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STAYING HEALTHY WHILE TRAVELING WITH THESE TIPS, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 607

Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH.

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InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health care professionals are excited to offer you the most important health and wellness information you need to make informed choices about your health. You can learn more about the products discussed in each of these episodes and all that InVite Health has to offer at, www.invitehealth.com/podcast. First time customers can use promo code podcast at checkout for an additional 15% off your first purchase. Let’s get started.† [00:00:34]

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Amanda Williams MD, MPH: [00:00:40] Whether you’re traveling for business or for pleasure, we know that there are so many factors that can influence and impact our health in a real negative way. So while we want to make sure that we get to our destination safely and that if it is for pleasure that we can enjoy our trip, we certainly know that there are many things that we need to consider when it comes to traveling safe and healthy. So I want to give you some tips as to how you can manage the stressors of traveling. I have traveled so much and I can, you know, attest to the fact that sometimes I always say it’s the hurry up and wait. You know, you hurry up to get to the airport and then you have to wait, you know, to check in and then you have to wait to go through security. And then you get to your gate and then you have to wait to board the plane and then you finally get into the plane, then you wait for the plane to back out and take off. So it’s a lot of hurry up and wait, and this can really affect your stress response, and a lowered immune defense system because of high stress. Certainly, is not the way that you want to kick off your trip. I am Dr. Amanda Williams, scientific director here at Invitehealth.† [00:01:49]

 [00:01:50] And when it comes to travels, we know that there are so many different factors that we have to consider. We have to think about the impact that this can have and just the alteration of our day to day routine. Perhaps your, you know, regular exercise or you eat very healthy every single day, and when it comes to traveling, this routine can get disrupted. Perhaps you have a flight that is one of those red eye flight, so your sleep can get disrupted or perhaps you’re traveling a long distance, you have those time change factors that you have to contend with. And of course being in close quarters with many people while you are traveling, can also expose you to a greater likelihood of, you know, getting a virus, getting the common cold. So we want to make sure that our immune defenses are ready to go when we get on that plane. And even if you’re, you know, traveling by train or even by car, it’s always good to have a plan in place so you can tackle any of the bumps that occur along the way. So I kind of go through a basic course of action or plan of action that folks should, you know, kind of adhere to when it comes to traveling. First and foremost is before you even travel, a good week out, you should really start to focus in on bolstering up your immune defenses.†[00:03:15]

[00:03:16] So with the addition of Immunity Hx, for example, which is the wonderful blend of vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, so taking one tablet of that daily, then I always advise Probiotic Hx and Nucleotides. I often say when people are traveling, maybe they’re going to go on a cruise, you never know what you’re going to be exposed to when it comes to viruses as well as bacteria. And you want to get the most out of your trip, you want to have fun. And so this is why having the support directly to the immune system and within the intestines where we know 70% of our immune defenses are located, we want to try to establish this wonderful environment, that helps to enhance the way that our body responds to different pathogens as well as stress. So taking one capsule of Probiotic Hx in the evening, along with taking Nucleotide Complex. If you’re about a week out from travel, I would say start taking two nucleotide capsules per day. What the nucleotides are doing is, your actual, when we think about the genes, your DNA and your RNA. You’re getting the actual nucleic acids which can help to facilitate a better immune response. And so having the nucleotide complex on board along with that probiotic, and the Immunity Hx, is a really good way to kind of pre-board your travels. So we want to make sure that we get a head start on that. Now, let’s just say in the event that this is a last minute business trip, and you weren’t prepared for this, you haven’t been doing your probiotic hx, you haven’t been taking your nucleotides, that’s okay. You can still go get those and you can start using them right away. But then I would also include in the green tea tx, and this actually hands down should be something that anyone who is traveling, whether by plane, train or automobile, should consider into their supplementation routine during the duration of your travels. Because, number one, you’re getting a high amount of EGCG, which we know is very effective in fending off those pesky pathogens.† [00:05:23]

[00:05:24] So things like colds for example, but we also by using the Green tea tx, we add that to say a bottle of water, we’re getting that hydration, and we know that the dehydration effect is very common when people travel, and this is why we always want to make sure that we are adhering to our normal fluid intake. Sometimes people are they’re traveling, they’re like high, you know, I don’t want to drink any water before I get on the plane because I don’t want to have to use the plane bathroom. And I get that, I’ve traveled enough, I totally understand that. And if that’s the case, that’s fine, but when you get to your destination, you want to really make sure that you start to consume a good amount of water. I am always very good about this, whenever I’m traveling, I make sure, you know, before I go to sleep at the hotel that I’m drinking at least two glasses of water before I go to sleep, and first thing when I wake up, that’s the way that I start the day is drinking that water, because you want to make sure that the body is always staying in that good fluid balance. So we add in these different nutrients to help to support the immune defenses. We also have to recognize that travel, weather, business traveler for leisure can bring about a good amount of stress, and we have to prepare ourselves for that. So mindfulness techniques can be very useful when you are traveling. Because we always want to be able to kind of pump the brakes and the sympathetic nervous system which creates that high stress, and we want to be able to employ our parasympathetic nervous system, and this is key because if we have too much sympathetic, that our stress level can start to influence or impact our metabolism in all the different biochemical pathways in the body, this can lower our stress response as well as our immune defenses.† [00:07:13]

ICYMI: DETOX THE BODY WITH THE HELP OF GREEN TEA, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 602>>LISTEN NOW!

[00:07:14] So when traveling, I always look at fancy little nutrients such as L-Theanine. L-Theanine is kind of our go to helper, and the reason I like L-Theanine is, it works very quick and it’s a wonderful way for your body to help encourage itself to release more GABA ,that’s your calming neurotransmitter. So maybe you’re standing in line at security and you’re like, Oh gosh, this is really stressing me out, but you’re not going to feel that way if you take your L-theanine before you even walk through the airport doors. So L-theanine, how much should you be using? 100 milligrams, for some people will work, but I usually find 200 milligrams of L-theanine to kind of be that sweet spot for most folks. So if you’re going to be traveling, L-theanine. Now, this is also going to be handy because so you get to your destination, say there was a time change, and you’re at a hotel or Airbnb or wherever you’re staying, your L-theanine can be very helpful for the promotion of good, healthy sleep. So maybe taking three capsules of the L-theanine, so 300 milligrams before you go to sleep can help facilitate a better, more restful night’s sleep. And this is difficult for many folks who, you know, don’t do well sleeping in places other than their own bed. So having the l-theanine with you throughout your trip, very, very helpful, along with the Green tea tx.† [00:08:35]

[00:08:36] Now, for many folks, too, while they have excitement, for, you know, traveling, maybe you’re going to a real nice destination. You’ve been waiting for this vacation, you get there, you’re feeling a little rundown, but you’re trying to stay positive, this is where your Rhodiola, can be very helpful. So stopping by InVite Health and getting some Rhodiola extract, once again similar to theanine in the sense that it works very quick. So how much Rhodiola to get you charged up and energetic for your day? When you’re out there exploring a new area, you want to take one capsule of that Rhodiola extract, which is 200 milligrams. Some folks will find taking one cap twice a day during their travels, really helps to support their energy endurance throughout the day. And what’s really interesting is while Rhodiola, which is an adrenal adaptogenic herb, is really working for the adrenal stress response and regulation of cortisol. At the same time, it helps to generate energy. So it gives us that extra kind of kick every day and it’s a non stimulant. But what’s fascinating about Rhodiola extract, it can actually help with our sleep as well, so this is one of those wonderful nutrients to have on board throughout the duration of your travels. As I mentioned, whether it’s business travel, which sometimes that can be, you know, a quick trip into another city and your there for you know, maybe just an overnight, we still want to make sure that our body does not get run down. So looking at these nutrients, the Immunity Hx, the Nucleotide Complex, having the Probiotic Hx, the Green tea tx, we stay hydrated plus we’re getting that wonderful exposure to those powerful catechins that come from green tea. And then we add in the support for our adrenals and our stress. So the L-theanine and that Rhodiola can really help us have a more enjoyable experience when it comes to the hectic-ness of travels. Because you never know what to expect, so incorporating in some mindfulness techniques, finding ways to manage the stress while maybe your flight gets canceled or delayed. There are a lot of factors that are out of your control when it comes to traveling, but you certainly do have a lot of control in terms of your wellness.† [00:10:51]

ICYMI: AN UPDATE ON VITAMIN C & THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 606>>LISTEN NOW!

[00:10:52] When it comes to what you’re eating while you’re traveling, selecting healthier foods, staying hydrated, getting good sleep, staying energetic, and, of course, bolstering up our      immune defenses. So those are some travel tips from me to you, and I certainly hope that if you are traveling, that you take advantage of, you know really following this protocol, because it will allow you to have more success along your journey. And I want to thank you so much for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. Remember, you can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts, or by visiting invitehealth.com/podcast. Do make sure that you subscribe and you leave us a review. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter,and Instagram at InVite Health, and we will see you next time for another episode of the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. † [00:10:52]

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