Regular air travel can take a toll on the human body. Frequent fliers are exposed to myriad chemical toxins, poor air conditions, and radiation. It is estimated travelers are exposed to a thousand times more radiation on a cross-country flight than a person on the ground. In Travel Smart, Live Wise, author Stephanie A. Coleman offers a road map to overcoming these challenges and provides tips for living healthy to those who travel frequently by plane. Coleman, a flight attendant for more than thirty-eight years and a holistic healing professional, blends her experience and knowledge to present six key factors to staying healthy while traveling: Live in a nontoxic environment. Be alkalized-have a proper pH balance in your digestive system. Stay well hydrated. Get the minerals to support health and eat healthy foods Exercise and be active. Develop a positive attitude and have optimism for the future. Travel Smart, Live Wise provides a host of physical and mental strategies for those who want to live a better life.
Travel Smart, Live Wise
AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO HEALTHY TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLEBy Stephanie A. ColemaniUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Stephanie A. Coleman
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4620-1302-9Contents
Preface.................................................................................viiAcknowledgments.........................................................................ixIntroduction............................................................................xiChapter 1: Living in a Nontoxic Environment.............................................1Radiation...............................................................................5Air Pressure............................................................................6Air Quality.............................................................................6Jet Lag.................................................................................6Chapter 2: Keeping a Healthy Internal Environment.......................................11Keep Your pH Balanced...................................................................11Avoid Soft Drinks.......................................................................14Quit Smoking............................................................................16Get Enough Sleep........................................................................17Take Green Tea..........................................................................20Chapter 3: Being Well Hydrated..........................................................25The Body's Need for Water...............................................................25Symptoms of Dehydration.................................................................26Chapter 4: Digestion and Healthy Foods..................................................29Why Digestion Is Important..............................................................29The Digestive System....................................................................29Elimination.............................................................................34Cycles of the Digestive System..........................................................35Food Combining..........................................................................36Fasting.................................................................................41Chapter 5: Being Active.................................................................43The Importance of Exercise..............................................................43Benefits of Exercise....................................................................43The Importance of Muscle................................................................44Body Types..............................................................................48Chapter 6: Having a Healthy Mental Attitude: You Are What You Think.....................51Chapter 7: Special Areas of Concern to Fliers...........................................55Varicose Veins..........................................................................55Hearing Loss............................................................................60Carpal Tunnel Syndrome..................................................................61Health Tips for Fliers..................................................................62Conclusion..............................................................................65About the Author........................................................................67References..............................................................................69
Chapter One
Living in a Nontoxic Environment
To maintain a healthy external environment, you first need to be aware of all potential harm. You should understand that your skin is your largest detoxification organ. What most folks don't realize is that what you place on your skin is absorbed into your system. A lot of what you are exposed to in your environment is not under your control: gas emissions, weather toxins, pesticides, airplane fuel, and electromagnetic fields. However, there are some toxins you can control—things in your food and in your cosmetics, for example.
General guideline: If you cannot pronounce the ingredients in the lotions you use or in the food you eat, don't use or eat them.
* Many deodorants have aluminum, so you should not use them. Aluminum is a metal used extensively in aircraft components, prosthetic devices and as an ingredient in antiperspirants, antacids and antiseptics. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, currently afflicting 1 in 2 persons over the age of 70. Contamination may occur through the use of aluminum pots and pans, aluminum soda cans, and antiperspirants and other household items. Aluminum can clog your lymph system and prevent proper elimination of poisons from your body. You can find deodorants that don't have aluminum at most health-food stores.
* Although pharmaceutical companies want you to believe that it is good for you, fluoride is a poison. It is best to use toothpaste that is fluoride-free. Most health-food stores offer toothpaste that does not contain fluoride.
* There are a great many cosmetics that have toxic ingredients. Formaldehyde is commonly used in nail polish. Formaldehyde is also used as a disinfectant, a fixative, and a preservative. The EPA believes it to be a possible carcinogen; however, the FDA does not think it poses enough risk to necessitate regulation in cosmetics.
* When combined with water, lanolin can cause skin rashes.
* Mineral oil on the skin hinders respiration by repelling oxygen.
* Bentonite is a kind of clay; when used in cosmetics, it may clog pores and, as a result, suffocate the skin.
* Talc is a soft green mineral used in personal hygiene products and in cosmetics. Talc can cause lung cancer when breathed in. It is used in the making of condoms and is used for diaper rash and genital hygiene. Talc has been known to cause uterine cancers.
* Salt (sodium chloride) in most products can be very drying and corrosive.
* Animal collagen is found in a lot of cosmetics. This product is made from ground-up animal carcasses, not something I want on my skin.
* Glycerin is used as a solvent and tends to dry the layers of the skin.
* Alcohol can cause body tissues to become more vulnerable to cancer-causing agents. It is also very drying to body tissues.
Learn to read labels. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, think twice before buying the product. You can buy very good and helpful products at health food stores or online.
Table 1.1 lists some common food and cosmetic additives to avoid, in addition to the ones listed above. To help you understand Table 1.1, here are a few useful words:
* Excipient: Excipients are binders, fillers, and "glues" that are typically nonnutritive substances added to nutritional products. These substances often prove to be toxic.
* Neurotoxin: A neurotoxin is a poisonous complex that acts on the nervous system to damage or kill cells.
* Teratogen: A teratogen is a substance that can cause malformation of the developing embryo.
* Immune-compromising: Immune-compromising means that the substance can damage your body's immune system.
Radiation
When we talk about our external environment and toxicity, as Frequent fliers, we cannot ignore radiation. Most people think you can only be hurt by radiation from X-rays, toll booths, or chemicals.
Did you know that cosmic radiation levels are up to three hundred times higher at altitude than on the ground? Cosmic rays are actually electronically charged particles (protons and electrons) known as ions, which originate from the sun and from outer space. In everyday life we are exposed to radiation, through only relatively small amounts, as Earth's atmosphere acts as a barrier to most of it. At altitude, the atmosphere is thinner and so our exposure to radiation increases. The vast majority of people who take airplanes don't have a long enough period of exposure to cosmic radiation to harm them. Frequent fliers and air staff may spend a large proportion of their time at altitude and thus have a longer exposure to radiation. Robert Souhami, of University College and Middlesex Medical School in London, has stated that radiation risk is dosage-related, so the more you fly, the greater the risk.
Whether workers in the aviation industry are affected, however, is yet to be proven, though a number of studies have been carried out to investigate the biological effects of ionizing radiation on frequent fliers. As with exposure to other forms of radiation, results have shown that exposure to cosmic rays could lead to genetic mutations in human egg cells and sperm cells, which could lead to complications when the fetus develops.
Air Pressure
At an altitude of thirty-five thousand feet, within the aircraft, cabin pressure in a person's body cavities increases slightly. This commonly occurs in the ears and sinuses, which may lead to slight earache. If you suffer tooth decay, small cavities in the teeth can cause severe pain in flight. Try taking painkillers to alleviate this.
Air Quality
1. Air quality within the aircraft cabins can be poor, as the air-conditioning frequently recycles the air inside the cabin and fresh air isn't brought in. If people cough and sneeze within the cabin, it can cause passengers to suffer with minor colds and coughs. It is a good idea to boost your immune system a day or two before travel by getting enough rest and eliminating as much stress as possible. You can also Echinacea tincture-30 to 45 drops three times a day – a week before travel for immune enhancing effects. Large doses of vitamin C will also help. You can also take soothing teas and of course chicken soup.
Jet Lag
When our normal body clock is disrupted by traveling through different time zones, we are likely to experience jet lag. Jet lag results in disturbed sleep patterns, weakness, and disorientation. It's worse when we are traveling west to east, because the body finds it harder to adapt to a shorter day than to a longer day, and we lose hours as we move east. Our body clock is primed to respond to a rhythm of daylight and darkness. It is thrown out of sync when it experiences daylight at what it considers the wrong time, and it can take several days to readjust.
Your body clock is located at the base of the hypothalamus, which contains melatonin receptors. The body clock receives information about light from the eyes, and it is also thought to receive input from that part of the brain which carries information about physical activities and excitement. Melatonin is made in the pineal gland from tryptophan, and its synthesis and release are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light.
The secretion of melatonin is responsible for setting our sleep-wake cycle. The body clock is adjusted to the solar day by cues in the environment, such as light. These cues are called zeitgebers, or time givers. The main zeitgebers are the light-dark cycle and the rhythmic secretion of melatonin. Exercise is thought to exert a weaker effect on the body clock than other time givers. Although it is not yet completely understood, the body clock is believed to be partly responsible for the daily rhythms in core temperature and plasma hormone concentrations as well.
Eastward travel is associated with problems in falling asleep at the destination bedtime and with difficulty arising in the morning. Westward travel is associated with early evening sleepiness and predawn awaking. People traveling within the same time zone have fewer problems than those who cross several time zones. A time zone is about one thousand miles across. Jet lag can last several days. The number of days of jet lag is about two-thirds the number of time zones crossed for eastward flights and about one-half the number of time zones crossed for westward flights. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that older people tend to have fewer symptoms than younger travelers. They also state that exposure to the local light-dark cycle usually accelerates adaptation after jet travel across two to ten time zones.
Signs of Jet Lag
Some of the signs of jet lag are the following: poor sleep, including delayed sleep onset (after eastward flights); early awakening (after westward flights); and fractionated sleep (after flights in either direction). Other effects of jet lag can be poor performance of both physical and mental tasks during the new daytime; increased fatigue, frequency of headaches, and irritability; and decreased ability to concentrate. Gastrointestinal effects (indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, and the altered consistency of stools) and decreased interest in and enjoyment of meals can also result from jet lag.
Precautions Prior to Travel to Minimize or Avoid Jet Lag
* Stay healthy by continuing to exercise and eat a nutritious diet (although it requires high motivation and strict compliance with the prescribed light-dark schedules, meaning travelers should get on the local time zones as soon as they land).
* Break up the journey with a stopover.
* During travel, avoid large meals, alcohol, and caffeine.
* Drink plenty of water and move around the airplane to promote mental and physical activity. It is a good idea to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
* Be sure to sleep during flights and avoid situations requiring critical decision-making, such as important meetings, on the day of arrival.
* Adapt to the local schedule as soon as possible. However, if the travel period is two days or less, travelers should remain on the home time. Optimize exposure to the local time.
* A few days before you travel, start getting up and going to bed earlier if you will be traveling east, or later if traveling west.
* During the flight, try to eat according to your destination's local time.
* Keep hydrated. Being dehydrated can intensify the effect of jet lag, especially after sitting in a dry plane for hours. Keep your fluid levels topped off with a cup of juice or water for each hour of the trip. Try to stretch during the flight.
* If you wear foam earplugs and a sleeping mask, you can cut down on disturbances to sleep onboard the plane.
* By controlling your exposure to daylight, you can trick your brain into beating the jet lag more quickly. As soon as you arrive, spend time outdoors in the daylight. This will regulate your body clock. Stay up till 11:00 p.m. when you arrive. Don't take a nap.
* Use sleeping remedies with caution. Sleeping medication is not recommended, as it doesn't help to adjust naturally to a new sleeping pattern.
Chapter Two
Keeping a Healthy Internal Environment
Keep Your pH Balanced
One of the things we can do to insure good health is to keep our external and internal world as toxin-free as possible. This chapter is to inform you how to keep your internal world toxin-free.
From all the data I have acquired, it seems that keeping a proper pH in your body cells, the internal balance of acid vs. alkaline, is key to optimal health. pH stands for the power of H, or the amount of H+ ions (hydrogen ions) in a liquid. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. It measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. Pure water has a pH of 7, and is neutral. The higher numbers above 7 are basic, or alkaline. The lower numbers, below 7 are acidic. Your pH says a lot about your internal health. It tells how acidic or alkaline your tissues and fluids are. Everything living must remain in a certain pH range to function as designed. The human body likes to dwell around pH 7.4.
The foods we eat leave a residue, or ash, after they're metabolized That is either acidic or alkaline. The main acid generators are proteins, whether animal or plant.
Dr. Otto Warburg received a Nobel Prize in the 1930s for his work on cell respiration. He found that disease cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment. Basically, diseased bodies were acidic at the cellular level, and disease is repelled by an oxygen environment. Having the proper pH balance in the body will repel disease.
When you have too much acid in your system, the brain mobilizes mineral buffers to raise the acidic pH of the internal environment in an effort to counteract the acids. Buffers are the body's attempts, using alkalizing minerals and water, to combine with the acid to raise its pH before taking the acid out of the body by way of the kidneys. The body loses these minerals along with the acid. These mineral buffers are often not sufficient to prevent damage to the kidneys. As a backup, the kidneys start producing ammonia, which will raise the pH. This can make your urine smell very strong and may create a burning sensation when you urinate. It's at this point that you may want to take cranberry juice for the pain. The ammonia smell indicates that you are deficient in minerals. If you continue with this pattern of mineral deficiency, you can damage your kidneys.
Most people in the United States are mineral-deficient. We are not getting the minerals from the foods we eat, because of the way this food is grown and the amount of chemicals, pesticides, etc., in the food. Our bodies don't make minerals. You can have the proper vitamins in your system to control the body's use of minerals, but if you don't have minerals, the vitamins have no function to perform. If you don't have minerals, the vitamins are useless.
You need adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium, and D3, a vitamin that aids in the absorption of calcium, to maintain the proper pH. Here are some guidelines for calcium and D3 dosage, provided by womentowomen. com and hubpages.com/hub/vitamind3, respectively:
Calcium:
500 mg a day for children 1 to 19 years of age
1000 mg a day minimum if you are age 19 to 50
1200 mg a day if you are over 50 years of age
1500 mg a day for older adults
Vitamin D3:
400 IU per day for children
200 IU per day for adults under 50 years of age
400 IU per day for adults ages 50 to 70
600 IU per day for adults over 70 years of age
Magnesium: 150 mg a day
It is also recommended that you get at least twenty minutes of sunlight per day. This habit feels good and is good for you, because the ultraviolet component of sunlight makes D3 in your skin.
Avoid Soft Drinks
Think twice before you order that supersized drink. Our country has a love affair with soft drinks, but people need to be aware of the negative sides of soft drinks.
Soft drinks release sugar into the body, producing acids that tell the body food is on the way. If food is not forthcoming, this sets up an environment that is not helpful to the digestive system.
Soft drinks have no nutritional value. Diet soft drinks are even worse, because they contain aspartame, which is known to cause cancer. Heavy consumption of soft drinks can lead to obesity, kidney stones, heart disease, and diabetes. Soft drinks also irritate the stomach lining and cause acid reflux. Soft drinks are called "diabetes in a can." The sugar dissolved in the liquid is quickly carried into the bloodstream, where its presence in overload quantiti es signals the pancreas to go into overdrive. The pancreas is a gland that produces enzymes to regulate blood sugar and fluids that help with digestion.
The pancreas has no way of knowing if the sugar inrush is a single dose or the front end of a sustained dose. The assumption in the body's chemical controls is the worst-case scenario. To prevent nerve damage from oxidation, the pancreas pumps out as much insulin as it can. Even so, it may not prevent nerve damage. But the heroic effort by the pancreas has a heft y downside. The jolt of insulin causes the body to reduce testosterone in the bloodstream and to depress further production of testosterone in both men and women. Testosterone is the hormone that controls the depositing of calcium in the bones. You can raise testosterone through weight-bearing exercise, but if you are chemically depressing it via massive sugar intake, then the body won't add calcium to the bones. Too much carbonation can also lead to calcium loss.
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Excerpted from Travel Smart, Live Wiseby Stephanie A. Coleman Copyright © 2012 by Stephanie A. Coleman. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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