Technostress is just another modern day addiction. The symptoms associated with this techno-centered syndrome range from irritability to a high degree of factual thinking, poor focus, limited access to emotions, and an insistence on efficiency while displaying lack of empathy for others.

In 1984, Craig Brod coined the phenomenon in his book Technostress, which identified the techno phenomenon as promoting breaks in concentration, feelings of being overwhelmed, and a high degree of anxiety. The state of being constantly stimulated or perpetually “plugged in” affects our brain and can eventually lead to strong mental or emotional responses including technological stress.

Technology has radically altered the way we build our personal and professional lives and how we interact with others. It has also altered our expectations and time perception. In a society where time is money, we often choose to confront the symptoms of mental and physical sickness, instead of looking to find a root cause.  This quick fix mindset determines how we treat disorders that are created by technostress. We reach for sleep medications, boost our alertness and mood with caffeine, take antacid to get rid of indigestion and Viagra to improve sex. We don’t regard technostress itself as a potential problem.

Sadly, technology increases time spent in sedentary work habits. Sitting before a computer screen or accessing other technological equipment for long periods of time increases mental labor, which in turn consumes a tremendous amount of energy, leading to a deep, emotionally based fatigue that is quite different from physical fatigue. At the end of the day the inexorable advances associated with this “time saving” technology meant to help us stay more connected serve instead to keep us from ever fully disengaging.

Technostress is just like any other addiction; you become an excessive-compulsive addict interacting with technology. The stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol fuel arousal and create the need, the rush and the high of being connected. When we decide to put our mind and body on the back burner, we are eventually going to receive an invoice in the form of necessary healing. This technological addiction has produced a population that is fragmented, lacking purpose, depressed, and filling doctor’s offices with an array of aliments, without intimate connections, and isolated from community support.

One of the most pressing problems associated with technostress was that people don’t get to unwind or recover. There is a continual, unrelieved build up of stress on a chemical level which in turn eventually contributes to a behavioral and/or physical problem.

How is technology effecting you? Have you ever experienced technostress?

In the next article Mike Conner will help you explore technostress symptoms and find effective ways to deal with it.

Images courtesy of Naaree.com and mark sebastian {Flickr}.

Mike

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

The Hidden Cost of Being Plugged In 24/7 is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Scoping out a Greener Mouthwash is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Three years ago when I had just started exploring Ayurveda, the abundance of information and the lack of guidance were very confusing and discouraging at times. It took lots of time-consuming research and unnecessary frustration to finally understand all the intricacies of this ancient science. At the end it was well-worth it as my body healed and I feel in control of my health. However, at the beginning of my journey I really wish I had met someone like Dr Helen Thomas, the creator of Colon Karma Cure online program.
Dr. Helen Thomas is an enthusiastic chiropractic doctor who loves sharing her passion for Ayurvedic medicine. Helen believes Ayurveda can change our minds and thus ourselves. She is the author of multiple books and articles on the subjects of health, beauty and wellness. Colon Karma Cure is her recent creation and today she shares some of her wisdom about digestion, stress, and individual body types.
Nadya: What inspired you to create Indigestion Guru and the Colon Karma Cure Program? Why did you want to talk publicly about bloating and constipation (something that people don’t usually want to discuss)?

Dr Helen: According to ayurveda, all diseases result from an imbalance in the digestive system. Colon Karma Cure is focused on balancing and rejuvenating the digestive system. It provides necessary guidance and tips for people to heal their digestive system and bring balance into their life.

Nadya:  According to Ayurveda digestion is really important, but modern Western medicine doesn’t encourage doctors to pay as much attention to digestion. What do you think is the biggest misconception about digestion in the Western world?

Dr Helen:  Well, there are two of them. First of all, most doctors do not teach the idea of individualized diets. In ayurveda understanding your body type and your digestive tendencies are used to create a personalized diet. Not knowing your body type and not understanding the nature of your needs leads to digestive disorders. The wrong way of approaching your body type can throw you out of balance and keep you in a state of continual disequilibrium which plants the seeds for disease. Generalizing and giving everyone the same advice does not work.

The other big pillar there is that emotions and digestion are reflective of each other. For example, Vata body types are more prone to be nervous and experience anxiety. That directly affects their digestive system which locks itself down in a state of fight-or-flight. Pitta types have a predisposition to get agitated and angry. They also tend to secrete too much hydrochloric acid and as a result can get over acidified.

The third body type is called Kapha and its tendency is to have a very slow metabolism and to become lethargic. People of this type hold onto their emotions and don’t express their feelings. As a result they feel shut down and become depressed. Kapha’s digestion tends to be slow and sluggish. If we are not aware of our emotional tendencies and their connection to the digestive system, we are setting ourselves up for trouble.

Nadya: How does an ayuredic physician assess someone’s emotional tendencies and digestion?

Dr Helen: Everything in the human body tells a story. Face, tongue, pulse, the way you carry yourself, and the way you speak – everything provides cues to a mindful physician. If you can step back and observe without any judgment, lots of intricacies make themselves visible. The doctor has to become a skilled observer and take everything into consideration. For example from an Ayurvedic point of view, a patient with a red face, who is impatient and talks angrily about his family and complains about his business is portraying signs of a Pitta emotional tendencies. His digestive system is likely to be influenced by high Pitta, as well. Over time, it can lead to high acidity digestive disorders.

Nadya: Every different body type tends to experience different emotions when under stress and, as you make clear in Colon Karma Cure, stress affects digestion. What should different body types eat when they’re stressed out?

Dr Helen: According to Ayurveda, Vata types would benefit from drinking a cup of warm freshly boiled milk, dairy or almond. I’m myself a Kapha Vata type and tend to get stressed out when I travel. I get discombobulated and nervous for no apparent reason besides breaking my routine and just getting to and from the airport. My Vata gets out of balance. To calm Vata down, I go to any coffee shop at the airport and get a steamed milk. A pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon make milk easier to digest and less heavy. Every Starbucks has those spices available. This Vata concoction leaves me feeling calm, relaxed, and nourished.

Pitta types have an outgoing personality. They are always up for a game and ready to compete. They love to get engaged, to lead, and impatient to sort things out in business. They are usually very patient about things that they are involved in. When stressed, Pitta types tend to get acidic and angry. It is important for Pittas to have regular meals and get sufficient nourishment. Low gluten or gluten free high protein grains are best. If you are on the go, you can get a whole grain muffin and a warm put of spiced milk to fuel for the meeting. Refined grains do not work as well, however.

Kapha types get depressed and internalized stress. They should try to keep food very light in high stress moments. Hot water with lemon and maybe a rye bread toast would be sufficient.

To learn more about Dr Helen’s Colon Karma Cure program and to cure all your belly aches, go to www.indigestionguru.com. Happy Belly!

Images courtesy of Miran Rejavic, USDAgov, and numberstumper {Flickr}.

Indigestion Guru Shares Digestion Secrets is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: What’s the story with Echinacea? Many herb teas contain it, and many people swear by it as a cold remedy. But I’ve also seen headlines saying that the herb has no medicinal value whatsoever. Can you set the record straight? – Arlene Hixson, Portland, ME

Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, has gained popularity in recent years as a nutritional supplement that proponents believe is helpful in staving off the common cold and shortening its duration. But given the variation between dosages and formulations—such herbs are not regulated as medical drugs by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and so makers have little incentive to standardize—it’s hard to get definitive answers as to Echinacea’s effectiveness.

Historically, Native Americans relied on the root of Echinacea to numb toothache pain and treat dyspepsia as well as snake, insect and spider bites. While some modern day folks rely on Echinacea just based on this anecdotal evidence, scientific studies have verified that the herb can be effective. To wit, a 2008 University of Connecticut review of 14 different clinical trials of Echinacea use found that taking the supplement reduced the chances of getting a cold by 31 percent, and helped people get over cold and flu symptoms a day and a half earlier than those who didn’t take it.

Researchers initially thought Echinacea’s effectiveness was due to its immune-boosting traits, but they now believe instead that the herb works more as an anti-inflammatory agent. A 2009 University of British Columbia study found that typical commercially available Echinacea preparations are effective in reducing the body’s production of inflammatory proteins in human bronchial cells. In layman’s terms, this means that Echinacea can help lessen the annoying symptoms of common colds, the flu and other respiratory ailments. Furthermore, the study found that Echinacea is just as effective in reducing bronchial inflammation whether it is consumed before or after a viral infection sets in, indicating that taking moderate doses on a regular basis during cold season can help prevent some bronchial irritation if and when cold symptoms begin.

Interestingly, though, a 2010 study of 719 participants in Wisconsin focusing on illness duration and severity found that the duration of the common cold could be shortened by taking a pill of some sort, whether Echinacea or a placebo with no active ingredients. But this study merely underscored the importance of psychological factors in fighting illness and did not say that Echinacea isn’t effective.

Given the lack of FDA oversight of herbs, different formulations may contain vastly different amounts of Echinacea. A 2004 evaluation of 19 different Echinacea brands by the non-profit Consumers Union and published in Consumer Reports found that the amount of Echinacea actually present in supplements varied considerably from brand to brand—and even in some cases from bottle to bottle of the same brand. The magazine recommended a few brands as “best picks,” including Spring Valley, Origin and Sundown, all which featured high concentrations of Echinacea and reliable dosage amounts from pill to pill.

Before taking the Echinacea plunge, beware that the herb can cause allergic reactions in some people and may interact negatively with some common medications. Researchers warn that anyone with autoimmune disease or a handful of other illnesses should not take Echinacea without first consulting with their doctor.

CONTACTS: FDA, www.fda.gov; Consumers Union, www.consumersunion.org.

Images courtesy of doug2014 and normanack {Flickr}.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Can Echinacea Save You From The Common Cold? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Introduction to Technostress

We are no longer hitchhikers on the information highway. We live in a world of connectivity and it is growing every day. There are some amazing benefits of being so technologically advanced and connected, but there are also disadvantages. Stressors used to arrive on our doorstep daily in various forms: chemical, physical, emotional, neurological, environmental. Now technological stressors has become a new category. When talking about technostress we are referring to a reliance on technological devices, which induces a state of near-constant stimulation from being perpetually “plugged in.” Technostress, simply put, is technology-induced pressure.

A hundred years ago, our greatest minds started to visualize a more efficient world where advances in technology would make life highly productive, consistent, and profitable. Technological marvels were supposed to give us more time for friends, family and ourselves. Quite the opposite happened. These techno timesavers turned out to be the very devices that we are told will make our lives more efficient and easier; yet promote unexpected mental and physical consequences. Jonah Lehrer, author of How We Decide, points to the notion that we live in a culture that’s awash in information.

Instead of peacefully enjoying the wonders of nature, we are invaded on all fronts by computers, incoming faxes, copiers, email, voice mail, chiming cell phones, TV, online games, DVDs, laptops, iPod Touch, iPad, The Kindle Reader, The Sleep Number and the list keeps getting bigger and better. Technological stress has become a national epidemic. The sheer speed of the technological experience produces an extreme future that impoverishes our present moments. Very few of us are still able to remember the idea behind creating all these technological devices. The idea of savoring life is shadowed by the anxiety of replying to hundreds of emails.

We are like frogs in a simmering pot of technological change and we can’t even identify how this connectivity has affected our stress levels. The first inkling that there was a problem came in 1984 when Craig Brod, in his book Technostress, identified the human cost of the computer revolution. He saw the emerging problem as a modern day disease of adaptation caused by an inability to cope with the new computer technologies in a healthy manner.

The question is whether we can still step back and reassess our relationship with technology, reaping the benefits of virtual reality while still maintaining a high level of humanity? We are no longer able to live in this world without being involved with some form of technology, so the choice of how to co-exist with it has to be made by every one of us.

Herbert Simon, Nobel Prize winner and late professor at Carnegie Mellon University, said it best: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” Technology has saddled us with blinders and left us with a diminished understanding for what it takes to be world class. It distorts our thinking and dulling our value for human excellence through the process of “intellectualizing and digitalizing” monumental human achievements. This growing mindset has radically altered the way we build our personal and professional lives and how we interact with others. Online social networks and virtual realities are changing the concept of what it means to be human. Some even say that it collides with hundreds thousand years of biological wisdom and evolution, potentially amputating our senses and crippling our ability to feel.

Technology is here to stay, a permanent brick in the wall of our society – it is still in its infancy and we are just learning its effects on mind and bodies. These devices will only grow in use, and with them technostress will become more prevalent. Let’s not fully substitute our day to day reality with the virtual reality of cyberspace. Instead, we as a society need to balance our humanology with technology. If we don’t focus on the amount of technology we consume, it might consume us!

Do you ever feel like technology (your phone, emails, facebook) is controlling your life and your time? Have you ever felt anxious or stressed out by technology? Please share your stories; we would like to explore this subject more!

In Mike Conner’s next piece you will learn if our brain was actually wired to multi-task and what happens when we do it.

Images courtesy of Crystalinks; Sebastian Anthony and mik_p {Flickr}.

Mike

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

Technology: Enriching Your Reality, or Replacing It? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Eye catching title, no? The pursuit of health and wellness is about self discovery. It’s about finding the right things to institute into your daily routine to increase not only the length of your life, but also its quality.

One thing I have found from my own pursuit of health as well as from working with my clients is: once you become excited about healthy options, the possibilities and the positivity, the discovery of new things tends to roll over to other parts of your life.

No, I am not being cryptic on purpose. Pursing wellness gives us a self awareness, a sense of confidence and pride – as it should. As we begin to respect ourselves, our bodies and our wellness, we begin to become conscious of other things that can impact not only our own health and fitness, but the wellness of the environment around us.

For example, in working with one particular client, one of her goals was to incorporate whole foods based meals into her diet instead of grab-and-go. While exploring whole foods she wanted to incorporate, she discovered “organic.” Organic items were not something she had purchased in the past, because she was not in a place to care about what the differences between organic and conventional items might mean to her.

Once she began to focus her energies on feeling better and achieving better health, she began to explore alternative avenues to do that. And in the course of her own discovery, she found that different choices could impact not just her health but other areas positively as well. This is wellness breeding respect for other things around us.

Of course, everyone’s journey is different. But I do believe self discovery of our own vitality and health can lead to positive impacts on the environment around us. The more we research healthy alternatives to things that we treat as commonplace, the more we can see how making even small changes can create huge results on a bigger scale.

Alicia

Alicia Kirschenheiter is an American Council on Exercise Certified Advanced Health Fitness Expert, Personal Trainer, Fitness Coach, Certified Weight and Lifestyle Management consultant, and Certified Wellcoach. Alicia is owner of Evolution Total Wellness Inc. located in New York, providing health and wellness solutions for individuals and businesses. She is also a published fitness, health and wellness writer for a variety of venues and author of Oscar and Otis – Fat Fighters, a children’s book about healthy lifestyle choices.

Wellness Breeds Respect is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Winter is on its way. Temperatures are dropping. No matter how hard you curl your toes on those long, cold, and frosty winter nights, they won’t get any warmer! Electric blankets are a convenient, cost effective way to stay warm during the winter months. But do you need to be concerned about electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from these appliances?

The answer is an unequivocal yes. Here’s why.

Any electrical appliance emits EMFs. When electricity passes on a wire, it creates an electromagnetic field. EMFs have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and a whole host of other terrible diseases. In 2007, the Bio-Initiative Report reviewed over 2000 published studies on the negative health effects of EMFs on humans and animals. It concluded that there was cause for concern and that the existing standards for public safety were, and still are, completely inadequate.

Electric blankets emit EMFs at levels 5 to 20 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed safe level of exposure. (The Trifield 100XE EMF meter can give you readings if you want to know exactly where you stand on this.)

Why Are Electric Blankets So Potentially Dangerous?

Image courtesy of ginnerobot (Flickr)

Recently, the World Health Organization classified EMFs from cell phones and other devices as possible carcinogens – placing them in the same category as DDT! But electric blankets pose a potentially greater risk than other appliances, such as cell phones, because of two factors.

1. Duration One of the key determinants of the magnitude of the health risk you’re exposed to is the duration of exposure. The longer you’re exposed, the greater the risk. If you sleep under an electric blanket that’s turned on, you’re wrapped (no pun intended) in EMFs through the night. This increases the amount of EMF radiation you’re exposed to by leaps and bounds. Nighttime is also when your body is secreting melatonin, a hormone that protects against cancer. Epidemiological studies have shown that EMFs inhibit its secretion, leading to fatigue, sleepless nights and increased cancer risk.

2. Proximity The rule of thumb with all forms of radiation is: the further you are from the source, the lower your exposure. The EMFs produced by an electric blanket are emitted very close to the body: they penetrate deeper. They also radiate across your whole body, unlike cell phones and other devices. So electric blankets expose you to EMFs for a long duration, perhaps up to 8-10 hours a day in winter, and at close proximity to your body.

This constitutes chronic exposure, and is what makes them so dangerous, especially for pregnant women and children. Children have been shown to absorb more EMF radiation than adults, due to various factors linked to their undeveloped bodies. Studies indicate that women who used an electric blanket around the time of conception and during early pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to miscarry as women who did not.

What Are The Alternatives To Using An Electric Blanket?

Image courtesy of ChefMattRock (Flickr)

Due to these concerns, manufactures have developed “zero magnetic field” blankets. Though these blankets eliminate magnetic fields, they may still emit electric fields. This poses an unnecessary risk to you and your family. There are other more natural alternatives to electric blankets.

* Use an extra blanket or duvet to cover yourself. Fleece sheets and a down duvet are a great way to stay warm over the winter months.

* It’s not very romantic, but you can don a hat and socks in bed.

* Use a hot water bottle, wheat bag, or a rice bag to warm your bed at night.

If you can’t live without your electric blanket, here are a couple of ways to minimize your exposure.

1. Turn the blanket on about 30 minutes before you go to sleep and let it warm the bed. Turn it off before you tuck in and unplug the cord from the socket. This is important; when the blanket is turned off but still plugged in, it emits a powerful electric field.

2. Buy a newer blanket. Though they still pose a risk to your health, newer models radiate less EMFs into your home.

So you see, keeping warm on those winter nights does not have to mean EMF exposure. The other alternative, if you already own an electric blanket, is to lay it over the bed without plugging it in….

Image courtesy of schani (Flickr)

Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Electric Blankets and Your Health is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

With new studies touting biking as a new fountain of youth and community involvement, 2012 might be the perfect year to take it back to two wheels. I made the jump in August, and I’ve been thrilled with it. Commutes that were once frustrating and boring are now a playful treat. It feels like I’m getting away with something.

What I’m not getting away without, however, is all of the stuff I use in the course of a normal day. Having switched my transit from a car to a bicycle doesn’t mean I no longer need my laptop, a lunch, a constant supply of water… for something that’s about being footloose and fancy free, biking can really weigh a girl down! I’d like to share some of my favorite finds with you; they make my life easier and keep me riding high and feeling fantastic.

Takeya

Takeya Modern Glass Water Bottle I am tough on my bottles. They go everywhere with me, I drop them, they get dirty. I’d been sticking with stainless steel for that very reason. But my switch to glass left me smitten; ergonomic design makes these bottles fit beautifully into the hand and their silicone sleeve makes cleaning a cinch. Glass means no off-gassing or plastic leaching, and the design of the cap also means it’s less likely to roll. In a few months, I’ve dropped it notably less than my old Earthlust bottle – and no chipping! A slim line means it slides into almost any bag I carry; I have a feeling I may have made a lifelong friend in hydration.

Aladdin

Aladdin Insulated Tiffin Lunch Set My quest for a bento box, or tiffin, style lunch container is legendary. I work long hours at multiple jobs, and have a penchant for elaborate lunches. Coworkers often teased me about the alchemy of my meals, which always seemed to need to be at different temperatures and mixtures to thrive. But you can’t mess with good taste. This leakproof lunchbox is as sleek and adaptable on the inside as it is sturdy on the outside, coming with interchangeable screw top lids and a divider. Best of all? It’s microwave safe, foam insulated, and BPA free. Now the only limit to lunchtime creativity is my own imagination.

Baggu

Baggu Bags Just about everyone has heard about these addictive and useful little stunners. They are my update to the old Parisian stereotype. Instead of walking along the Seine with a baguette and a hearty red wine, I’m biking home with one slung over my shoulder, kale sprouting from one side. They are stylishly indispensable. But did you know that when you do need to dispense with them, the company will take them off your hands to recycle? The fabric takes a licking and keeps on ticking; melted down, it is then turned into more nylon. Infinite recyclability results in a loop you can just keep closing – and as an incentive, the company takes $1 off your order of new bags for every one you send in.

Wren

Wren Carryall Bag But what about when I’m carrying something more substantial: my laptop, for example, or heavy bottles or cans? This is when I turn to the big guns – my gorgeous Wren carryall. I change purses extremely infrequently, largely because I’m quite picky. But save an exterior pocket, this bag has everything I need. Meticulously handmade in South Africa from an upcycled Brazilian coffee sack, it fits all of the above like Mary Poppins’ magic carpetbag: three Baggus, my lunchbox, my laptop, my water bottle, my planner, a book or three, wallet, camera, umbrella, sunglasses… friends have been known to check the table for a false bottom as the parade of things I haul out of it increases. It has a gorgeously slim line so its weight balances perfectly on the shoulder, and best of all: last week when it rained, I discovered that it released the warm smell of roasting coffee beans.

The Basket Lady Rattan Bicycle Basket There is something so classic about a vintage bike with a basket. It speaks to a bygone era, braces and newsboy hats. This sweetly curved basket captures some of the flair of that time and combines it with sustainably harvested and handwoven rattan. I haul a lot of stuff, and occasionally I do worry that my schlepping will be too much for the elegant leather straps. But riding home from the market with flowers in the basket and a grin on my face is absolutely unbeatable.

Do you have any indispensable biking paraphernalia? Share it with us in the comments! My next bike roundup will focus more on safety gear; if you have any suggestions, please feel free to get in touch.

Disclosure: Wren Design and The Basket Lady graciously provided sample products for review. All opinions expressed here are solely those of the author. The receipt of samples does not guarantee a favorable review or endorsement from Modern Hippie Mag, its writers, or any of its affiliates. All images courtesy of their respective companies.

Form Meets Function on Two Wheels is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Many people get sick after being at the airports and taking long flights. Traveling can be a real challenge to our immune system: stress, breaking the routine, not-so-great food, exposure to sick people, environmental toxins, and a ton of bacteria circling through the A/C. Jet lag and heavy holiday dinners can make the matters even worse.

Of course washing hands with soap and using a hand sanitizer can help, but it won’t save you from getting sick if your immune system is weak. A strong immune system is what will keep you symptom-free even if everyone around is coughing and sneezing. If you prefer to spend the holidays doing what you love rather than being sick in bed, there are a few things you can do to stay healthy even after exhausting travel.

Immune-Boosting Travel

Prepare in Advance
A strong immune system can’t be built overnight. You should try to maintain a healthy digestive system and keep stress levels in check most of the time. Make strengthening your immune system a priority two weeks before holiday travel time. A few things to consider:

• Include fermented foods that contain probiotics, or take a probiotic supplement. Kimchi, kefir (dairy or coconut), miso, sauekfaft are all good options.

Image courtesy of izik

• Eat lots of high-fiber, easy-to-digest foods like vegetable soups, curries, and other one-pot-meals. Try this light but very nourishing Kind Curried Cauliflower Soup.
• Be active to keep blood circulation optimal. A lot of people notice immediate improvements when it comes to chronic constipation, bloating, and gas if they start exercising more. Walking counts! So if there is no time for the gym or a yoga class, walk to and from lunch or walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. I also love this video when I need to shake things up and get the blood flowing.

The Day of Travel

• Take some herbal tea bags with you, preferably something that has dried ginger, echinacea, or Valerian root and organic chamomile. They can all help calm nervousness and restlessness.
• Avoid bad food combinations at the airport or make some food to go if you have time. I always try to make a bowl of quinoa with vegetables or edamame to take with me. Even if the flight is short, you never know how long it might be delayed.
• Drink warm water or spiced milk at the airport. Starbucks has steamed dairy and soy milk. Add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to increase milk’s grounding, anxiety-reducing properties. A cup of hot herbal tea with cinnamon and lemon will also help.
• Add black pepper or cinnamon to all food to keep circulation to the digestive system abundant. Soups or easy-to-digest grains are the best food options according to ayurveda. Salad or cold sandwiches sold at the airport might upset your stomach by creating excessive dryness and bloating.
• Skip caffeine. Flying can be dehydrating to the body. Most people feel that their skin becomes a lot drier the day after traveling. The same thing happens on the inside. Caffeine will exacerbate internal dryness. Drink milk, herbal tea, or warm water instead.

Nourishing Bodily Systems After Travel
Once you get to your destination, there are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood of jet lag and rejuvenate your body.

• Drink Triphala before going to sleep. Triphala is a bowel tonic. It is not a laxative. It will help to restore your digestive system and keep it clean before the holiday feasts.
• Do a warm oil foot massage. This technique is the most nourishing and balancing thing that you can do when feeling spaced out or tired. Sesame oil is warm and grounding, but even a body lotion will do if you don’t have oil. I always travel with a small bottle of lavender essential oil and add a drop to the lotion. Massage your feet, knees, elbows, and stomach before going to sleep.
• Relax. Rest is crucial for a healthy immune system. You might have noticed that you often get sick after a few sleepless nights. Our bodies need time to restore and rejuvenate. Yoga nidra or a guided meditation are very helpful if travel anxiety sets in or if insomnia doesn’t let your body rest.

No matter where you are heading for the holidays, stay healthy and well!

PS: If you are an explorer and a traveler by nature, join Nadya for her annual trip to India! Last year’s trip to Kerala was amazing but this year is promising to be even better. It is a dream come true vacation for any yogi. This two part trip is a rare opportunity to combine an exciting adventure with peaceful rejuvenation. A week of studying yoga and Vedanta at an ashram on the shores of the Ganges with an enlightened yoga and Vedanta teacher will be followed by nine days of visiting four beautiful ancient cities. Choose to do both parts, or just one of them. You can find all the info on the upcoming retreat here.

Happy travels!

How to Maintain a Strong Immune System While Traveling is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy of Wen-Yan King (Flickr)

Dear EarthTalk: Are the plastic tiers on food steamers safe for food and for re-heating? Some indicate they are made from #7 plastic. I am very interested in buying a steamer, but not if they are unsafe. What’s the best way to go? – Jim Lichlyter, Jr., Valley Center, KS

While you may never know for sure whether the plastic parts in a food steamer will contribute to health problems down the road, why gamble? Plastic marked with a #7 recycling symbol—signifying mixed sources (polycarbonate) or otherwise hard-to-classify plastics (such as acrylonitrile styrene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)—is considered one of the riskiest in terms of chemical exposure. Polycarbonates are the most common types of plastic in items marked #7. And any of these three “feedstocks” just mentioned could contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical in widespread use since the 1930s to harden plastic.

Researchers have found that exposure to BPA, a known “endocrine disruptor” that can mimic the body’s natural hormones, can lead to neurological and reproductive problems. As a result, public health advocates recommend not using containers marked with #7 for storing, heating or serving food/drinks so as to minimize the amount of BPA in our bloodstreams. Keeping BPA out of our bodies is an uphill battle: A recent study found that 96 percent of pregnant women in the U.S. have at least trace amounts of BPA in their systems already (and probably the rest of us do as well).

In response to increased consumer awareness about the potential risks of exposure to BPA, many bottle and container makers are now marketing versions of their plastic products that are BPA-free—and the trend has extended to food steamers, with several now available in BPA-free versions, including Oster’s 5712, Black & Decker’s HS1050, and Big & Fast’s Plastic Electric Food Steamer. Buyers beware: Even some BPA-free steamers have non-stick surface made from PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Teflon), another hazardous chemical that health advocates recommend avoiding.

Image courtesy of avlyxz (Flickr)

But to complicate matters further, a July 2011 study by a group of Texas-based researchers and published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that just because a plastic product is marked “BPA-free” doesn’t guarantee that it won’t leach other endocrine disrupting chemicals—what the study refers to as “estrogenic activity” or “EA”—into food or drinks: “Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled—independent of the type of resin, product or retail source—leached chemicals having reliably detectable EA, including those advertised as BPA free,” the researchers reported. In some cases, BPA-free products released greater amounts of estrogenic chemicals than even products known to contain BPA.

In light of all this, consumers might want to just opt for food steamers (and food storage and preparation items) made of tried and true plastic-free materials like glass or stainless steel. Some highly rated non-plastic, non-Teflon food steamers include Secura’s 3-Tier Stainless Steel Food Steamer ($90), Miracle Exclusives’ Stainless Steel Rice Cooker and Vegetable Steamer ME81 ($70), and World Cuisine’s 4-quart Red Enamel Cast-Iron Steamer with a tempered glass colander and a tempered glass lid ($220). And don’t forget: You can save yourself some money and kitchen storage space by just getting an inexpensive metal steamer basket, collapsible insert or bamboo steamer, available at any cookware store for less than $20.

CONTACT: Environmental Health Perspectives, ehp03.niehs.nih.gov.

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Hot (and Heavy): Safety in Food Steamers is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag