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FREQUENT BUSINESS FLYER? SAY FAREWELL TO JET LAG….
First, let me tell you something. I’ve never read a book of anything worthwhile in 24 hours. Time generally doesn’t permit it. Unless of course you are flying to the other side of the world, and all there is do is well, read (or sleep). Secondly, I’ve never read a book where the very subject of the book was the metal encapsulation that was hurtling me through the air at 900+ km an hour. It was intense stuff and I was hooked. Flying now has taken on a whole new meaning. So has ‘jet lag’.
What makes Farewell Jet Lag: Cures from a Flight Attendant such an enthralling read is the author’s own 17 years experience as a flight attendant. The gentle art of persuasion relies on credibility and authority, and you can’t get much more credible than flying long haul at least once a week over a long period of time. That’s what Christopher Babayode did, and still managed to find the time to write his incredibly insightful book.
The greatest joy that this book brings is that it is not just another ‘how to’ book, which pervades the world of wellness. It’s a book that breaks down what jet lag really is and looks at all the aspects of flying: the body clock factor, dehydration, the effects of ionising radiation to name a few.
In this context, ‘Jet lag’ it be said cannot be defined in terms of one isolating effect, as it is so often described. It’s rather the holistic assault on the body as a whole which makes jet lag such a debilitating condition. In this regard, looking after one’s wellbeing, grounding, drinking sufficient fluids (and the right water too may I add) and maintaining optimal immunity through targeted nutrition are the tools that every frequent flyer should have in his tool kit to combat the debilitating effects that flying has upon the body.
Oh, and forget about the melatonin jet lag quick fix, unless of course you like to mess around with your hormones. Christopher offers a different solution to this in terms of improving the pathways to creating melatonin, rather than taking some synthetic substance that increases the level of melatonin in the body. The law of cause and effect is at play here. Increase one level, and the knock on effect upon the rest of the body is likely to occur.
I was fortunate enough to try some of Christopher’s home remedies, not least with his key recommendation of ‘grounding’, the practice of connecting with the earth’s natural negative currents flowing as a result of the earth’s electro magnetic core.
As I have described before in relation to my Vivo barefoot shoes, the benefits of walking barefoot are enormous. By grounding yourself with the earth as you arrive at your destination, we quickly learn to tap into this natural infinite energy supply. This has a ‘detoxifying’ effect as well as allowing you to acclimatise with your new environment upon arrival. It really is as simple as standing outside for a few minutes at your destination. Getting as much sunshine helps too in resetting the body’s natural clock.
Let me tell you something though: I did conveniently ‘ignore’ the melatonin advice on the first night as I took a nap in the afternoon after arriving from London. Concerned about not sleeping later that evening, I did take a melatonin tablet, and boy did I pay for it. I had the most intense, disturbing dreams ever. I knew it was completely unnatural, especially the ones I picked up from Singapore Airport Pharmacy (which I’m sure is one of their best sellers). Melatonin, no more!
So how else did I fare on this trip? Well I must say that with adequate rest, getting enough sunshine and grounding myself, I was relatively fine after the long haul. That said, the casual flyer like me is not the target market of the book (although you will find it interesting nonetheless); it’s the guys who are doing long haul week in week out, or thereabouts. When travel becomes part of your regular routine, there’s an art and science in how to look after yourself, flying all those hours racing across time zones.
Lest it be said that what Christopher does so well in this book is redefine the concept of travel. Rather than travel being traditionally viewed as a glamorous affair, it rather should be seen in terms of preparing yourself to enter into an alien environment where you are the mercy of the elements. Jet lag it seems is real and brutal. Thankfully there is a method that can minimise this stress. If your work or life is dependant upon flying, then your health may depend upon reading Christopher’s book. I know for me flying will never be the same again. What have you got to lose? Your health, and that’s a big deal.
Farewell Jet Lag: Cures from a Flight Attendant is available for sale on Amazon for £14.99.
Scott
To learn more about how yoga & meditation can transform your busy personal and professional life, please get in touch with me or email me at Scott@yogibanker.com
