I’m traveling again today. There was a time where long flights for short trips – or short flights for long trips – would result in my getting sick. I’ve learned a few things over the years, like remembering to hydrate – a lot (which means that I have to have an aisle seat on the plane); eating properly; maintaining an exercise schedule; and so on. I would add “get enough sleep”, but let’s not lie to each other.
All of these things are how I stay healthy when not traveling, too. As you may recall, I live with Sjogren’s Syndrome. Secondary to it, I have fibromyalgia, which can flare up with disruption of my routine or excessive stress – in other words, all. the. freaking. time.
But what does any of this have to do with Neti-pots? Juice “cleanses”? Vitamins? Well, when you struggle every day to stay as healthy as possible, seeing people try to rely on shortcuts can drive a person crazy. It does me. Like so much else in life, if you put in the work, you don’t need the shortcut. And sometimes, you can do yourself more harm than good. In my highly scientific survey (I asked three doctors – an internist, a rheumatologist, and an ENT), my suspicions were confirmed.
- If you usually eat properly, there’s no need to “cleanse” unless you are having certain medical procedures. And no over the counter fad cleanse is going to prepare you for THAT.
- Even if you feel congested, there’s no excuse for washing out your sinuses at home. Plus, it’s disgusting. Admit it.
- Too many vitamins can actually be dangerous. This is further verified by my obsessive reading of murder mysteries, in which potassium has often been a weapon of choice.
Travels With Slippers 