Jet Lag Doesn't Have To Be A Drag!!!

Traveling to a new country across time zones can be inspiring and incredibly joyful. Within 24 hours we can board a plane and end up across the globe, experiencing new sights, sounds, tastes … and jet lag. Jet lag is an aspect of travel that most people think just goes with the territory. Recently I traveled abroad, and it inspired me to share with you some great advice on steps you can take to avoid, and limit jet lag.

Our bodies work on a 24-hour cycle known as the circadian rhythm. Our organs and systems are more active at certain times of the day vs. others. For instance:

• the liver is most active between 1:00 am and 3:00 am
• the lungs from 3:00 am to 5:00 am
• the large intestine from 5:00 am to 7:00 am
• the stomach from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, etc.

You can look up online the acupuncture meridian clock to see the times of day that relate to the entire organ system. Additionally, certain bodily processes are more active at certain times of the day. For example:

• at 4:30 am the body tends to have the lowest body temperature
• 6:45 am tends to be the sharpest blood pressure rise
• at 7:30 am melatonin secretion tends to stop

Our bodies are in tune with the time of day and what is going on in the natural environment around us.

It's no wonder, then, that if we simply lose or gain time in our day, our bodies are going to be thrown off a bit, and it takes some time to get back on track. Symptoms of jet lag can include fatigue, insomnia, headaches, nausea, indigestion, brain fog, confusion, constipation or diarrhea, and anxiety.

You can influence the way your body responds to the change in time zones and travel by following these helpful tips:

1- Increase your water intake two days before you travel. Make sure you are consuming half your body weight in ounces of filtered water and add on another 10 ounces. Drink some water every hour on the flight. The air on airplanes is extremely dry and dehydrating, so make sure you drink a lot of water before and during your travel.

2- Skip the caffeine and alcohol. They dehydrate, so not a good idea to have while traveling.

3- Eat light and eat according to the time zone that you are traveling to. As soon as you get to the airport, set your clock for your destination and eat according to the destination. If it is 7:00 pm in New York and 1:00 am in Rome, it is better not to eat until breakfast Rome time. If you are hungry, drink water. It is better to be hungry and have less jet lag to deal with. If you have blood sugar issues, it is better to avoid this advice!!

4- Supplements that help with jet lag. Goldenseal by Mediherb/Standard Process helps to counter jet lag. Start taking it the day before you travel and continue through the first day that you arrive at your destination. You can start taking it again the day before you leave and continue through the day after you return home. Most people do well with 3 or 4 per day in divided doses. Make sure you are not taking a medication or other supplement that is contraindicated with Golden Seal.

Another supplement that works well is Travel Ease by Alaskan Essences. The dosage of four drops, four times per day, starting the day before you leave and ending the day after you arrive, then resuming the day before you leave to the day after you return home is a good way to take this flower essence. On the plane, you can take a couple of drops every couple of hours.

5- Acupuncture point stimulation. The horary points are specific points that are related to the body clock. Every two hours you can tap these points very firmly for one to two minutes. Each point is associated with the specific time at your destination. For example, if it is 1:00 am in Rome, you tap the Liver 1 point on the index finger. At 3:00 am Rome time, you would tap the Lung 8 point just above the wrist. You can tap on both sides of the body.

Start once you are seated on your flight and do this for 24 hours, changing points as they relate to the time of day. If you fall asleep, continue stimulating the points with whatever time it is at your destination. You can continue beyond 24 hours if you want. Do the same thing for your return trip home. This is the most effective action step that you can take to reduce jet lag, as it tells your body to acclimate based on point stimulation, as opposed to your body trying to figure it out on its own. You can do a web search for "horary points jet lag image," and it will give you pictures of the location of the points to use on a chart.

6- Chiropractic treatments the days around when you leave and return. Body work treatments allow the body's nervous system to function optimally to handle the stress of travel. If you can get a treatment the day you leave, this helps the body handle jet lag better. Upon your return, a specific treatment supporting the circadian rhythms and resetting the body clock can allow a patient to acclimate much faster to the current time zone.

Here's to safe travels wherever you may go.

Dr. Louis Granirer is a leading Holistic Chiropractor in NY and Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner specializing in holistic remedies for good health maintenance and prevention of disease. Visit his website at HolisticChiropracticCenter.com to learn more.