‘The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers.
But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.”
~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Most people have dreams of traveling more often than they do.  Often, we focus on the “reasons” that stop us from traveling rather than problem solving and making it happen. It’s important to differentiate real obstacles from excuses. Obstacles can be overcome, while excuses are based in fear and block our dreams from being actualized.

It’s time we reframe the American cultural perspective that travel is a “luxury”. Here is a better alternative — travel should be considered a necessity for self-growth and an invaluable tool for increasing our psychological well-being.  Traveling to new places, even for two days, can provide an opening to be present and alive within, rather than numb and uninspired.

Using your lack of resources as the excuse why you cannot travel, may be more about overcoming your fears or learning how to create self-care priorities.  How much of your income do you spend on health care, entertainment, and counteracting career burnout? Can’t some of that money be channeled into a travel growth fund? Why not opt for “travel therapy” as part of a self-elected alternative wellness plan?  Over time, this will save you money on traditional “health care” — and you don’t have to get sick to receive the benefits!

For those that are only swayed by facts, there are significant research findings on the health benefits associated with vacation/travel time.  For example, “Blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of epinephrine (a stress hormone) decline on holidays of only one or two days.”[1] Just the anticipation of vacation travel has found people’s psychological well-being to increase.[2] And, the health perks associated with vacations continues…for more information see footnote link.[3]

So, if you feel less than satisfied with how much travel you have done… but are unsure of how to do more of it, here’s my suggestion. Try taking mini-exploration trips rather than daydreaming of your someday-a-long-way-away holiday.  Like any new practice, even the smallest steps forward, help us to go outside of our comfort zone and create more opportunities that are otherwise not available to us.  Consequently, it becomes a good training ground for us to be fit travelers, limited only by our imagination.  This is what I call “exercising one’s travel muscles” and thus preparing us to face new experiences more courageously.

In my article written for CIL’s February Edition, “Travel To Self-Love,” click here, I provided great resource links for overcoming obstacles to traveling on a limited budget and/or solo travel concerns. Often these are not problems if you are willing to be flexible in your approach.

Most importantly, we need our perspective on how we explore travel, to be fluid. In our society, having an exotic travel experience is much more valued than ensuring that you go on trip with a receptive headspace.  But traveling to foreign lands with a rigid attitude, can be far less beneficial than going on a domestic trip with an open-hearted spirit. The quote by G.K. Cheserton speaks to this point, “The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at least to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”

Let go of waiting for the perfect time, person, or travel funds to take that trip. You might find that the passage is far more influential than the destination!

Enjoy the Journey!

Melinda London
Travel Lotus

The concept of the “responsible traveler” or “ethical tourism” is about cultivating respect for other cultures and reducing our footprint upon the world while traveling.  This awareness goes beyond eco-friendly behaviors to practicing a “global code of ethics for tourism.” There are many ethical concerns about the impact of tourists, especially affluent Westerners’, upon developing countries’ cultures and economies.

When thinking of ethical issues around travel, I have one image permanently burnt in my memory.  In 1999, I witnessed a young western backpacker giving what she thought was something of value to a local Indonesian woman –an empty water bottle.  The local woman politely accepts the bottle.   The backpacker turns and walks away. Almost immediately the woman tosses the empty water bottle into the nearby water ravine and returns to her work without a pause.  That situation could have easily come out of the 1982 movie, Koyaanisqati (“World Out of Balance”).  The cultural misunderstanding and environmental implications of this exchange, has never left me.

The following is taken from World Tourism Organization website:

THE RESPONSIBLE TOURIST AND TRAVELER
Travel and tourism should be planned and practiced as a means of individual and collective fulfillment. When practiced with an open mind, it is an irreplaceable factor of self education, mutual tolerance and for learning about the legitimate differences between peoples and cultures and their diversity. Everyone has a role to play creating responsible travel and tourism.

Governments, business and communities must do all they can, but as a guest you can support this in many ways to make a difference:

1. Open your mind to other cultures and traditions – it will transform your experience, you will earn respect and be more readily welcomed by local people. Be tolerant and respect diversity – observe social and cultural traditions and practices.

2. Respect human rights. Exploitation in any form conflicts with the fundamental aims of tourism. The sexual exploitation of children is a crime punishable in the destination or at the offender’s home country.

3. Help preserve natural environments. Protect wildlife and habitats and do not purchase products made from endangered plants or animals.

4. Respect cultural resources. Activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage.

5. Your trip can contribute to economic and social development. Purchase local handicrafts and products to support the local economy using the principles of fair trade. Bargaining for goods should reflect an understanding of a fair wage.

6. Inform yourself about the destination’s current health situation and access to emergency and consular services prior to departure and be assured that your health and personal security will not be compromised. Make sure that your specific requirements (diet, accessibility, medical care) can be fulfilled before you decide to travel this destination.

7. Learn as much as possible about your destination and take time to understand the customs, norms and traditions. Avoid behaviour that could offend the local population.

8. Familiarize yourself with the laws so that you do not commit any act considered criminal by the law of the country visited. Refrain from all trafficking in illicit drugs, arms, antiques, protected species and products or substances that are dangerous or prohibited by national regulations.

“Help for Jet Lag” by Stephen Stiteler, State Licensed Acupuncturist; Doctoral Degrees in Oriental Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine & Homeopathy

Melatonin makes us drowsy. Light blocks melatonin production during the day, and thereby keeps us awake. When it gets dark in the evening, melatonin production starts up again, and prepares us for sleep by making us drowsy again. This is why the room we sleep in should be completely dark, and why it is much better for health to learn to trust the darkness than to keep a ‘night light’ on. Night-lights, coffee, and other stimulants interfere with melatonin production, making it more difficult to get a ‘good night’s sleep’.

When we live normal lives, we spend our days and nights in the same time zone. Our melatonin production cycle is adjusted to this time zone’s light and dark cycle. We wake up when it gets light, and we get drowsy as the light fades. In such a stable situation, the melatonin production cycle becomes habitual.

It is this habitual melatonin production that causes jet lag when we move rapidly through many time zones. Our body may be in Australia, but our melatonin production cycle is still on North American time. To adjust to the new time zone, this habitual melatonin production cycle needs to be broken and reset. Normally, this takes up to a week, but with some help, the habitual melatonin production cycle can be broken during the time of our long flight, and re-set in the new time zone.

To break and re-set the melatonin production cycle, I suggest two natural products. The first is called a relaxation-inducing herbal sedative called Stress-Zyme (Z-23) (Apex), which is made up of a mixture of herbal extracts from St. John’s Wort, valerian root, and passionflower, and many others. Take 3 tablets three hours before the flight departs, one tablet at flight time, and one tablet every hour during the flight. Stop taking Stress-Zyme about one hour before arrival.

The second product for use on long flights is melatonin. Use 1-2 milligrams per hour, in tablet form. Take one tablet as soon as you are airborne, then one tablet every hour during the entire flight. Stop within the hour before landing.

It is important to take the melatonin at one-hour intervals during the entire flight. Taking it every hour keeps melatonin present in your body, which signals to the pineal gland that the body has enough, that no more is needed, and that production therefore should cease, whether it is light or dark. This shuts down
melatonin production during the flight. The pineal gland gets to rest throughout the flight. On arrival, stop taking melatonin. If the flight lands at night, your melatonin production will naturally start up again, because it is now dark. You will be able to sleep.

If the flight lands during the day, melatonin production will continue to be inhibited by the light. You then stay up until day ends and it get’s dark where you are, at which time melatonin production will start up again. You may have been up for a long day (as many extra hours as the number of time zones you passed through), are likely to be quite tired, and will sleep beautifully. Next morning, you’ll be completely adjusted to the time zone. That is the power of stopping and re-setting your melatonin production cycle during your flight.

By taking melatonin at one-hour intervals during the flight, the pineal gland’s melatonin production is stopped. Stopping melatonin production by taking melatonin during the flight puts the gland in a state of restful inactivity.
This restful inactivity, which lasts as many hours as the flight, breaks the gland’s habitual melatonin production cycle. Cessation of melatonin intake then allows for the pineal to start up melatonin production again, based on the light-dark cycle at the traveler’s destination. The habitual melatonin production cycle will have been broken. A new melatonin production cycle, aligned with the light-dark cycle of the destination, can then begin.

I do not recommend taking melatonin every night. Chronic use of supplemental melatonin can result in the gland becoming lazy. It is better to get the gland to do its job, except short-term, in situations that are not natural to our biology, such as flying.

It is, however, useful to take melatonin on a daily basis for older people whose pineal gland is not producing enough. This is usually not an issue for some people younger than 60 years old. Some older people may be unable to sleep more than 4 hours a night, and then be tired all day, because their pineal gland
is no longer producing enough melatonin for a good night’s sleep. For these people, regular melatonin use may be helpful. A health practitioner’s guidance should be followed in these cases.

I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads.
Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.
-Rosalia de Castro

The inspiration to listen, then follow one’s heart often does not come while staying in our normal circumstances.  One of the easiest ways to get out of your own way and recreate yourself, is through travel, especially to foreign lands.

Breaking patterns requires a willingness to depart from a “known” way of life to venture, instead, in a new direction. Our hope is that it leads to a more fulfilled way of being.  The challenge is in taking that first step forward.

Travel can provide the key to creative problem-solving:
According to research conducted by Jia and colleagues, “The effect of spatial distance on creative cognition,” found that “psychological distance” even just away from your home state, can lead to positive  “creative cognition and insight problem solving.”[1] The cognitive benefits of psychological distance such as visiting a foreign land forces our brain to think outside the box because our frame of reference is removed.

“If you train a mouse to search a maze for cheese, it will eventually find it. Now if you move the cheese to a new part of the maze, the mouse will go back to the old spot for awhile, but eventually it will give up and look elsewhere.  In contrast, metaphorically, the humans sometimes keep going back to the same spot again and again, insisting that the cheese “ought to be in a certain place” and that “nobody has a right to move it.” [2]

The “cheese” in this example represents our perceived source of happiness. It is our soul food if you will, and the “maze,” is the path we take to get there. When we are too close to our problems, we often stubbornly go back in the same direction to try to “get it right this time.”  Instead research finds creativity comes with distance. Often it causes a full pattern break because we have vastly different input coming at us. Travel even domestically can help. However, the more dramatic the contrast in culture/landscape, the more likely we are to see things differently.

Foreign travel provides inspiration to choose a new path:
During my first trip to India, I found myself in complete sensory overload. This radically different cultural experience, had my brain go into observation shutdown mode.  The more I tried to use my western mind to assess things, the more disoriented I felt.  The streets I went by were filled with everything different; cultural expression, clothing, smells, rules, activities, transportation, and environmental conditions.  Being the only westerner in this town, the locals stared at me as if I was an alien.  Chaos seemed to fill the streets with cars, auto rickshaws and motorcycles, all moving in a bizarrely wild traffic configuration. Yet, they would slow down to avoid hitting the sacred peaceful cow, that had stopped in the middle of the road to chew rubbish. It took awhile for my mind to accept that “my way of being” was not better, just different.

Then after a week or two, I found myself accepting the differences. Instead of focusing on the disturbing contrast, I put my attention to the beauty. I somehow started to appreciate the duality of fast and slow pace. Then my mind gave way to a new way of being and a sense of peace came over me. My western mind had gotten in the way of my peace. The chaos of the street became amusing and India’s devotional spirit flooded my heart. What I took away from the experience, is my mind is not my friend. My mind needs to be bent in order to appreciate what I do have – like a flushing toilet.

My travel experience in India was a complete pattern interrupt, because it was so incongruent with my cultural expectations and beliefs. When I came back I found it had reconstructed my mind, so that I had a greater sense of peace and tolerance in my everyday life. Now when there is chaos in my life, I remember India, and look for the beauty and duality in that moment.

Distance from our home environment can remove the pressure for us to be the same. It provides us with the freedom to recreate or discover another part of ourselves and open us to see a solution that was unable to be seen while in our “normal” life circumstances. In essence, travel is one of the most powerful tools to help us engage in our life, with a more passionate and daring spirit.

Enjoy the Journey

-Melinda London,
Travel Lotus

It’s concerning to hear that people are buying Potassium Iodine (KI) off the shelf based on fear and really have no idea what it does to the body. Potassium Iodine is not recommended for “possible” distant exposure.  It is not beneficial for you unless under a direct exposure emergency situation. “There are health risks associated with taking KI.” [1] However, it is important to distinguish, naturally occurring Iodine food sources, such as kelp and yogurt, are good to incorporate in our dietary intake.

A medical blog just released this, “It’s important to note that potassium iodide pills protect only the thyroid. They don’t prevent your body from taking in the radiation and don’t help prevent radiation damage to other parts of the body…but taking iodine pills is not something you want to do unless instructed by your doctor or emergency management officials. No experts are suggesting anyone in the U.S. take potassium iodide, and of course there is no current risk of radiation exposure from a nuclear meltdown in the U.S.”[2]

Diet is vital in altering our health, especially when it comes to radiation poisoning. It’s really about incorporating long-term practices into our standard diet—having a good intake of spirulina, chlorella, seaweed, and antioxidant foods and immune supportive supplements. In truth, we are probably much more at risk for direct daily exposure to long-term lower levels of radiation from our mobile phones, computers, microwaves, air travel, x-ray exams, TV, outside power plants, and other harmful environmental atmosphere contaminants.

My blog article “Counteracting the Negative Effects of Full Body Scanners & Airplane Radiation” has some excellent suggestions for longer-term good dietary solutions for combating daily radiation we are exposed to and building our immune system. Click here for my article.

Two case studies found to positively alter the negative effects of direct exposure to atomic radiation are shown below. First study: Nagaski doctor saving lives by his patients and colleagues, one mile away from 1945 atomic Nagaski and Hiroshima bombing, with a strict sea vegetables diet (or what many would call a “macrobiotic diet”). The other one is the use of regular use of spirulina in saving the lives of children exposed to the 1986 Chernobyl radiation poisoning.

1) 1945 Japanese case study–diet saving lives after atomic bombing:
“At the time of the atomic bombing of Japan, Tatsuichiro Akizuki, M.D. was Director of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Francis’s Hospital in Nagasaki and fed his staff and patients a strict diet of brown rice, miso and tamari soy soup, wakame, kombu and other seaweed, Hokkaido pumpkin, and sea salt and prohibited the consumption of sugar and sweets. Sugars and sweets were forbidden because they suppress the immune system! Because of this diet — which was rich in sea vegetables — he saved everyone in his hospital while many other survivors perished from the radiation sickness. (Tatsuichiro Akuziki, M.D. Nagasaki 1945, London Quarter books, 1981).”[3]

2) Spirulina found to save children exposed to 1986 Chernobyl radiation poisoning:
Regular intake of spirulina was given to children in Belarus clinics suffering from radiation sickness after Chernobyl. This is what they found: “By taking 5 grams of spirulina a day for 45 days…. children showed enhanced immune systems and T-cell counts and reduced radioactivity…. regeneration of bone marrow, spinal fluids, blood and the liver. Dangerously low white blood cell counts of about 1000, typical of leukemia, rose to an average of 3000 in 20 days, and the spirulina produced rapid improvements in the health of treated children compared to others who did not receive the algae. In particular, spirulina reduced urine radioactivity levels by 50% in only 20 days time.” Based on the Institute of Radiation Medicine in Minsk results, the Belarus Ministry of Health concluded that spirulina accelerates the evacuation of radionuclides from the human body.” [4]

Melinda’s Anti-Radiation Kelp Noodle-Sea Veggie Salad:
• Fresh Kelp Noodles (by Sea Tangle Noodle Company)—12 oz.
• Fresh Mixed Sea Vegetables or Dried Sea Vegetables—3-6 oz.
• Dulse (or other seaweed flakes) —A few dashes.
• Fresh Chopped Parsley—1-2 chopped cup(s)
• Fresh Chopped Coriander (Cilantro) —1 chopped cup.
• Fresh Mint—1/2 chopped cup.
• Cucumber —1 large chopped.
• Spirulina Powder or “Salad Booster”(by Living Intentions)—A few dashes.
• Limes or Lemon—1-2 Squeezed (or to taste).
• Olive Oil — to taste or approx. 2T.
• Tamari Soy Sauce — to taste or approx. a few dashes of it.
• Pepper and salt to taste (beware sea veggies very salty so wash well!).
• Optional adds (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dulse, garlic, chia seeds, chives).

Make to sure to buy all organic fresh produce. Raise well the kelp and sea vegetables and then chop fine. Add to large bowl then add finely chopped parsley, coriander and mint. If you don’t like one of the greens add more of the other be creative. Put in olive oil, tamari, and lemon into mix and stir well. I rarely make exact recipes so explore various options. It makes a great raw salad that even unadventurous types would like. Also, there are kelp supplements and spirulina power/tablets for those that just will not take to time to prepare dishes like this.

It is important we do not go into alarmist mode but rather consider long-term dietary practices that strengthen our immune system to extract out toxins entering our body.

-Melinda London
Travel Lotus

[1] http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp
[2]http://blogs.webmd.com/breaking-news/2011/03/potassium-iodide-pills-can-they-protect-you-from-radiation-exposure.html
[3] www.RadiationDetox.com
[4] www.RadiationDetox.com

The simple truth is that people are considerably more susceptible to cold and flu when traveling on a plane than on the ground.  It is especially true for frequent fliers and long flight durations.

Interestingly, it has little to do with the recirculation of aircraft air, as is commonly believed. According to the Journal of Environmental Health Research “reduced resistance to infection from the usual very dry cabin air and fatigue, coupled with the small cabin air space per person, and low outside air replacement rates of newer aircraft, could have contributed to the very high cold transmission rates observed.” [1]

Why is dry cabin air quality a significant factor in us potentially getting sick? It is all about our natural human defense system against colds, the Mucociliary Clearance System, running effectively.

Think of this “Clearance System,” like a pathogen filter. It is run by thin mucus along the nasal passage and moved by our microscopic nasal hairs known as cilia. When the system operates sufficiently, it takes the bacteria encountered through the nasal passage down to the throat. It will then be finally pushed to the stomach to be destroyed by the acid. So when our body is exposed to a very dry environment (reported at best 15% to low 5% humidity level), such as airplanes, our mucus gets too thick for our cilia to effectively move this airborne junk out of our system. This therefore means our ability to resist infections, is greatly compromised.[2]

Another problem discussed in research, is the health risk created by enclosed air cabin space.  This is caused by the lack of personal space on a flight and sitting next to sick or other immune challenged passengers, who are breathing, coughing or sneezing next to each other. This further increases the risk for transmission of viral infections.[3]

So what can we do? There are various strategies we can employ to prevent colds but it depends on you being more proactive before, during and after your flight.

Common Sense Practices to Protect Your System while flying:

• Proper hydration ought to be at the top of your list for our bodies ability to fight off infections! Unfortunately, most of us are already chronically dehydrated. Drink 8 ounces of water per hour in-flight. Coffee and alcohol cause you further dehydration!
• Remove your contact lenses for protection and hydration of the eyes.
• Get plenty of rest because fatigue is a contributor to getting sick.
• Keep a warm hat over your head to protect your system from body heat de-regulation.
• Avoid ice cold drinks – it does not support your nasal cilia to function well.
• Drink hot liquids such as respiratory enhancing herbal teas. Bring these tea bags with you or just a lemon and ask a flight attendant for hot water.
• Also, obviously wash your hands in-flight before meals.

Holistic cold/flu supportive methods:

• Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and Water – by far ACV is reported to be a popular and effective nasal health remedy. This can be great to combine with your in-flight hydration strategy.  It specifically helps to keep your mucous thin. Consider bringing 4 ounces in a container for your in-flight health support. [4]
• Saline Rinse Solutions using a “Neti Pot” and/or Natural Nasal Spray. Effective natural nasal spray usually consists of ionized water, xylitol, salt, and perhaps added essential oils (eucalyptus, lavender, spearmint, or tea tree).
• Natural Nasal gels (free of preservatives & must be water soluble)
• Gargling with Hydrogen Peroxide and Sea Salt.
• Steaming to open nasal passages.
• Taking Grapefruit Seed Extract and Oregano Oil.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Water (Room Temperature):

• Swig Method–2 TBSP of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) 4-6 oz of water all at once.
• Sipping Method–1/4 to 1/8 cup ACV in 16 oz of water over a period of time – for a few days until mucus becomes thin and clear.
  

Hot Garlic/Oregano/ACV Drink:

• 2 garlic cloves.
• 2 drops oregano oil.
• 2 tbs. organic ACV.
• Dash of salt (optional).
• 8oz of water, boil for 5 minutes – drink hot.

Hot Tomato Tea:

• 1 cup V8 juice/tomato juice.
• 1 tsp garlic crushed (use more if you can).
• 1 tsp lemon juice.
• Dash of cayenne pepper (hot sauces also work).

Utilizing Essential Oil (Thieves) — Some Suggestions:

• Use “Thieves” from Young Living, in one drop in eight ounces of water.
• Put a diluted amount of Thieves oil on strategic endocrine system body areas.
• Put a drop in your hands and inhale Thieves or eucalyptus oil.
• When landed, a drop within steamy shower or bath.
• Put a drop on your toothbrush when brushing your teeth.
• Make your own spray solution of purified water & Thieves (or can substitute tea tree oil and lavender for general cleansing and clearing.
• Consider using in-flight and upon landing on the road.

Getting sick on a plane is easier than we think, but it’s often preventable. We must also take the necessary proactive steps to build our immune system in the longer term.  If you remember only one thing from this article, make sure your overall body is hydrated and do what you can to keep your nasal passages open.  Using one of the above suggestions, should give you a leg up while traveling and keep you healthier when you finally make it to your destination.

Enjoy the Journey!

Melinda London,
Travel Lotus

[1] Journal of Environmental Health Research, Volume 3, Issue 1, 2004
[2] http://www.allergyconsumerreview.com/
[3] Journal of Environmental Health Research, Volume 3, Issue 1, 2004
[4] http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies

'Leaving Sydney' photo courtesy of Rob Millenaar

When flying, most people are conscious of the effects that jet lag and limited mobility has upon your physical well-being. However, much less is known about the negative impact of cabin pressure upon your body. Its impact is deeper than we realize and therefore, important to know how to implement preventative air travel health measures.

Insufficient compression and circulation in-flight is common. Depending on your health condition when flying, it can result in mild soreness to more serious health risks.

“We humans need air to live, so we do best around sea level. Airplanes are at their best up high, where the air is thin and smooth. And therein lies the rub: We invented a machine that thrives where we don’t.” [1]. In order for airlines to fly faster at a reduced fuel costs, they are slightly adjusting the cabin pressure, which intern puts strain upon our body. Other factors include our general state of health, length of travel and what we do before, during and after the flight. It’s hard to find this evidence, but it’s certainly there. Better air pressure would be gentler on the body, but it would cost us more on fuel to maintain.

Sitting long hours with limited movement alone can cause circulation difficulties, strain on the blood flow to the heart and lower back, and have the veins swell. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), serious blood clotting traveling from the leg or hip heart, is probably the most common health risk while traveling.  Then add to this the strain of flight decompression and you get a lot more strain than you can imagine in blood restriction and muscle tension. Even athletes can get “cankle,” a urban slang term for a condition where your lower leg between calf and the ankle seems to blend together without distinction.

Individuals at higher risk for circulation issues and/or DVT:

• Pregnant women, individuals with obesity, and the elderly.
• Individuals that have medical conditions that effect circulation: diabetics, varicose veins, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis.
• Heavy smokers and those who have a poor diet of high sodium and fat intake.
• People with a medical history of blood clotting issues.
• Marathon runners (after an event) higher risk for DVT

Helpful things to do to minimize stress before a flight:

• Be well rested before your flight so your time on-board is not spent sleeping for extended periods of time; therefore, less immobile.
• Get some exercise before you travel even a walk can really help.
• Hydrate well and limit your salt, alcohol and caffeine intake.

Tips while in the air to reduce lower-leg swelling/clotting:

• Sleep shorter periods of time and move around more.
• Limit sedatives you might take in-flight to reduce inactivity while asleep.
• Take a baby aspirin to thin the blood to help improve circulation and reduce likelihood of blood clots and heart attacks associated with DTV.
• For the 20% of people that cannot take aspirin, a reported natural alternative is intaking garlic, turmeric, and willow bark.[2]
• Wear loose clothes especially below the waist. Consider buying compression socks and/or a compression outfit called “jet skins.” The graduated pressure helps support the muscles which pumps blood back to the heart.
• Avoid tight clothes especially things with belts and pantyhose that can block blood flow and further compound unnecessary pressure on your body.
• Stretch your legs as often as you can. Standing up and moving around every 30 minutes or so can help with the blood circulation.
• Try to move your legs and stretch your ankles once per hour.
• Take a short walk to stimulate the blood pumping back to your heart.
• Elevate your feet and legs when possible.
• Draw circles with your toes to rotate your ankles if you are stuck in one position and cannot walk.

Suggestions for food and drink on-board:

• Take on-board food that increases your circulation and strengthening arteries.  Good sources are: dark chocolate, blueberries, grapes, oranges, avocados, salmon, ginger, garlic, gingko biloba and pumpkin seeds. [3]
• Additional natural alternative aids to increase blood circulation: vitamin E, neem, anthocyanin, pennywort, wintergreen oil, shou wu, cobalt, eucalyptus oil, and arginine.
• Avoid saturated fats, salty foods, and creams.
• Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Drink enough fluid to keep your urine light in color.
• Include an isotonic (electrolyte replacement) drink.

After a plane ride:

• Walk or do some kind of light exercise to get your legs moving in the new the location.
• Take a shower, as soon as possible, after the flight. Alternate hot to cold temperature to get your blood pumping.
• Get a massage. Ask therapist to incorporate circulatory and/or lymphatic modality treatment work.  Also helplful are ion cleansing detox footspa treatments to re-balance your bodies’ bio-energy.
• Especially for longer flights-continue to eat circulation enhancing foods and antioxidants food/supplements.
• Most airlines now have information on managing DVT while in-flight.

Incorporating the above suggestions will not only help you to have a better air travel experience but increase your overall travel recovery time.

Enjoy the Journey!

By Melinda London, Travel Lotus

photo courtesy of Rob Milleaner

The jury is not out, it is clear, high-altitude airline flights increase our radiation exposure. The debate is not if, but how much does it effects us. This can be dependent on many factors: current health condition, dietary habits, age, exposure, and sensitivity to radiation.

According to the American Cancer Society, “For years, our society has maintained that exposure to low levels of electromagnetic waves are harmless, but evidence is mounting that all this exposure to low-level radiation is indeed much more harmful that previously thought. What is also a major source of radiation exposure? Flying in an airplane. The higher up the plane goes in the atmosphere the more radiation we are exposed to. “ [1] For a report on radiation per hour on flights go to: www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q444.html

More concerning is the rise in airport usage of new airport full body scanners that claim to be no more harmful that 15 minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun. The United States National Research Council reports backscatter x-ray energy emitted is a type of ionizing radiation that damages chemical bonds. They tell us ionizing radiation is known to be carcinogenic even in very small doses. Unfortunately, what is replacing backscatter x-ray are “full-body scanners.” These are essentially millimeter wave scanners. Millimeter waves scanners are known to emit even higher frequencies of radio waves onto the body so security can get a full body image. [2]

You can opt out of being screened using advanced imaging technology. The TSA has on their website the following: “This [scanner] technology is optional to passengers in the U.S. Passengers who opt out of imaging technology screening will go through alternative screening, including same-gender pat downs. Passengers flying to the U.S. from international destinations should check with the country from which they are flying regarding that nation’s policies.”

My suggestion is to opt for the alternative same-gender pat down screening. I would be far less concerned with the intrusion of my privacy than the effects of more unnecessary radiation exposure. People most at risk from being body- scanned are: pregnant women, babies/children, elderly, and those that have pace makers and cancer.

Given that air travel is a necessary part of our lives, we will need to increase our health practices to combat the air travel radiation exposure. There are a number of things you can do to minimize or perhaps counter its effects.

Dietary recommendations for counteracting radiation exposure & overall health:

• Eat quality organic foods on the day you are traveling and avoid junk food.
• Increase your intake of antioxidants, in order of strength: wolf (Goji) berries (the best source), blueberries, kale, strawberries, spinach, raspberries, brussel sprouts, plums, broccoli, beets, oranges, red grapes, red bell pepper, cherries, eggplant, lime juice, & carrots.
• Incorporate high fiber & mineral rich diet (natural iodine, iron, B-12, ginseng, & zinc).
• Eat foods or supplements high in calcium and potassium.
• Consume more beta carotene: spinach, kale, carrots, chard, swiss chard, yams, squash, carrots, winter squash, beets, and collards.
• Eat more of the brassica (cabbage) family and sulfur containing compounds: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, collards, arugula, turnips, radishes, mustard greens, bok choy, onions, beans, and garlic.
• More sulfur-rich vegetables: kelp, kale, watercress, brussel sprouts, cabbage, turnips, cauliflower, raspberries, & spinach.
• Incorporate a lot more seaweed/sea algae family into your diet such as: spirulina (blue-green) and chlorella (green algae), sea veggies, kelp, dulse and nori. Chlorella is the most digestible, high protein, absorbable source on the market!
• Drink teas that are black, green, and rooibis (instead of coffee).
• Increase your intake of alkalizing food and drink sources.
• Use more often garlic, turmeric, and basil in your diet.

If exposed high levels of radiation, additional intake likely needed:

• Energetic Radiation Antitiox formula.
• Incorporate cysteine (thiol) … amino acid antioxidants.
• Large dosages of (spirulina (blue-green) and chlorella (green algae) and seaweed (sea veggies, kelp, nori) as well as miso broth. .
• Brewer’s yeast (mixing it with tomato juice or fermented beet juice).
• Mushroom supplements (JHS Naturals) for immune system support.
• Bee pollen to strengthen the blood.
• Extra calcium and vitamin D during radiation exposure.
• Avoid sugar, wheat, milk and fast food.

After a long flight do this to feel less toxic and more energized:

• Taking an Epson salt bath to detoxifying the body. You can buy Epson salt or use formula: Dissolve 1 lb of sea salt or rock salt and 1 lb of baking soda in a hot bath — as hot as can be tolerated — and soak into the water until the bath becomes cool. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Do not rinse the salt off your body for 4-8 hours.
• Also, if available, a ion cleansing detox footspa treatment can be very helpful. It can help to rebalance your bodies’ bioenergy.

Essential oils for detox/ antioxidants support (alternative care):

• While many of the fruits and veggies (listed above) are good sources of antioxidants, essential oils are far more effective.
• The top antioxidant essential oils are: clove, myrrh, clary sage, cedarwood, marjoram, geranium, cumin, douglas fir, basil, peppermint, celery seed, lime, hyssop, oregano. Only the wolf (gogi) berry comes anywhere close to any of these oils and falls after Hyssop on here.
• Essential oils for counteracting the effects of radiation: juniper berry (juniperus communis), helichrysum (helichrysum italicum, lemon (citrus limonum), grapefruit (citrus paradise), lavender, tea tree, neroli, and laurel (laurus nobilis). If pregnant, please consult your physician.

Whether you are flying a lot or not at all, these are all health self-care practices. We need to integrate this more on a daily basis in truth we are exposed to other environmental ionizing radiation such as cell phones, TV, dental/medical x-rays, computers, and other EMF exposure. Incorporate this into your life and you will improve your overall health.

-Melinda London, Travel Lotus
www.travellotus.com

[1] http://csn.cancer.org/node/19983
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_body_scanner

“Self-love seems so often unrequited.” – Anthony Powell

Intimate relationships have always been one of my greatest teachers in self-awareness and self-love. Travel, my other lover, provides me with the opportunity to live fully, face my fears, and ultimately engage in self-care. Both are powerful indicators for us to assess the trajectory of our personal progress.

Understanding yourself is an important step towards self-love. It’s helpful to start by identifying what fills your emotional tank. Getting in touch with what nourishes you, is often a foreign concept to many of us. Allow yourself time to pause and feel, before you go into response. Core needs are different than feelings. What you needed a week ago may be different from what you need now. Take the time to do a personal needs inventory for self-care. Refueling your emotional tank, is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself, and those whose lives you touch.

Despite travel being commonly considered important to most people’s wellbeing, few Americans actually travel outside the US. According to US census, less than 30% of Americans hold passports, and even less actually use it. In addition, nearly 40% of women over thirty-five, do not have a travel partner. Solo U.S. travelers constitute only 11% of all leisure travelers and take fewer trips per year (Source: travelhorizonsTM, July 2009). Those of us who are single, may therefore need to consider inventive new travel options, to meet our desire to explore.

If travel is on your needs’ list, how important is it? What is stopping you from making travel a priority this year? Is it the lack of partner/companion to share the journey? Or perhaps money or time? If it’s about holding out for that perfect partner or right time, don’t wait any longer. The time is now and that person is you!

Engaging in self-romance tells the universe that you are welcoming love in your life! Move towards having a self-love lifestyle, rather than adopting the average temporary/ quick fix solutions that leave your tank empty. If you exude this attractive ‘full’ energy while traveling, it’s easy to create on-the-road friendships or romance. That gives you the freedom to choose when you want to spend reflective time alone visiting some amazing tourist attraction, or engage with your new friends in the world travel community. This community is much more open to spontaneous outings than you will ever find at home.

So its important to be clear about what type of journey would fill your emotional tank. Is it riding on the edge of life’s adventures? Or connecting with new lands and kind people? Perhaps it’s lazing on a remote beach, or reinventing yourself in a romantic city? Maybe it’s communing with nature’s majesty, or taking a spiritual journey, or even exploring your historical roots? Stay true to that longing and you will be guided to the right course of action.

Trust the Universe to provide. However, for those who need more than ‘trust’, there are tons of resources available to you online. These resources will address your love of travel and handle those ‘yes – but…” excuses. There are many strategies for meeting your social, emotional, spiritual, and economically travel requirements. Really, the resources are abundant and it’s just a matter of you putting in the energy to discover them. Be willing to try new things and discover a new part of you.

By far my most profound travel tip is to go with an open heart and a good travel guide. Pay attention to where the opportunities reveal themselves, and if it feels right, go with it. If you feel there is a block in the flow, start conversations with other travelers and see if there is an invite to travel with them. Rare is the time when I have not been helped by a fellow traveler…it’s the code of good road ethics and is often beyond the support I would ever get at home.

Travel Resources & Forums For Unisex Cross-Cultural Exchanges:
HospitalityClub.org – A free hospitality exchange designed to foster intercultural understanding and to build peace through a worldwide network of open doors. People around the world offer to either host you in their house or show you around when you get there. Similarly, you can have a travel experience brought to you but hosting people in your home but it is not required to reciprocate. I have personally used this service by being hosted or shown around a foreign city. It was a positive experience that benefited me a great deal.
CouchSurfing.org – Couch Surfing is another worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit.
Travelchums.com – Another free resource that tends to be geared to slightly order travelers than the other two listed.
Boards.Bootsnall.com –Is an independent travelers resource.
MatadorNetwork.com – An independent online travel magazine.

Single Women Travel Network
A few resources that are geared specifically to women. There aim to foster international friendship exchanges and confidence/support in traveling aboard.
Hermail.net- A free e-mail international directory of women travelers.
Women-on-the-road.com – geared for women backing/independent travelers.
Womentravel.info-Tons of links dedicated to helping women. There are some helpful tips and some that are rather commercial.

Internet travel mating dating/companion services:
I have not used these services but they could be a great resource.
Meetmarketadventures.com- A free online travel matching and dating.
Singletravel.com -This is a membership travel dating site etc
Blogs about travel and love that may be interesting to read: MatadorNetwork.com ; JourneyWoman.com.

A Few Tour Operators Known To Specializing in Solo Travelers:
SingleTravel.com- A tour operator for solo travelers. Reportedly slightly more women than men participate, general age range from 30-55 but with some older and some younger. Free newsletter.
Osolomio.com -A singles specialist, offering tours either for the 30 + age group or for the 18-35 age group.

Limited Time Getaway Ideas:
Consider single weekends trips organized by specialized operators. There are also single cruises trips (with or without shipmate matching service) designed to meet new people. If you are on a more spiritual track, then go to your area’s yoga studios or health centers where there are built-in activities, workshops, and welcoming holistic health conscious community.

Charity/Selfless Service Aboard Opportunities & Spiritual Journey Resources:
CharityTravel.blogspot.com – Adventurous journey around the world, combining exciting traveling with supporting small-scale charity causes.
EmbracingTheWorld.org and Amritapuri.org - How you can be a part of volunteering for Amma’s organization. She is arguably one of the greatest humanitarians on this planet. Receiving worldwide recognition by the U.N etc.
OffTheMatIntoTheWorld.org – A yoga community action/project organization.
CrossCulturalSolutions.org – Programs are available in over 20 program sites in 12 countries from 1-12 weeks.
Wwoof.org – A worldwide network that helps people share more sustainable ways of living. In return for volunteer help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.
• Check out the book, “From Here to Nirvana” by Anne Cushman and Jerry Jones. A comprehensive yoga journal guide to spiritual India. One of my favorite spiritual travel book resources.

Honoring my call to travel, has taught me a lot about myself. It brought me to incredible experiences I would otherwise have missed. Most importantly, it served to expand my heart to new possibilities and love in general.

Enjoy the Journey!

-Melinda London, Travel Lotus
Travellotus.com

We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate… And we travel, in essence, to become younger fools again — to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more. ~ Pico Iyer

Rapid urbanization has caused many of us to lose touch with ourselves. More than ever, we are time-poor and soul-hungry…craving real solutions for improving our wellbeing. To make matters worse, we are bombarded by ever growing new, improved, and ‘supposedly cheaper’ travel and health care options. It can be not only overwhelming, but confusing and time consuming to find what’s best for us.

In order to get relaxation and relief we find ourselves hunched over a computer researching what’s out there.  Or we find the need to spend a lot of time asking our friends about their experiences– comparing notes and considering our needs…all so we can hopefully make ‘the right decision.’  Rejuvenation has a high cost in front-end investigation — when you’re running on empty that can be an exhausting undertaking!

Our need for renewal is shown in current trends in spending. The future of holistic health and travel, are already and will continue to be some of the fastest-growing global businesses.  According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism is one of the largest industries in the World.  In 2009, the combined global revenue was reported at $1.87 trillion…By 2019, it is predicted to be a 3.39 trillion business.

Everyday, more and more people are growing dissatisfied with traditional medicine. Instead they are turning their attention to holistic forms of health care for long-term, cost-effective, preventive solutions.  We, as a society, need to move away from the costly, pathology-driven practices, to address our ever-increasing health issues. Many people now agree, it’s a fragmented, outdated, and disempowering systematic approach. In fact, “Americans spend over $27 billion on out-of-pocket expenses on holistic healthcare each year. More than a third of us use some form of holistic services, and total visits to alternative health care providers exceed the number of visits to medical doctors each year.”

Being that we as a society spend a lot of money on both travel and health, it is surprising that very little exists to support combining them both in a high quality way. We can no longer afford to compartmentalize our lives. Out of necessity, we will have to be more careful how we approach our resources in areas such as health and our limited leisure travel time. The ‘Travel Lotus’ blog, will be a seamless and unique resource for all. We want to be a big part of the solution towards health-travel integration.

Enjoy the Journey!

-Melinda London, Travel Lotus