10 Tips on Vacations and Your Health

 

1. Even the most spontaneous getaway needs some basic planning and preparation. If you are visiting a new place, or even one not so new, a good travel guide will give you information on things like available transportation, and the hours and prices of attractions. It should also include important phone numbers and places to get help in an emergency. Or find a friend who knows the area for some tips. Learn about what interests you, like the best hikes or restaurants. And enjoy the adventure of experiencing your own discoveries.

2. Put together a travel kit. Include some water, antibacterial soap, electrolyte and nutritional support (protein bars, supplements, and powdered nutrients that you can add to water), sunscreen, and first aid supplies. Obviously, if you are traveling by car, you can take more goods, such as extra snack/emergency food and water. When traveling by air, you?ll need to make your supplies more compact, but I always have water, a mini-flashlight, a few snacks such as a couple of apples and raw almonds, some simple first aid supplies, a variety of supplements and herbal remedies, and more. Yet, don?t overdo it as you?re likely to have to carry it all around.

3. Take care of your personal needs and of course, those of your traveling companions as well. Match activities with your energy and fitness level. Listen to your body. Give yourself the extra time needed to truly rest and relax. Let yourself sleep more than you do at home. Most of us are sleep deprived. Give yourself sufficient space to acclimate to changes in weather, altitude, or language.

4. Drink plenty of water; hydration is a key. This is especially important if you are visiting a place that is hotter or drier than your usual environment. Don’t wait until you get thirsty to drink; you?re already dehydrated then (Review my June 2002 Tips for more on Water). Avoid beverages with added sugar, caffeine or alcohol, as these can contribute to dehydration. After exercise and sweating, drink a cup or two of water and add a pack of nutrients, such as Emergen-C (found in any health food store), or some replenishing electrolyte fluid.

5. Use sunscreen (natural is best) and remember to reapply after swimming or strenuous exercise. Invest in a natural sunscreen, one without many chemicals and that is more nourishing to the skin. If it?s really hot or you?ll be out very long, wear a hat. Also, in summertime, we can get quite dry, so applying some oils or lotions to our skin will nourish your cells and tissues and protect your skin.

6. Take appropriate safety precautions, especially when trying new activities. Things like elbow and kneepads, life vests, and other safety equipment can prevent accidents that truly can ruin your vacation enjoyment. Watch out for poison oak and ivy on hikes, check yourself and your kids for ticks after a hike, and have some protection against biting bugs or slithering snakes.

7. Avoid contaminated food or drinks, which are the major cause of stomach distress while traveling. This is especially true if you are traveling outside the US, but bad food and water can happen anywhere. To be safe, if it is not boiled, well cooked, or peeled, don’t eat it. If you do fall victim to traveler’s diarrhea, let your stomach rest and be sure to stay hydrated. Use probiotics (acidophilus and other healthy bacteria) both to prevent intestinal problems as well as to treat them. Some other GI protection can be gained by taking additional nutritional hydrochloric acid when you eat, which acidifies the digestive tract and reduces the ability for bad bugs to take hold. Digestive enzymes also help digest microbes to which we are exposed.

8. Know about your destination, at least the basics, before you get there. Don’t keep money in a shoulder bag or obvious wallet. Exercise caution when using automatic teller machines and other places where you will be seen with cash. Be aware of your surroundings, and have an evacuation plan in case of emergencies. Also, learn about the best Foods where you are. Enjoy Nature?s bounty wherever you travel (in the US and Europe)?fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables at their organic best. Many cities have a downtown farmer?s market; ask the locals where they would go for the best and freshest foods.

9. Nutritional Supplements can be helpful. All the anti-oxidant nutrients are helpful for the stress of travel?vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium are the main ones. Others are alpha-lipoic acid, pycnogenol, and L-cysteine. I use B-vitamins as tablets or sublingual drops as well for balancing travel stress. Also, it may be helpful to have some spirulina or blue-green algae tablets for energy support. Store your supplements out of the sun or in the cooler. Herbs like Siberian ginseng may also help you deal with the stress of travel. When traveling across time zones, melatonin taken at your new bedtime can help reset your biologic time clock. Even low doses can be effective, so easy does it. Nutrient packets with extra B-vitamins and minerals are also very helpful for travel and exercise replenishment. Put a pack in your water.

10. Inner Healing & De-Stressing ? Prepare for the enjoyment of outdoors. Plan a fun trip of hiking, camping, playing at the river, or a few days resting at the ocean. Rekindling your Earth connection has benefits that last beyond this season, continuing to enrich the whole of your life. Relax and breathe. Enjoy yourself. Practice letting your stresses go, leaving them at home or the office when you?re on vacation. Find a great book to read on your trip. Get out in Nature. Be aware of vacation burnout, so build some time into every day for rest and replenishment. This might entail letting yourself just sit for awhile watching the clouds, the surf, listening to music, or reading a good book. Try being a wave or becoming the sky. I love an affirmation used for relaxation when I lie down, especially in a meadow, “My mind is the sky, and the clouds are my thoughts; I just watch them float by.”

What is a Cleanse and How Do You Do it Safely?

Ever since Rachael Carson’s landmark book Silent Spring in 1962, we have become increasingly aware of toxins in our life.  According to the United Nations Environment Program:

 

• Each and every second about 700 pounds of toxic chemicals are released into our air, land, and water by industrial facilities around the world.
• This amounts to approximately 10 million tons (over 20 billion pounds) of toxic chemicals released into our environment by industries each year.
• Of these, more than 2 million tons (over 4.5 billion pounds) per year are recognized carcinogens. This amounts to about 140 pounds each second.
• Toxins are generally defined as substances that can cause many problems from inflammation to severe illness, acute poisoning, birth defects, disease, or death when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed by living organisms.

Because of the prevalence of potentially-dangerous toxins in our food, water, air and in the products we use, being aware of Detoxification or “Cleansing”, and knowing how to do it effectively and safely is an important part of our overall approach to good health.

Cleansing is basically a liquid fast, ideally with natural organic juices that have some calories and sufficient nutrients to provide the body energy.  A cleanse is a good and natural way to give your body and digestive tract both a rest from toxins and other environmental stressors and a chance to release some of these irritants.  A typically cleanse involves fresh vegetable juices, especially greens.  There is also a spicy lemonade cleanse called the “Master Cleanser” made from fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water.  Cleanses can also help with weight loss and congestion, and so many other health issues.  Even allergies can be improved with a juice cleanse.  Other potential benefits include improving digestive disorders, aches and pains, skin rashes, and reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure.

 

Always consult your personal practitioner if you are considering a cleanse.  You can learn more about my work with detoxification and cleansing in my books, at my website, and my video on a safe detox.

 

 

 

Spotlight on Seasons Studios – The Publishing Arm of Dr. Elson Haas

 

http://seasonsstudios.com/

Bethany Argisle and Elson Haas first met in May 1976 and have been creative colleagues ever since. Over the years they have produced an educational clothing line, best-selling books and now an organization dedicated to teaching children how to keep themselves and their natural environment healthy. With their new line of children’s books and music, Bethany and Elson continue their mission for the betterment of Planet Earth and future generations.

Bethany is an accomplished, if not legendary, Bay Area storyteller, once known as the Princess of Argyle. These days, she continues her mission to educate and enchant children as a book editor and environmental author.

Elson continues to be a pioneering leader in the field of preventive medicine with his practice, Preventive Medical Center of Marin. He is also a best selling author and educator in his nearly forty years as an integrated medical physician.

The time is right. The world is ready. The children, who are our future and most important investment, need our guidance and support.

Seasons Studios is dedicated to educating children about the reverence for life, their own health and the mysteries of nature. All are intimately bound together. By promoting healthy eating, taking care of their bodies and minds, and respect for the environment, we hope to make a small contribution to bettering Earth for years to come.

 

 

Why is a Plant-Based Diet so Important?

Fresh, organically-grown plants form the foundation of a healthy human diet—that’s Dr. Elson’s story and he’s sticking to it!  Basing your diet around plants, vegetables and fruits especially, is the very best way to insure that you have important nutrients, calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other compounds essential for a healthy life. 

When making food choices, consider all of the implications and costs for the environment, animals, and economy—and most importantly, your health.  For more information watch my UHC TV video.

  Our ancestors were largely vegetarian—at least if you can believe what the anthropologists say.  My theory is that plants were a lot easier to catch than other animals, so we started eating more of them.  The good news back in those early days was that plants contained (and still do) many of the essential nutrients we need to build and repair cells, create energy, and otherwise take care of our bodies, minds and hearts. This also relates to what is popular now, the Paleolithic Diet, eating the foods that came before the cultivation of grains, about 10,000 years ago.

So, how do we define a “Plant-based” diet?  A diet based largely (or in the case of vegetarians and vegans—exclusively) on plants includes a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.  Since there are many variations on this diet theme–some people add chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, and even red meat to their plant-based diet, but the key is that the vast majority of calories and nutrients are coming from plants, which derive their original energy from the Sun.  My book with Patty James,  More Vegetables, Please! shows people and families especially how to include veggies into all kinds of meals.

 

There are many reasons people choose to focus on a plant-based diet. Some of these include:

·       Non-Violence: We may choose a plant-based diet because or our ethical beliefs for a commitment to nonviolence — both towards the animals killed for food and the human responsible for killing it.

·       Food Production: Many plant-based eaters have strong concerns about animal treatment within industrial food production systems such as factory farming.

·       Environmental: Evidence suggests that raising livestock (particularly factory farming) and industrial fishing have negative ecological impacts. Also many people eating a plant-based diet support organic, bio-dynamic and non-GMO food production.

·       Religious: Some world religions forbid meat consumption and/or limit certain animal products (such as abstaining from pork and shellfish to keep kosher in Judaism), which adherents then develop further into plant-based eating.

·       Health: Evidence suggests that a diet high in plant products can help us get and stay healthier. We know that almost 70% of Americans are suffering from ailments associated with dietary intake — problems that can be improved by adding more plants.

·       Economic: For many folks, animal products (especially non-industrially produced animal products) are too expensive; plant-based protein sources (such as dried beans) are often less costly.

A word of caution: 

Many individuals who choose a plant-based diet only plan their intake based on what they’re eliminating, which is animal products. But when people avoid or minimize animal products, it’s more difficult for them to get adequate amounts of certain dietary ingredients, including dietary protein and/or a host of other vitamins and minerals. So, it’s important to plan and institute a good balanced diet with whatever you choose to include. In 2009, The American Dietetic Association concluded that:

·       Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for all individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence, and for athletes.

·       Plant-based diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals.

·       Vegetarians and vegans, including those who are athletes, “meet and exceed requirements” for protein… if their diets are well-planned.

Regardless of how you define yourself and your diet philosophy, including more plants in your diet can make you healthier, provide important nutrients, and possibly help conserve environmental resources.  What a Win-Win!  However, just being “vegetarian” or “vegan” does not necessarily mean that you will eat a better diet.

When following a plant-based diet, focus first on fresh and (where possible) organic/local vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Avoid processed meat, refined carbohydrates, and other highly processed products. Don’t consume junk just because it’s labeled “vegetarian” or “vegan”.  Learn your Labels!  Also be careful to consume enough vitamin B-12, calcium, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D.

 

Marin Healthy Palooza

Don’t miss this exciting event!

This educational and entertaining community event is a Palooza-themed Health and Wellness Fair and Festival featuring speakers, lectures, workshops, natural products and services. Health and wellness experts will provide fitness demonstrations in a fun festival setting.

Buy Tickets by May 10th and Save! 

Family Activities
For Kids: Elmo Jumpy, Face Painting and Singalong
Health Songs

Fitness: Yoga, Qigong, Zumba classes and Fitness
Demonstrations by YogaWorks, Spiritboxer and
Mill Valley Recreation Fitness Team

Co-Sponsors
Preventive Medical Center of Marin, Mill Valley
Recreation and SE&A

Sponsor:
Amy’s Kitchen

Exhibitors
Lydia’s Lovin’ Foods, Healus, PMCM, Seasons
Studios, Finally Fix Your Health, Neal’s Yard
Organic, RAAW, Tofurky, Southern Marin
Mothers Club, Breathing Retraining Center, Amy’s
Kitchen, Navitas Naturals, Integrative Therapeutics,
Joseph Smith’s Massage Therapy, Nutricology,
Pediatric Alternatives and more..

Supporters
Cavallo Point, Book Passage, Murray Circle, EO
Products, Mill Valley Community Center, Whole
Foods, Yolo Yogurt, Good Earth

Mill Valley Recreation Community Center Building
, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941

Tickets: $20 by May 10th, $25 at Door; Seniors 65 + $15; Children under 12 FREE

(415) 887-9230, info@marinhealthypalooza.com.

For more information visit www.marinhealthypalooza.com