great aid in helping with jet lag since it works with your body to promote relaxation and regulate sleep. Melatonin can be found in foods including oatmeal, banana, pineapples, oranges, tomatoes, barley, tart cherries, and nuts. It can also be taken as a supplement. It’s a great idea to start increasing your intake of this a few days before you leave, especially in the evenings.

Pycgonenol can also be beneficial. This nutrient comes from the bark of pine trees and has been shown not only to be extremely helpful with fighting jet lag, but it can also help support your immune system. In supplement form, studies have shown that 50 milligrams of Pycnogenol when taken two days before and five days after your trip can help avoid these travel-related issues. Although not as easily found in food, small amounts exist in grapes, blueberries, cherries, and plums.

While you’re sleeping, resting, or just fidgeting in your seat (as it was made to fit a pre-teen), it’s pretty common for those around you to be coughing and sneezing. Vitamins B, C, and E can be great travel companions to help you build up your resistance while you fight the germs flying with you. These vitamins can also help ensure that you don’t bring these uninvited companions with you to your final destination. Additionally, when you’re flying high, cabin pressure and sitting still for a prolonged period of time can cause problems with circulation, and these nutrients can lend some assistance. Start to add foods high in these nutrients, or a supplement, before you travel so you can make sure your body is properly fueled to handle these situations. They’re also important in-flight so put some foods that have these vitamins, like dark chocolate, blueberries, grapes, oranges, and pumpkin seeds in your carry-on bag.

You also have to make sure to drink a ton of water; it’s very easy to get dehydrated on a plane. Yes, the bathrooms can make you claustrophobic, and getting out of your window seat is a total pain, but those are not reasons to avoid drinking a lot of water.

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