1. Digestion:
Since I spent my university years living in and traveling around the developing world, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to stay healthy while abroad. I got my share of dysentary, malaria, altitude sickness, and parasites. I think I learned the most about staying healthy from the mistakes I made. I also gained a lot of wisdom from the process of regaining my health again after all my travels. Allow me to share some of that wisdom with you here…
If you will be in the developing world where the cleanliness of food and water might be questionable, then take Grapefruit Seed Extract or “GSE”.
To maintain good digestion: 3-7 drops in each bottle of water you drink daily.
To soothe an upset stomach: 12 drops in a shot of water followed by a glass of water.
No matter where in the world you are (including right at home), then a high quality probiotic is essential. To maintain good digestion: Take one capsule per day with food. There are types that don’t need refrigeration.
2. Sleep:
Melatonin: Take 1 tablet 30-60 minutes before your desired bedtime to transition into a new time zone. This is for short-term use only, but continue using for 4-5 days after returning home from another time zone. Generally it takes one day for every one hour of time difference to recover your normal time zone.
SleepyTime tea or Stress Relief tea: Keep teabags in your purse and just ask for hot water at restaurants or on the airplane.
3. Altitude Sickness:
There are various Chinese herbal formulas such as Sheng Mai San or Liu Jun Zi Tang (2 caps 3xday). Please find a qualified herbalist to prescribe the appropriate formula for you. Make sure you drink tons of (clean!) water. And don’t be afraid to take Advil if you do get an altitude headache.
4. Immune System:
Probiotics don’t just help digestion, they improve the strength of the immune system: please see above.
Emergen-C packets. These are actually based on a Chinese herbal formula for immunity with a bunch of Vitamin C added. Take these on the plane with you and drink them on each flight and again when you arrive at your destination. They do have sugar in them so if you are watching your sugar levels, be cautious about not taking too many.
5. Safe Water
Plastic water bottles are horrible for the earth, of course, but in certain areas of the world, it’s the only safe option. These days, there are re-usable water bottles with a built-in filter like this one. Remember that even though soda isn’t generally a healthy choice, it can be safer than water in certain countries.
Ice is a no-no in the developing world. Never let anyone put ice in your filtered water because ice is usually made with local tap water and therefore not safe to consume, even in the frozen form.
6. Raw fruits & veggies
In developing countries, it’s important not to consume any raw fruits or veggies unless you can peel them. Bananas are the safest choice because you have to peel them to eat them anyway. Things like cucumbers, apples, carrots, etc. either need to be well cooked or peeled and NOT washed in tap water after peeling. Best to eat everything cooked!
7. Most importantly, enjoy yourself!
Seriously, don’t worry too much about all of the above because stress will bring down your immune system and wreak havoc on your digestion. That’s the best thing you can do for your health.
Enjoy some of my many favorite travel quotes:
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.” -Buddha
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“So much of who we are is where we have been.” -William Langewiesche
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain
