How to boost your Immunity when Traveling

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

The Best Defense: Stay Well

“There are tons of influences” on immunity, says Hans Gruenn, an integrative and preventative L.A. doctor who lectures on alternative and mind-body medicine. Among them are nutrition, your genes and your psychological fitness. “If we catch the flu or get a bacterial infection, it’s often due to a weak immune system and not the latest bug.”

M.D. Dana Churchill says his experience has been that once the immune system—which is “75 percent in the gut”—calms down, there’s a return to health. To stay ahead of H1N1, the L.A. naturopath suggests three homeopathic remedies: Influenzinum, made from the flu vaccine that’s created for each year’s unique flu; Baptisia tinctoria, made from the perennial plant, wild indigo; and Arsenicum album, derived from arsenic. <

Other homeopaths recommend Boiron’s Oscillococcinum (derived from duck liver and heart), oil of oregano (hailed as an antiviral) and mustard oil. Also suggested have been n-acetylcysteine, an amino acid available in health food stores; two Chinese herbs in tandem—Zhong gan ling and Yin chiao chieh tu pien; and garlic and beta-glucans, both of which activate the immune system. It’s also a good idea to drink fresh lemon juice, which helps restore the body’s acid/alkaline balance.

L.A. naturopath Stephen Stiteler suggests emulsified vitamin D and plenty of omega oils. Additionally, he and others emphasize the importance of avoiding sugar and processed foods, maintaining an appropriate diet, getting sufficient rest, adjusting stress levels and exercising.

If you do get sick, whether taking an antiviral or homeopathic approach to symptoms, it’s important to address the illness quickly. Dr. Gruenn recommends that you “Throw everything and the kitchen sink at it” within the first few hours, because there’s a short window of time in which to fight back. However, treatment by a licensed medical doctor should be sought if symptoms are severe.

Maria Fotopoulos wrote this information for the Oct./Nov issue of Whole Life Times magazine www.wholelifemagazine.com 

Beyond Clean Hands

While it is important to wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer to prevent illness, it is just as important to protect yourself from the inside out.  What this means is boost, boost, boost your immune system! Viruses and bacteria are fought off by your immune system, and the best way to be prepared is to support the systems that fight them. Oxylent by Vitalah is a daily dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will enhance your immune system against pathogens. Oxylent’s effervescent form allows for nearly 100% immediate absorption that insures you are getting the boost you need. According to the Physicians’ Desk Reference 2000, only 10-20% of supplements in pill form are absorbed by your body. 

Oxylent is great for immune support with just one packet a day. However, when one is stressed, travelling or at risk for exposure to colds or flus, the daily dose can be increased to two packets per day.

Unlike most effervescent multi vitamin mineral drink mixes, Oxylent is low in sugar. Sugar is a major immune system depressant and competes with the absorption of vitamin C.  By using stevia as the main sweetener, vitamin C will be absorbed better and utilized more efficiently by the body.
 
This easy to use effervescent powder comes in small packets that can be mixed into water or juice for a refreshing drink anytime. Oxylent oxygenates, hydrates, circulates, and rejuvenates the body on a daily basis by supporting the immune system, while promoting bone and heart health. Please visit www.vitalah.com for more information.

Minimizing the Risk 

Minimus.biz does everything in travel sizes. They are offering two new Flu Safety Kits.  

-          Flu Safety Wipes Kit (http://www.minimus.biz/detail.aspx?ID=9026)
Designed for ease of travel, it features hand sanitizer wipes for you, a Kleenex pocket pack, and a packet of surface disinfectant wipes to kill germs in your surroundings. No liquid hand sanitizer means it’s easy to travel with this kit. <

-          Flu Safety Kit (http://www.minimus.biz/detail.aspx?ID=9027)  
This one has a small 1 oz bottle of liquid hand sanitizer (TSA approved size will go through security), a Kleenex pocket pack, and a packet of surface disinfectant wipes.

They also have plenty of individual packets of Emergen-C and individual doses of Airborne in stock, plus (if it comes to that) individually packaged over the counter medicines like Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil.

http://www.minimus.biz 

Cold Buster Herbal Tea 

Tasting Notes:

Cold Buster was developed as a great-tasting boost intended to help maintain a higher level of stamina and restore immunity when you’re feeling under the weather. Packed with vitamin C and citrus peels with a rooibos base, this herbal blend will is designed to nurse you back to health. Warming, calming, and soothing, it'll warm you from the inside out. It's especially helpful for a sore throat since it contains licorice which is known for having anti-inflammatory properties and a capacity to soothe an upset stomach and control coughs. Naturally caffeine-free.

Ingredients:

rooibos, apple bits, hibiscus flowers, rosehip peel, elder leaves, elderberry, lindon flowers, lemon peel, orange peel, currants, licorice root, cinnamon, bean peels, ginger, fennel, wild thyme, mistletoe, perforated St. John's wort, lemon grass, field eryngo, vitamin C, marigold flowers, blackberry leaves, cardamom, anise seed, clove, black pepper,chamomile, ginseng root, flavoring, magnesium carbonate. <

Stay at a hotel that helps you stay Healthy

With swine flu top of mind this winter, New York City’s Hotel Gansevoort  has partnered with Emergen-C to “Feel the Good” and will offer a complimentary turndown packet of the fizzy formula to guests in December and January. Fun flavors like the new cranberry pomegranate make for a perfect winter holiday drink designed to boost health and energy right in time for flu season.

With hotels around the country removing amenities, Hotel Gansevoort is bucking the trend. This new turndown joins the property’s overall wellness-inspired initiatives, including a healthy mini-bar, a state-of-the-art fitness center and exhale mind body spa. <

Be Prepared to Bee Healthy 

Traveling can be physically taxing, and can easily take a toll on your health. In addition to the usual travel necessities such as pocket tissues, anti-bacterial hand gel and wet wipes, new Bee M.D. organic honey throat drops are perfect for taking with you wherever you and your family travel

Bee M.D. provides natural relief for irritated throats, which can sometimes be a side effect of circulated airplane air. And during cold and flu season, honey drops are a great option for soothing and calming fiery throats.  In fact, honey has been used for centuries as a home remedy to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a common cold! <

Formulated with organic honey as the main ingredient, Bee M.D. is a USDA certified organic product with no artificial ingredients or preservatives and no harsh medicinal taste like other name brand drops. It is just sweet, delicious honey.    <

Bee M.D. is currently available in two delicious varieties including Natural Honey and Honey Lemon, and Bee M.D. drops are packaged individually, making it easy to pack them in a pocket, a purse or a carry on!  

This season, stock up on an organic, naturally restorative, throat drop.  It is good for soothing fiery throats all year round. <

Bee M.D™  can be now be found in local grocery and drug stores at an SRP of $3.29 for a 21-count bag. Bee M.D. is also available for purchase at www.drugstore.com.    <

For more information, visit www.beemd.com or www.sponsorabee.com <

Swallow the sun  <

 Vitamin D, once only thought to prevent rickets, now has piles of research supporting its role in immune function. Researchers are now saying it is no coincidence that flu rates are higher in the winter when vitamin D levels are at their lowest due to less sun exposure. Recent studies found those with low levels of vitamin D were 40% more likely to get a respiratory illness. The new recommendation for vitamin D is 2000 IU per day.

New research shows that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of influenza and other sicknesses. Vitamin D promotes your body’s innate immune system, and your immune system must have vitamin D in ample quantities to provide adequate protection against microbial invaders like bacteria and viruses (including the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ virus). However, recent studies show that as many as 87% of adults are vitamin D deficient by late winter, and 61% remain deficient even during summer months. To support vitamin D’s beneficial effects on immune system health, most people must take larger supplement doses than current, outdated guidelines.
 
Life Extension, the largest non-profit organization dedicate to research on extending the healthy human life span, offers a high-potency Viamin D3 product with 5,000 IU (http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/Item00251/Vitamin-D3.html).

Tips from Readers

"I lived in London a couple years ago and came across a great product (and the best hang-over cure ever) Berocca.  It is like a flavored Airborne tablet that you drop in water.  It comes in a green tube.  You don't have to go overseas to get them, British shops - there's King's Head in Santa Monica- will carry them.  Try it and you'll never look back." <

Mary O'Malley 

Nelsons Colds and Flu

This homeopathic medicine is 100% natural. An easy to use blue tube/dispenser has 84 small pills. Active ingredient is Anas Barbarie. This is made in England.  Distributed by Nelson Bach USA, LTD  <

Jet Ease

"I don’t know if you have ever heard of Jet Ease (also sold as No Jet Lag in some countries). It is made in New Zealand and is a homeopathic remedy for jet lag in addition to containing herbal immune boosters such as arnica montana, chamomile, and bellis perenis.
 
It’s great stuff and I use the tablets all of the time when I’m winging my way from the Caribbean or London back home to New Zealand.  The tablets are made by Miers Laboratories in Wellington NZ. Website: www.mierslabs.co.nz"

Molly Mc Daniel | Director of PR (The Jalousie Plantation) <

Spoonful of Comfort

If you’ve ever wanted to send homemade chicken soup to a sick friend or family member, now you can- no matter how far away you are from them!

Forget flowers, Spoonful of Comfort is a brand new Florida Company that features old-fashioned, homemade chicken soup that can be sent to a loved one... anywhere in the country. They use a special recipe with all natural ingredients - chicken stock, chicken, pasta noodles, carrots, celery, onion, parsley, salt and pepper - no additives or preservatives.

With great care, the soup is prepared in small batches to draw out the best flavors - and then jarred up and sent out upon order.
Each 64 ounce jar comes beautifully packaged and ready to enjoy - just heat and eat! You can even order fresh rolls and homemade oatmeal cookies to accompany the soup. So much better than flowers! $32.00

www.spoonfulofcomfort.com <

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer was unfortunately inspired by the flu to write this story. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com <