Supplements for Travel Part 2: Altitude Sickness, Traveler’s Stomach, and Travel Anxiety
For those who read last month’s newsletter, you’ll remember that Part 1 was all about jet lag. I talked about melatonin a bit, but mostly I focused on the two herbs, Cordyceps and Rhodiola. Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom that helps oxygen uptake from the lungs. It helps us feel more wakeful and energized. Rhodiola is an adaptogenic root that helps the body adapt to stress, including sleep deprivation. They’re both great in dealing with jet lag.
And, oddly enough, they’re the same two herbs I suggest for altitude sickness.
Maybe it isn’t that odd after all. When you think about it, it makes sense that bringing more oxygen to the tissues would help with fatigue and altitude. It makes sense that facilitating adaptation to stress helps acclimate to change of sleep cycle and change in altitude.
I won’t fill up too many pages here restating what I already said last month. You can probably still nab a copy of last month’s newsletter at the checkout. Or read it online at www.DebrasNaturalGourmet.com. Use the herbs the same you would for jet lag – and consider the same combo formula.
Traveler’s Stomach can mean a lot of things. It can be everything from the slight constipation some people experience on vacation food all the way up to crippling diarrhea.
Let’s start with crippling diarrhea.
(Or, let’s not).
And let’s assume that crippling diarrhea is due to some kind of opportunistic “bug,” bacterial or viral. Here, your best defense is avoidance. Obviously, different regions have different risks. But wherever you’re going, do all the stuff they tell you to do: bottled or boiled water, ice cubes with holes in them, careful around raw produce, careful around street food, etc.
Beyond that, you may find that taking high-quality probiotics while you’re traveling can be helpful, especially if you start at least 2 weeks before you go. Probiotics aren’t antidiarrheals in the normal sense of the word. They’re actually normalizers. So whether you tend to be not regular enough, or too regular, probiotics should move your elimination in the direction of a healthy comfortable normal. Beyond that, having a full complement of healthy gut bacteria can also increase our defenses against opportunistic gut pathogens – bacterial and viral – that you might be exposed to.
I’d be looking for a broad-spectrum probiotic (at least a half-dozen different strains), in a potency somewhere upwards of 25 billion live cells. Now, you can buy shelf-stable ones and refrigerated ones, and I don’t care which one you choose. BUT – bear in mind, “shelf stable” does not necessarily mean “heat resistant.” In other words, they’re fine for room temp, but they’ll go downhill fast when it gets above 80. Something to bear in mind when you’re trekking across some desert or other in July.
If, despite your best precautions, the diarrhea hits – honestly, I’d hit the local pharmacy. I do believe in herbal medicine, just like I believe in pharmaceutical medicine. And I believe that the local pharmacy will likely have your best options from both sides of the aisle to deal with local pathogens. Having said that, if you want to travel with something, little capsules of bentonite clay can help alleviate some kids of food poisoning and stomach flu. And it’s always nice to travel with some electrolyte packets.
For relief of just garden-variety mild traveler’s constipation… first, stay hydrated. Be especially mindful on the airplane, so you don’t get off on the wrong foot. Try to stick to a normal, balanced diet that includes plenty of healthy roughage, i.e. fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. I’m also a big fan of triphala, the classic Ayurvedic (Indian traditional medicine) formula. Again, not a traditional laxative, and not a lot of risk of taking too much, overshooting the mark, etc. It just gently helps you “go” when you need help going. Good to travel with, for many of us.
Okay, let’s talk Travel Anxiety. Because a lot of people really hate flying… There are no magic herbs for travel anxiety specifically. However, there are plenty of solutions for anxiety, generally. I’ve written about this so many times… there are so many options. To keep it super-simple, start with CBD. It really is a one-size-fits-all solution to transient anxiety – fear of flying, stage fright, exam stress, you name it. The feeling of calm it can provide is quick, effective, and real. A standard dose is 20 mg, but you can certainly exceed that (within reason) for fears that are stronger and more overpowering.