Healthy Travel Tips for the Holidays

Dr. Kasia Kines, Nutritionist, CEO and founder of EBV Educational Institute
Virtual clinic serving the US and globally
[email protected]

Earlier today I visited my favorite health professional Dr. Sammy Noumbissi DDS MS, a ceramic implant dentist. We had a heated discussion about traveling and not getting sick in the process. He had just returned from a medical conference only to find out he caught a cold, and he was telling me how happy he was with Vitamin C boosting his immune system to fight it. Are you traveling for holidays? Then this blog is just for you. Read on for my Healthy Travel Tips…

Health professionals and patients alike – let’s not get sick on the plane!!!

My chat with Dr. Sammy made me think about all the conferences, medical and business, I have to travel to. And I realized that I never get sick while traveling. I had just returned from a business conference the day before, and no, I did not catch any bug either. I just never do. In the photos, you can see my regimen while on the plane. I also displayed some other things I had taken with me on that trip. So why exactly do I not get sick when traveling?

My Healthy Travel Pack – Daily Supplements

First, I religiously pack my daily supplements. I do NOT waiver because traveling is the time when your immune system can be a little compromised. You are crammed in long lines to check in and have your bags inspected while people sneeze and cough around you. It gets worse on the plan with very tight quarters and re-circulating air that picks up a lot of …”stuff” you will be breathing. At the same time, you will probably be eating worse than normally. Your body will be grateful for any extra support!!!

My daily supplements when traveling are: 1500mg EPA/DHA (fish oil), a cocktail of: Calcium Complete, OPC-3 (2 doses); D3/K2, Multi with iron, and methylated B complex; I also take support for liver because chances of organics and healthy foods may be limited and the liver may be overburdened with toxins: Hepatocleanse or Curcumin Extreme are my favorite. Because there is added stress of traveling, sleeping in a hotel, not missing planes and appointments, tight schedules, and possibly odd sleeping hours, I always take adaptogenic herbs- these herbs tell my adrenals that everything is fine and there is not need to make extra cortisol (stress hormone). My go-to is ACTS. ACTS also gives me a little extra iodine from kelp. These supplements are available at www.kineswellnesssolutions.com.

A Flight Rescue-Kit

First, I take supplements that have some anti-microbial qualities. During the flight, I will drink aloe vera juice in powder – it comes in small lightweight sachets- I just open one and spill into 4 oz water. I have done this since this aloe vera cleared my food poisoning a few years ago. You can see the sachets in one of the photos here. I also bring isotonix digestive enzymes. Each packet is a tea-bag size and is for 2 meals. However, whenever I eat out while traveling (often there is no choice there), I empty the whole sachet in 4 oz water (double dose), so I never have heartburn or indigestion from eating…questionable foods….Digestive enzymes may help you “kill” some pathogens too since they contain protease, which munches on proteins. Any pathogen is made up of protein! You can also get a 1 oz dropper bottle of oil of oregano in olive oil tincture. It is also anti-microbial, but it tastes so awful that I no longer travel with it. The aloe is so much tastier and cannot spill! What else do I do during the flight? Many people have a tendency to get constipated while on the plane. Tough choice: hot water tasting like from a plastic thermos, cold water from a plastic bottle with chemicals from the plastic, or something else??? I have my own tea bags and I will ask for hot water…or more recently I will ask for tomato juice without ice. Potassium is good. Some sodium for the stressed adrenals may not be a bad thing unless you have high blood pressure…and yes, the can leaches chemicals too. Yes, I do travel with my personal thermos. I bought the red one at a museum in Seattle and I love how small and lightweight it is. It slides into the side pocket of my backpack. Pockets are good when you travel.

Melatonin

Consider melatonin if you are changing time zones as that disrupts melatonin production in the body (disrupted circadian rhythm). This is a very important antioxidant that, according to some studies may protect against cancer and even be used in cancer treatment. If you fly frequently, you might want to know about your increased risk of cancer due to exposure to radiation and melatonin disturbance. High-mileage frequent flying (100,000–450,000 miles per year) means 1–6.7 mSv of radiation exposure. That’s about the same as a pelvis CT scan, or 60 chest X-rays. In the US, pilots and flight attendants have been officially classed as “radiation workers” by the Federal Aviation Administration since 1994. Staff regularly working on high-latitude flights are exposed to more radiation than workers in nuclear power plants. Despite this, the airlines don’t measure the radiation exposure of their staff, or set safe limits on the doses they can safely receive, according to a BBC article from 2013. There have been studies, including a meta-analysis in 2012 confirming increased incidence of cancer in female aircrew. Apparently, the cosmic radiation exposure is worse around north and south poles.

Your Own Tea House

Why is that a good idea? Carrying a small traveling tea mug allows me to have my own favorite tea and move around with it. Most places will give you hot water free, or they will charge you one dollar. Savings adds up. It is very important to keep your body warm especially when it is under stress from disruption of schedule, circadian rhythm, and more.

Food-in-Flight

This time, I got cherry tomatoes and red and yellow bell peppers that I had washed and sliced. I also had made an egg sandwich with lettuce and some horseradish and a few clementines. All organic. I typically take a small ziplock bad of nuts and sliced apples. I might also bring some avocados. I will need a knife at the hotel though…I always have a backpack filled with some foods I can eat, finger foods, foods that cannot spoil or splash…Even if I have only carry-on luggage, I will pack the minimum of the clothes so that I have space for foods. We do make choices!!!!! I ask that you resist peanuts and pretzels on the plane!!! For that, you do have to carrysomething better with you.

Pre-Tox and Post-Tox

• Get some chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants. It cleans your cells and blood. Some famous sources are spirulina and chlorella. Chlorophyll can bind to toxins and carcinogens and may help protect you from added radiation from flying.
• Eat more antioxidants before the trip and after coming home.
• Order broccoli while on your trip. That is usually readily available and any restaurant can steam it for you without overcooking it.
• Get organic miso soup with some seaweed in it.
• Eat sprouts, especially broccoli.
• My favorite go-to is Organic Isotonic Greens (GF; include alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, cabbage, etc). This product is available only as a “custom cocktail” to be blended specially for you by the company: www.kineswellnesssolutions.com

A Final Personal Decision for Healthy Travel

I love being able to make a conscious choice. I am very aware of my daily total exposure to radiation of different kind. I made a conscious decision a while ago to opt out of the whole body scans that are now compulsory at the airports. I am told and reassured that this is a safe radiation. So are cell phones supposed to be. You have added radiation from being in the flight. All this may compromise your immune system and rather than waiting for research to confirm that this added exposure may pose added cumulative risks, I just plan some extra time to have a …private screening!!! Every single time. You will NOT see me go through the scanner.

Dr. Kasia Kines, Nutritionist, CEO and founder of EBV Educational Institute
Virtual clinic serving the US and globally
[email protected]