In a previous article I said I would write about how to beat jet lag and flu season but that information is no good without a basic understanding of how acidity comes about, in the body or on the plane.
One of the ironic things about life is that Man loves complexity but at his core is really simple., so it is with all sickness and health. The first thing that has to happen for illness to take hold in a body is for inflammation to spread. The Latin expression for the beginnings of inflammation is calor, dolor, rubor and tumor, meaning heat, pain, redness and swelling. Inflammation is partly produced by acidification of the internal environment organs or tissue. If you stop this one thing from happening you stop inflammation in its tracks and so it is with flu season and jet lag for that matter.
How do you help your body stop inflammation? There are many ways to add to the arsenal your body already uses, as I trained as a nutritional therapist my preference is through diet. However the mechanism of how this is done deserves a mention before naming specific tools.
Understanding the pH scale is a good starting point. It stand for the Power of Hydrogen (pH). The pH scale is from 0 to 14. Nought to 7 is acid and 7 to 14 is alkaline. While both extremes exist in the human body, some functions work best in acid mediums while other prefer an alkaline medium.
An important point to note is that it takes roughly 20 parts alkalinity to neutralize 1 part acidity in the body. Most modern diets are over acid in composition thus laying the ground for inflammation and the flu (especially at Christmas and all that festive food).
As for jet lag, the most overlooked aspect of the flying experience is the environment it all takes place in. A lack of air in the cabin, acid forming food, copious amounts of alcohol, and the stress of getting to the airport. All these little stresses add up to the big STRESS. This also contributes to more inflammation, so the answer is to stay as stress free as you can from all sources. If you are a frequent flier you might be in need of some helpful short cuts to make sure you stay on the right side of that scale more often which will do wonders for your health and help you on your way to travelling jet lag free. Here is a list of some of the best tools I know as a flier and a nutritional therapist :-
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar – in hot water. Freshly squeezed lemon juice – in hot water. Green vegetable juices of all varieties, freshly squeezed only. Wheat grass & Barley grass juice if you can stomach it regularly. Bicarbonate of Soda & Molasses 2:1 – in hot water if you can stomach it. Zeolite mineral clay mixed in cold water. Montmorillonite clay in cold water.
In addition to choosing foods rich in alkaline properties it is always a good idea, as is eating a diet with less acid forming foods, especially while flying. Holistic tools to help you balance out acidity formed in the body include, meditation, chi kung,barefoot walking/running, swimming in the sea or taking a salt bath.
Not normal recommendations but very effective! What were you expecting from a healthy jet lag elimination advocate? As with any health enhancement program it is wise to consult your trusted health adviser before embarking on nutrition or fitness programs especially if you have pre-existing conditions. These tips with other fundamentals of a healthy jet lag free flying experience will always ensure you arrive well while others lament jet lag. P.H.A.R.E. Well
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