fatigue

Does Travel Throw You Out Of Whack? Bring This On Your Next Trip To Keep Your Digestion & Skin In Check

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Let’s be honest, travel doesn’t always live up to our romantic expectations. Long days, unfamiliar food, too much sun, and time changes can leave our body dehydrated, our digestion totally out of whack, and our skin as dry as a desert.

So what can we do if we love to travel but also want to prioritize our health? It’s all about planning ahead and taking proactive steps to fight off those unpleasant symptoms that threaten to sabotage our globe-trotting. Here are four ways to up your self-care and protect your body for your next trip:

1. Stay hydrated.

Dehydration is SUPER common when we’re traveling by air, land, or sea. And many people don’t know that the air on planes is actually super dry (only 5 to 12 percent humidity). As tempting as it might be, this is NOT the time to turn to sugary drinks or juices. Luckily, there’s one thing you can add to your wellness regimen that will kick your hydration into gear: Liquid I.V. is a new breakthrough hydration powder that utilizes the science of Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) to deliver water and other key nutrients directly to your bloodstream for optimal hydration.

2. Sooth dry skin.

Travel can do a number on your skin. You’re likely to be spending more time in the sun, but a lot of the damage to your skin has to do with dehydration, which can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, and flaking (No, thank you!). And while you can stock up on all the topical creams and oils you want, the best way to hydrate the skin is from the inside out. Mixing one Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier packet into a glass of water provides the same hydration to your body as drinking two to three bottles of plain water! This will help protect your precious skin cells so you come back from your vacation feeling younger than when you left.

3. Be proactive about digestion issues.

It’s super common for things to get a little sluggish when you’re not in your normal environment, exposed to the many stressors that come with travel and left with little to no time to keep up with your normal exercise routine. Staying hydrated will keep things moving and regular and give the body the hydration it needs to adapt to long days or hours on a plane.

4. Fight fatigue.

Above all else, travel can make us REALLY tired and jet lagged. Liquid I.V. has five essential vitamins—like B and C vitamins, potassium, and mineral salt—that will give your body and immune system a little extra boost. The best part? They come in convenient travel-size packets that you can throw in your suitcase or purse without another thought. Now the only question left is: What country are we exploring next?

Choose A Diet Based On Your Blood Type To Fight Fatigue

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We all deal with fatigue differently, and many of our bodies’ responses are based on our unique, individual biochemistry.

The Blood Type Diet provides an individualized plan for optimizing health and wellness. I’ve tailored four specific protocols as targeted support for individuals who experience deep fatigue as a primary or secondary health concern.

Following these guidelines will provide additional support to overcome fatigue by strengthening your immune system and improving metabolic and cellular fitness.

Fatigue-Fighting Diet Checklists

Blood Type O

  • Eat small to moderate portions of high-quality, lean, organic, grass-fed meat several times a week for strength.
  • Include regular portions of richly oiled cold-water fish.
  • Consume little or no dairy foods.
  • Eliminate wheat and wheat-based products from your diet.
  • Limit your intake of beans principally to those that are BENEFICIAL.
  • Eat lots of BENEFICIAL fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid stimulants found in caffeine (coffee, colas, etc.).
  • Avoid coffee, but drink green tea every day.

Blood Type A

  • Avoid or limit animal proteins.
  • Derive your primary protein from plant foods with seafood used occasionally.
  • Seafood should be primarily richly oiled cold-water fish.
  • Include modest amounts of cultured dairy foods in your diet, but avoid fresh milk products.
  • Don’t overdo the grains, especially wheat-derived foods.
  • Eat lots of BENEFICIAL fruits and vegetables, especially those high in antioxidants and fiber.
  • Drink green tea every day for extra immune system benefits.

Blood Type B

  • Eat small-to-moderate portions of high-quality, lean, organic meat (especially goat, lamb, and mutton) several times a week for strength, energy, and digestive health.
  • Avoid Chicken.
  • Include regular portions of richly oiled cold-water fish.
  • Regularly eat cultured dairy foods, such as yogurt and kefir, which are beneficial for digestive health.
  • Eliminate wheat and corn from your diet.
  • Eat lots of BENEFICIAL fruits and vegetables.
  • If you need a daily dose of caffeine, replace coffee with green tea.
  • Avoid foods that are Type B red flags, especially chicken, corn, buckwheat, peanuts, soybeans, lentils, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Blood Type AB

  • Derive your protein primarily from sources other than red meat.
  • Eliminate chicken from your diet.
  • Eat soy foods and seafood as your primary protein.
  • Include modest amounts of cultured dairy foods in your diet, but limit fresh milk products.
  • Don’t overdo the grains, especially wheat-derived foods.  Avoid corn flour altogether.
  • Eat lots of BENEFICIAL fruits and vegetables, especially those high in antioxidants and fiber.
  • Avoid coffee, but drink two to three cups of green tea every day.

Banish Osteoporosis, Insomnia, Fatigue and More With Simple Taoist Bone Breathing Technique

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Many years ago in the U.S., while walking one of the main streets through the heart of Berkeley, California, I stumbled across an unassuming store dedicated to Tao philosophy. Books galore, recordings, diagrams — along with various trinkets and tools — lined the walls. I wasn’t overly familiar with Taoism, but I was strongly drawn to the recorded tapes of bone breathing meditations. Since I was struggling mightily with insomnia, the tapes seemed like a godsend — promising nights of restful sleep and days filled with vitality. I adhered faithfully to the program for many months. Be it by coincidence or not, I enjoyed an exceptionally energetic (and well-rested) period in my life while utilizing this unusual practice.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, the tremendous potential of bone breathing had been demonstrated several years prior, when a middle-aged woman suffering from severe osteoporosis was dramatically healed by the method.

A Miracle in the Making

Mantak Chia is considered one of the foremost Taoist masters alive today. He has introduced many important Taoist teachings to the West — like Bone Marrow Nei Kung — and has made this wisdom accessible to the general public. In the early 1980’s, he had an American student in Los Angeles, California who was plagued with rapidly deteriorating bone mass from osteoporosis. Specialists in Western medicine tried everything within their arsenal, to no avail — and the disease continued to progress at an alarming rate. The prognosis was bleak: collapse of the spine, threatening the nervous system with paralysis or even death.

After enrolling in the bone breathing class taught by Chia, the student began a daily practice involving 3 hours of continuously “washing” her skeletal system, with what is referred to as the subtle breath in Taoism.

Within half a year, not only was the bone loss arrested, but it began to reverse. She gained an impressive 10% bone mass during the six month period. Her physicians were astounded. At the end of five years of diligent practice, she had replaced 100% of her bone mass without any symptoms of osteoporosis. This is just one instance of many where people have been miraculously healed by the method.

Banish Osteoporosis Insomnia, Fatigue and More With Simple Taoist Bone Breathing Technique

Basic Bone Breathing

“The ancient Taoists have left us the maxim that says that `The practice of the Tao begins with feeling’. Without feeling the practice may degenerate into being just a mental exercise unrelated to the bones. Bone breathing is not only for those repairing bones, … the Taoists developed these practices for opening the human potential to its maximum. One powerful effect of bone breathing sessions is the ability to calm the mind and arrest the current of internal talk which goes on constantly. It also brings a profound sense of relaxation and openness that aids in resolving muscular tension and stress.” ~ Healing Tao

Bone breathing (or marrow washing) is a profound, yet simple technique to strengthen the bones, reduce stress, encourage revitalizing sleep, fortify immunity, boost energy and overall heal the body. It can be practiced anytime and is easy to learn.

Beyond healing the bones, Taoist practitioners use the method as a means to absorb subtle energies — of the trees, rivers, sun, moon and stars — to maintain ultimate health and enjoy the ocean of calmness the technique inspires.

If you would like to experience this deep healing and relaxation for yourself, below is the fundamental practice. For a more comprehensive understanding, see: “Bone Marrow Nei Kung: Taoist Techniques for Rejuvenating the Blood and Bone” by Mantak Chia.

The Fundamental Practice

  • To begin, bring yourself into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Fingers are stretched open and relaxed. Inhale through the nose and take several deep breaths. Imagine there is energy in your environment that can be felt subtly on the surface of your skin.
  • Next, bring your attention to the tips of your fingers on your left hand. Feel the energy of your surroundings move through the skin and down into the bones — you should experience a sense of warmth/heaviness/tingling. Keep the breath rhythmic and deep. Continue to the draw energy into all the bones of the hand and upwards into the wrists, forearms, upper arm and shoulders — visualizing your bones are like a sponge absorbing energy from all around. Repeat with the right hand.
  • Proceed by drawing energy into the scapulae, collarbone, sternum and ribs from both arms. Now, move your attention to your toes, moving energy up through both feet to the ankles, calves, knees, thighbones, pelvis and sacrum. You will then breath energy up the vertebra into the spinal column and skull. Lastly, breath energy into the whole body for a minimum of nine full breaths. Conclude by drawing all energy into the navel center and imagine “closing” it.

In addition to fortifying the skeleton, bone breathing increases the production of red and white blood cells, fosters sexual energy, stimulates the immune system and improves the flow of blood.

Healing Tao offers this final advice about the practice in “Bone Breathing: Strengthening your Bones”:

“Eventually it is possible to have the whole skeleton doing bone breathing, that is including the teeth. As practice develops try to breathe through the whole body at once, like a sponge.

If more specific knowledge of the bones is desired then it is advisable to work with a anatomical chart of the skeleton to guide the energy with more precision.”

Cancer-related fatigue—mechanisms, risk factors, and treatments.

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Fatigue is one of the most common adverse effects of cancer that might persist for years after treatment completion in otherwise healthy survivors. Cancer-related fatigue causes disruption in all aspects of quality of life and might be a risk factor of reduced survival. The prevalence and course of fatigue in patients with cancer have been well characterized and there is growing understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms. Inflammation seems to have a key role in fatigue before, during, and after cancer-treatment. However, there is a considerable variability in the presentation of cancer-related fatigue, much of which is not explained by disease-related or treatment-related characteristics, suggesting that host factors might be important in the development and persistence of this symptom. Indeed, longitudinal studies have identified genetic, biological, psychosocial, and behavioural risk factors associated with cancer-related fatigue. Although no current gold-standard treatment for fatigue is available, a variety of intervention approaches have shown beneficial effects in randomized controlled trials, including physical activity, psychosocial, mind–body, and pharmacological treatments. This Review describes the mechanisms, risk factors, and possible interventions for cancer-related fatigue, focusing on recent longitudinal studies and randomized trials that have targeted fatigued patients.

7 Hidden Causes of Fatigue .

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Fatigue can signal anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism or hepatitis C. But once your doctor rules out major medical causes of fatigue, it’s time to consider hidden ones.

“We look for the less obvious roots of fatigue — that’s our job,” says Tanya Edwards, MD, Medical Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine.

Hidden causes include:

1. A junk food diet

Diets that are high in trans fats, saturated fats, processed foods and added sugars can sap your energy. Dr. Edwards recommends switching to a diet high in good sources of protein — mainly fish, nuts, seeds and beans — with eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Watch out for grains, though. These complex carbs affect insulin. “Insulin is the storage hormone that makes us heavier. The heavier we are, the higher our blood sugar becomes, and the more insulin resistance (prediabetes) we develop,” she says.

2. Lost nutrients

Today’s industrial farming practices rob the soil of key fatigue-fighting minerals, says Dr. Edwards, who recommends taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Supplements contain minerals rarely found in food, such as:

  • Selenium, important for thyroid function and metabolism
  • Iodine, present in the iodized salt that many people with heart disease and high blood pressure avoid. “Low iodine states can result in fatigue,” she says.

3. Not enough omega-3

Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids — but most of us don’t eat enough. “I recommend about 1,000 mg of an omega-3 supplement,” says Dr. Edwards. “My preference is fish oil because it is the long-chain form that our body needs.”

4. Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D gives us energy. Low levels of this vitamin can cause low energy and depression. “Vitamin D and omega-3 are necessary for every single cell in the body — including brain cells — to work properly,” says Dr. Edwards. If blood tests reveal low vitamin D levels, she recommends supplements.

5. Low magnesium

We are born with a finite amount of magnesium — also needed for energy production — in our bones and muscles. The vast majority of Americans get less than half the required amount of this mineral from their diet.

“Magnesium is still leaching out of our bones and muscles in our 40s and 50s,” says Dr. Edwards. She recommends magnesium replacement for those with symptoms of a total body deficit: insomnia, fatigue, constipation, muscle cramps and pain, joint pain, anxiety and elevated blood pressure.

6. Poor sleep

When it comes to sleep difficulties, “we’ve got the perfect storm happening in our 40s and 50s,” says Dr. Edwards. Reasons for lost sleep include increased work responsibilities, living with teens, aging parents and falling magnesium levels.

For women, menopause and perimenopause are also factors. Falling levels of progesterone (a female hormone that helps with sleep) and hot flashes can cause insomnia. A change in caffeine metabolism doesn’t help.

“Women who have had two cups of coffee a day since age 20 suddenly can’t metabolize it as fast at age 50,” says Dr. Edwards. Caffeine can take eight to 10 instead of five hours to clear the system. For these women, she recommends scaling back to one cup of coffee before 10 a.m.

7. A sedentary life

Ironically, not getting enough exercise can make you feel tired, says Dr. Edwards. Regular exercise will boost your energy as well as your mood and fitness level.

If healthy changes in diet, sleep and exercise don’t improve fatigue after a couple of months, she often recommends:

  • B complex vitamins — these help our bodies make energy, especially in times of stress
  • Coenzyme Q10 — this cofactor, which helps enzymes produce energy in our cells, is often blocked by statins (common heart disease drugs)

In addition, “acupuncture can be huge for fatigue, sleep, pain and hot flashes,” says Dr. Edwards.

Adrenal fatigue symptoms and seven ways to support and heal your adrenal glands.

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In our modern world, adrenal fatigue is extremely common and estimated by some experts to affect approximately 80 percent of the population to some degree. Adrenal fatigue is caused by all types of stress – physical and emotional – and if left unchecked, it can lead to other illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease and heart attack.

fatigue

The symptoms caused by adrenal fatigue are numerous and varied. The following are some of the more common ones:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Diarrhea
  • Frequent urination
  • Thyroid issues
  • Salt cravings
  • Sugar cravings
  • Insomnia
  • Waking tired
  • Needing caffeine to ‘get going’ in the morning
  • Feeling stressed
  • Inability to handle stress
  • Overthinking (having a brain that won’t turn off)
  • Dizziness when rising from seated or lying position
  • Fluid retention in feet and ankles
  • Low blood pressure


As you can see, adrenal fatigue can cause many symptoms and eventually lead to many health challenges. However, the good news is that there are plenty of things we can do to support our adrenal glands to help return them to a healthy state.

Reduce or eliminate stimulants

Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and drugs cause a stress response in the body and, if used chronically, will wear out the adrenal glands. Those who feel that they need their morning coffee should understand that, although it might feel as though caffeine is helping, it is actually stealing their health by exacerbating their adrenal fatigue.

Practice meditation

Meditating daily can help reduce stress levels. Finding even 10 or 15 minutes a day to quiet the mind by meditation has been proven to be of benefit for reducing stress.

Clean up your diet

Eating a highly processed diet creates stress in the body. Many people don’t consider the stress caused to the body by eating processed foods. Processed foods contain chemicals that have no place in the body, such as preservatives, colors, stabilizers and more. These chemicals can have negative effects on the various systems of the body and add additional waste products that need to either be eliminated or stored.

Make good use of adaptogenic herbs

There are a number of adaptogens that are useful for the adrenal glands. These herbs can be taken in the form of teas, tinctures, powders or capsules and include:

  • Rhodalia
  • Ashwaganda
  • Tulsi, or Holy basil
  • Korean Ginseng
  • He Shou Wu
  • Licorice (Note: Licorice can raise blood pressure)

 

Make time to relax

Take time to chill out and make the time to do the things that you love doing and make you happy.

Eat more salt

Adrenal glands love salt. Buy a good quality, unprocessed salt, such as Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt, and use it liberally.

Try this adrenal cocktail

Try taking this adrenal cocktail either before bed if you suffer from insomnia or upon rising if you have trouble getting going in the morning. It really works!

1/2 cup orange juice (or another form of vitamin C)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
Mix and drink.

Finally, don’t watch horror movies and don’t do things that get your adrenaline pumping. They will simply cause more stress for your already overworked adrenal glands, leaving you feeling tired and wired.