Robab Taghizadeh is a certified Naturopathic Practitioner from the Trinity School of Natural Health, Warsaw, Indiana. She works exclusively out of GreenAcres-OKC, and is our go-to gal when we have questions from customers regarding naturopathic medicines and when we need recommendations for specific health issues involving naturopathic supplementation. Robab writes a monthly column for an Oklahoma City newspaper. We post her September column here.
Q: What do you pack when you’re going out of town to keep your immune system strong and to avoid tummy troubles?
A: When traveling, especially on long flights, it is so important to stay hydrated! I usually take a couple of single-dose packs of a vitamin C and electrolyte mix such as Trace Minerals Power Pak or Ultima to add to a glass of water.
In addition, I never leave home without the following:
- Digestive Enzymes – I take these every day, but when traveling one can run the risk of eating something one normally wouldn’t or eating more than one normally would. So, I take a good digestive enzyme–Enzymedica’s Digest Gold on an empty stomach about 15-20 minutes before I eat to avoid bloating, gas, etc. Or Garden of Life chewable enzymes after a meal is consumed. These will help to break down your food properly and with absorption of minerals and vitamins, too.
- Activated Charcoal – Just in case you are the victim of food poisoning or you eat something your stomach does not agree with, activated charcoal will help to absorb any toxins or impurities and flush them completely out of your system for a fast recovery so you don’t end up stuck in your hotel room instead of enjoying the scenery.
- Probiotics – Healthy gut bacteria keeps the bad bacteria we carry or pick up on our travels on their best behavior. There are many shelf-stable probiotics out there now that are completely safe for travel. I would get on a regimen before you leave and continue during your vacation and after. They will help with digestion, hormone regulation, nutrient absorption, sleep, skin…you name it! Just take the recommended dosage on empty stomach before bed.
- Sleep is so important when traveling and sometimes a challenge when staying in a hotel. Irwin Naturals has an excellent product called Power to Sleep PM. It comes in three different choices and contains everything you need to get to sleep and shut off a busy brain so you stay asleep. Magnesium Citrate is also excellent to calm your body and mind before bed. Natural Calm has individual travel-size packets you can mix with water before bed.
- If you get motion sickness, I highly recommend Ginger Chews to shut down nausea. It increases circulation, too, which is a bonus while sitting for long periods of time on the road or in a plane!
Happy trails!