Carrie Lam, MD and Jeremy Lam, MD, host the Dr. Lam Show, where they show their passion for Integrative and Functional Medicine and share nutritional education to empower people to take control of their health. This pair of siblings started LAM CLINIC, where they're able to provide whole-person healing not only in person but also through telemedicine all over the world.
The Best Travel Tips For a Relaxing, Restful Holiday
•Dr. Lam
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Traveling is supposed to leave you feeling relaxed and stress-free. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the truth. If traveling leaves you feeling more stressed and tired than you did before you left, then you need these travel tips from an adrenal expert.
1:00 - Air Travel and What to do when you get to the Airport 3:53 - What to do at the Gate 4:25 - What to do in the Plane 6:30 - Preparing yourself for getting to the airport 8:10 - Supplement Changes when Traveling 10:00 - Road Trips and Car Travel Tips
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Do you love to travel but it might be causing you more stress than your body can handle. When your adrenals are unhealthy, even positive stress like travel can be difficult to manage. That's why we're going to give you some tips to make it easier. This is the Dr. Lam show, where we talk about integrative medicine and how to apply it to our daily lives. I'm Dr. Jeremy Lam, I'm board certified in anti aging medicine as well as internal medicine.
Dr. Carrie Lam, MD:
And I'm Dr. Carrie Lam. I am board certified in family medicine, anti aging medicine and regenerative medicine. Today we're going to talk about the travel tips and how to enjoy your holiday and come back relaxed and rested rather than feeling stressed and needing a vacation from your vacation. If you like the show, find it useful, please hit the subscribe button give us a five star rating and help us get found both on where you listen to podcasts and also on YouTube. We want to help more people who are suffering from adrenal fatigue. So we're going to talk about air travel first, Dr. Jeremy tell us what people with adrenal fatigue can keep in mind when they get to the airport.
Dr. Jeremy Lam, MD:
Well, we all know that airports can be very stressful. And so one important request that you can make if you have adrenal fatigue, is to ask for an M&A, which is the meet and assist. This is a service that the airline company provides for free. And it's a very important request that you make. I make the request well ahead of time but you can get to the airport, and ask for this service. At the airport, sometimes, you know, doing a curbside check in is better than going all the way to the counter. So then you don't have to drag the luggage around. Number two, if you want to be able to travel and have less stress, get luggage with wheels, nowadays, most people do have them. If you get a luggage that's big enough so that you can sit on it, then you can actually rest during those long waiting periods. And the most important thing is to have a designated travel companion, whose job is to be well organized to take care of you each step along the way.
Dr. Carrie Lam, MD:
Yes, and so it's important to make sure you have a family member or a support system as they will be your advocate in helping you get what you request. For example, when you are getting your seat assignment, if you need to use the bathroom frequently, then get a seat near the aisle. Or if you would like more privacy and it's a short flight, then you can request a seat near the window. But make sure that the shades are down so you don't get the direct exposure from the sunlight. Again, if you are near a crying baby, for example, that might have sounds you don't desire, you can always ask for a transfer. So there are many things you can do on that level. In addition, you can try certain things that you can do when you get on the plane, especially now during COVID times definitely wearing a mask, but staying very hydrated before and during flight. You want to make sure you drink lots and lots of water. As when you get up there you can get very dehydrated very easily. And so staying hydrated is very important. Dr. Jeremy what is there to do when you get to the gate.
Dr. Jeremy Lam, MD:
When you get to the gate, make sure you find a place that's quiet and do some adrenal breathing exercises. Also listening to some music or something that can help you relax, make sure you still go to the bathroom frequently and immediately before you board. And sometimes you can ask for pre boarding so that you can be ahead of the line. The whole point again is to have all these things assigned to your travel companion who is in charge of you. Now once you get inside the plane, sometimes planes have natural lighting, whether it's a light blue or yellowish light, and this can be very peaceful and you can surround yourself with this type of lighting. Again, make sure when you're on the plane to continue with adrenal breathing exercises and to always have a glass of water or a water bottle with you and staying hydrated because the air on the airplane can be very dry.
Dr. Carrie Lam, MD:
Make sure that you also stay warm as when you get to higher altitudes the temperature can get much cooler, you don't want to get too cold. And if you have a lot of temperature regulation issues, bring a blanket or pillows for your neck so that you are comfortable. What is key also is to bring eyemasks and also earplugs because you never know who you're going to be sitting next to you. And it's great to use a noise reduction. And if you are doing a long haul flight to have a good melatonin production when you are in dark and so having eyemask can help you sleep much better. If you don't have any of these things, you can always ask the air stewardess if they have extras.
Dr. Jeremy Lam, MD:
Do you think that the tips that we've provided so far to make your next airport experience easier and stress free? Airports are famously busy and stressful places and so any help you can get during the experience will help. If your travel experiences are still stressful and if you don't want to give up on the idea of holidays altogether, then you will need more help and guidance. So give our staff a call at 714-709-8000 and we can provide some other ideas specific to your condition and situation. If you've liked our content so far, make sure to subscribe and give us a five star review. We do have a few more tips for you when you travel. And so let's dive right into that. Well before getting to your flight, you want to start with the booking of your flight. Avoid midnight flights or red eye flights that can be very stressful for your body's circadian rhythm. You want to arrive in your destination in good shape and have an easy transition. You want to also avoid flights to have a lot of transits and try to get more direct flights. When choosing your flight time, consider the traffic as well. So you want to avoid heavy traffic hours so that you can get to the airport more peacefully.
Dr. Carrie Lam, MD:
Make sure there is water available but also food in your pocket before you go as snacks should be properly scheduled out especially if you have a tendency to being hungry every two to three hours. And nowadays airports do have stricter rules. So be careful to check each airlines rules before you bring any of these things. Be very careful on what you bring and go on the website and know that each airport and each airline has their own different rules for food and liquids that can be brought. Make sure to also go to the airport that is familiar, so that you can plan ahead of time where the bathrooms are, or how you get to the airport and know what to take and how to prepare yourself for air travel.
Dr. Jeremy Lam, MD:
I know many people when they travel have to think about supplementation that they take and how do they plan for that? This can be quite challenging, especially for those who have a lot of supplements on their regimen. Now if a person is strong, then you know you can decrease the amount of supplements that you're taking. But if you have a weaker constitution, then I would possibly recommend increasing the supplements before they travel to especially increase the reserve. Sometimes I would advise reducing the supplement load for a period of time to reduce the metabolic overload and not congest the liver. So that's very important strategic decision whether to actually increase or decrease the supplementation depending on how and where your body's at in the recovery process.
Dr. Carrie Lam, MD:
And make sure to check your supplements in especially if they're liquids because you won't be able to carry them on the flight in the bigger bottles. If you check them in I suggest to pack carefully because you don't want them to leak. And definitely arrange them based on the number of days that you have, by compressing them into little pillboxes or you can just bring the whole bottles. The key is to talk to your doctor or coach about it in order to see what would be key for you to actually continue or not depending on the length of time your vacation is, how stressful it will be and what you need to bring. It is always advised to continue your supplements especially if it helps your recovery and giving you a good maintenance dose. Especially if you're going to be doing lots on your vacation then your ability to deal with stress is very important. And that's what the supplements can do for you. So we've talked a lot about the airports, but a lot of people nowadays are actually doing road trips. So when you are going in a car, it can be stressful for someone with adrenal fatigue, especially, because the travel does take a much longer time. Make sure you plan out ahead, where are you going to stop, where are you going to stay. Make sure you have restful nights during your road trip, and that you make frequent stops, gas stations or bathroom breaks in order to stretch your legs to prevent any blood clots, and any extra fatigue. Make sure you always have a travel companion so that they can keep you awake. But also you can keep them awake and be safe while you're traveling and make it more enjoyable. So we've talked a lot about traveling. It's important to know to be organized and prepared ahead of time if you want to travel with Adrenal Fatigue. It's the only way to ensure that you have a good time and don't come back stressed or with an adrenal crash because it could overload you. If you're concerned about your body's reaction to travel, then definitely talk to us or give our office a call and we can give you some tips on traveling at 714-709-8000 where we understand your body's adrenal fatigue and we can help your body design a good travel itinerary that suits your condition and your body.
Dr. Jeremy Lam, MD:
So that's all we have today. So you've enjoyed today's topic, please like and subscribe, so then we can continue to make more future episodes. This is the Dr. Lam show and we're here to empower you to take control of your health.
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This podcast has been produced and broadcast solely for informational and educational purposes by Lam clinic statements and views expressed in this podcast are not medical advice and have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. The products and supplements discussed in this podcast are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you believe you may have a medical condition please consult your own doctor. Opinions of guests are their own and Lam Clinic does not endorse or accept responsibility for any of the statements and views made by guests. The views and opinions of guests in the podcast are their own and do not reflect those of Lam Clinic. This podcast does not make any representations or warranties about guest qualifications or credibility. In some cases, individuals on the podcast may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the products or services referred to herein podcast listeners should always seek the advice of their physicians or other qualified health providers with any questions they may have regarding their own medical conditions. Podcast listeners must always continue to follow the advice of their personal physicians for all of their medical needs.
