How to avoid jet lag – general tips

Jet lag is a physical reaction to a rapid change in time zones.

It affects most people, even seasoned travelers! Including flight staff that travel often.

It’s often been said that it takes the body one day to recover for each time zone crossed. In my case, that could be a week-long recovery!

This time, I got a little smarter and figured out how to avoid jet lag (or at least minimize it)

I've just traveled from Perth, to San Francisco (via Sydney) again for the fourth time in 18 months, and have copped another dose of it! This time I’ve only got some mild effects because I created some new patterns for myself. Mostly, drinking LOTS of extra water before, during and after the flight. And resting the day before the flight, instead of running around preparing to the last minute, like I did in the past.

Some of the contributing factors of jet lag can be quite debilitating and include:

· Dehydration

· Unfamiliar foods

· Cramped spaces

· Recycled air

· Lack of sleep

· Uncomfortable clothes

· Continual low-level noise

· Connections that disrupt sleep

· Quite frankly it can make you feel beat up!

Some of the symptoms of this disruption to circadian-rhythm include:

· Exhaustion

· Irritability

· Headache

· Dehydration (dry eyes, throat, nose, even skin)

· Disorientation

· Anxiety

· Indigestion

· Irregular bowel movements, constipation or diarrhea

· Impaired co-ordination (Including: bumping into things, dropping things)

What To Do?

Pre flight

· Plenty of sleep

· Plenty of exercise

· Drink lots of water – hydrate

· Avoid or limit alcohol and caffeine. Especially avoid a party night the evening before you fly, so you can give your body maximum energy to cope with the travel and time changes. Alcohol and caffeine are also diuretics, which deplete the body of maximum hydration.

· Prepare for your flight in advance so you can relax the day before. Reducing stress, anxiety or excitement prior to the flight will help your body clock adjust with more ease

During the flight

· Wear or change into comfortable clothing. Or even, put on your pajamas!

· Carry a set of ear plus and an eye mask to help you block out noise and light whilst you sleep.

· Use a travel pillow or neck rest to also aid your positional comfort when sleeping.

· Avoid or limit alcohol and caffeine. With the pressurization of the cabin it accelerates the effects of dehydration.

· Drink plenty of water. Set a target to drink 2 liters (4 pints) during the flight.

· Eat as little as possible. Most people don’t enjoy the meals on the flight, but rather eat out of boredom. Even in business or first class, where the food served is often quite delicious, it’s not necessary to eat as much as is served. Try to eat fresh fruit (even pack your own to take on board).

· Move about the cabin and stretch for some exercise when possible. In your seat, stretch regularly, pay attention to your spine and give it a chance to stretch and ‘breathe’. In your seat, circle your ankles and do some knee/leg lifts to aid circulation.

· As soon as you board your flight, set your watch to your destination time. Adjust your body clock immediately to the new time zone: If it’s going into night time, then do your best to sleep, or at least meditate and nap for as long as possible to align your body clock. If it’s daytime, then stay awake.

· If you get the opportunity to have a shower during a stop-over then it can be a great way to assist with nurturing your body. It not only assists with freshening you up, it also aids in relaxing your muscles and improving circulation.

Arriving at your destination

· If it’s daytime, then do your best to stay awake. This is the KEY. It’s important to reset your body clock as soon as possible to help avoid jet lag. Or at least minimize it. Do your best to stay awake until mid-evening at least. You will likely have a shorter sleep cycle for the first night. But then usually return to your regular sleeping pattern the second night. If you go to sleep during the day, you will likely sleep for days!

· If daytime, spend some time outdoors in the daylight and eat gentle and nourishing foods for your body to spend as little energy to digest. Salads, fruit, low-fat meals are great.

· If it’s evening when you arrive, go to bed as soon as possible. If you are restless, have a hot bath or shower, drink a calming herbal tea (such as chamomile) and listen to some calming music. Meditate or sit quietly to still your mind and body. Avoid stimulating your mind with watching TV or movies. Choose instead a little time for yourself to wind down.

· Drink plenty of water!

Hope these tips on how to avoid jet lag helps you the next time you do a long-haul flight. Whether you are traveling for business or holiday, take care of you so you can maximize your trip. That way you get to spend as much time as possible enjoying your new location.

Amazonion Bugs... get into my stomach

These last few days I have been bound to my bed with a stomach bug and on a 'dunny run' for the umpteenth time. Clutching my stomach, bent over double on the loo, on my fourth day of this ordeal, in great pain I cry out... "dear God, please help me through this. Help me clear this crap."

And then I get some insight.

I see it as a cleanse physically and emotionally, as the emotional 'crap' I'd been hanging onto in recent weeks, storing it in my belly.

I'm momentarily in gratitude, then squeak as I grip my belly with another cramp rolling through. I'm feeling weak, and exhausted. I want this to stop. I shut my eyes and breathe....

I'm also transported back in time to September 2008 when I was in the Peruvian Amazon Jungle, and experienced more 'bugs' than I bargained for.

A four day adventure in the thick of the Amazon was amazing and enlightening as to how I can cope being ill in one of the most isolated parts of the world.

We flew in to Puerto Maldonado (Peru, near the Bolivian border), picked up by tour guides and led to an office to leave most of our luggage. We were each given a "ten kilo duffel bag," meaning we could only pack ten kilos of belongings to travel with us.

From there we were transported by bus to the Amazon river, all piling into a motorized canoe. An hour later, we disembark, and begin a 3 kilometer trek along a path cut through the jungle, to another canoe. This time our guides paddle them.

The squawks of the jungle and the rhythmic chirp of the cicadas are echoed around me as the sound of the paddle dipping and sliding through the water keeps me present in the canoe.

I'm in the Amazon!

Four days of nature, magnificent nature. Photographing tarantula spiders on guided night walks, spying Macaws flying through the trees at the wee hours of the morning, a forest full of life: bugs, monkeys, spiders, snakes, insects, and an abundance of beautiful trees.

Day two my stomach started to rumble. I had a close encounter with the stomach bug. Fatigue. Lethargy. And a closer relationship with my en suite bathroom.

Not to waste my precious time and opportunity to experience Mother Nature in this beautiful land, I chewed on Imodium and Buscopan like candy.

I roomed with my partner on the tour, Kristina, from Los Angles. We had only met for the first time in Cusco for the first part of the tour to Machu Pichu. She had a few days of ill health there, with a reaction to malaria pills.

I had taken no medication or vaccinations to come to the jungle. When advised of it in Peru by the girls on the tour (I hadn't been given any instructions from my US tour company), I had Videl, my tour guide, scout Cusco with me to find a medical center to get the 'Yellow Fever' shot. When we found one, they said they had none, and that it wasn't necessary given the time of the year.

They tell me it's dry season and there are not many mosquitoes about. I'm only concerned about one biting me with the disease! I make a mental note to be extra vigilant with the mosquito repellent and long clothing.

I'm a little anxious, about not carrying the medical documentation and also for the possibility of getting sick with Yellow Fever. But that was the least of my concern.

Most of the jungle activity is bustling at dawn and dusk, and during the night. So by day, I slept, oblivious to the steamy heat. My body just grateful to be horizontal. I willed myself forward for the early morning trail walks and laid myself out to sleep on the bench in the canoe, opening an eye every now and then when 'Tarzan,' our tour guide pointed out a caimen (crocodile) in the amazonian river water.

Transported back to my current moment, I grab some water from the kitchen to dissolve some more hydralyte. As I mix the orange powder into the liquid and stir, I'm ever grateful to be in my home, with a comfortable bed and privacy to allow my body to heal.

The only animals present are my cute, cuddly cats and dogs snuggling up to comfort me and give me love. And the occasional fly buzzing by my head, which I swat to keep it clear of me.

I nestle into my bed pillows as I smile with gratitude with reliving the magic memories of my Amazonian experience.

I'm feeling better already.

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Irradicate Irritation!....

Are you tired of seeing those things around you in your environment that annoy you?

Do you want to know how to cleanse your mind, soul and environment?

Then, create your 'Irritation List' NOW!

What does this mean?

Well, during my recent adventures and travels, a few months ago I met up with Jack Canfield (Co-Author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series) in San Francisco back in June of this year.



Before I witnessed his amazing ability to speak with passion, compassion and SOUL, I had heard previously about becoming conscious of what irritates you in your environment, and intentionally going about clearing it.

I caught up with Jack, after his presentation of which I was reminded of this amazing technique to move forward in life at amazing speed once 'clearing the path.'

His specific instructions were clear: spend a few days noting down EVERYTHING in your personal and professional environment which irritate you. Perhaps it includes the stapler on your desk, that no longer works efficiently yet you still use it. Or at home, the light bulb in the reading lamp you have forgotten to change for weeks.

Within in this list you will note small and large things that for one reason or another you have put off dealing with.

Deferring dealing with these irritations is sending a very dominant signal to your sub-conscious mind. It's sending a message, that perhaps sets you up for sabotage from moving forward.

The message is simple: "if you can't deal with this, then you can't deal with a bigger 'problem'..."

So, by spending a few days with intention, writing down everything that you can list as irritating you, the next step can be taken.

Dealing with it!

Whether you do it yourself, or delegate it out, once you have 'cleaned up' your environment, you will now create space for what is working in your life.

Allowing .... FLOW.....

Get rid of the old. Banish the broken. Donate or sell the things you no longer want or need.

And watch the magic of a Universal Law.. "Nature abhors a vacuum!"

If you would like more of Jack's marvelous tips, I highly suggest the 'White Bible'... his latest book, "The Success Principles".... A compilation of the best Success strategies in one book..

Enjoy!

Machu Pichu.... A flash back in time

Machu Pichu ...a flash back in time.

This day a year ago, I was spending my last day packing in Peru to head back to the USA.

My journey to Peru: Machu Pichu and the Amazon rank high among my list of "AMAZING" pilgrimages.

I left on my own, to spend two weeks away, with a guide...and five other ladies in Machu Pichu, and just one other lady in the Amazon.

My trek was to experience a life-long dream spurred on by a scholarly idea.

In mid-high school (year 10) I did the most amazing research project on Machu Pichu. Unfortunately, my teacher graded it with only a "C" because I hadn't followed the proper questions. I had instead, ventured off in my own private journey (perhaps telling of my soul's path), which he said "On it's own merits it's worthy of an "A+".

What the project did, was embed in my soul the burning desire to visit and experience Machu Pichu. This time last year, I did.

The vibrational field of this area is tremendous. After spending the courtesy two hours with my guide and small group, with a guided tour through the ruins... I meandered my own way around the historical treasures in a walking meditation, measuring every feeling tingling through my soul.

Often, like today, I feel an internal calling to return. It's sacredness is not only beautiful and magical, there is a recognition within my soul of this ancient land.

Few places I visit have this energetic pull on me.

*** *** ***

This week is my last week in Europe on this three month journey. These last twelve weeks have added other measurable experiences to my journey on the earth this time.

And while I spend my final days in Europe, resting in Calpe, Spain I have been reminiscing on the wonders, joys, experiences, love, laughter and many, many magic moments of touring through Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Lechtenstein, Italy, Republic of San Marino, Vatican City, France, Monaco, Andorra and Spain)... my heart and mind settles on the life-changing memories of my Peruvian experiences...

...perhaps my unconscious mind recalls the historical stories of the Spanish invasion of Peru... flashing up the odd image into my mind of the historical ages...

Whatever it is, I have felt compelled to journal today's thoughts and recollection of this magical trek.... one I feel perhaps I have done before, a looooooong time ago.

P90X: I'm taking up the challenge!

My focus this week is reviewing my goals. Especially my health and fitness.

I've been basking in the Spanish sunshine these last few weeks, enjoying my meditation and clarity of mind to define, yet again, the details of my ideal world.

I'm living in it. I've created it. And I continue to refine it.

Since retiring from my job as a Paramedic in March 2008, I've been traveling the world, visiting every glorious continent, except Africa (so far).

With the joy of traveling and rising to new adventures, I've also had a wonderful time relaxing into 'vacation' mode for the majority of the last 17 months. That means, lots of delicious wine and great food, sampling the different delicacies and delights of each new culture I integrate myself into whilst being a guest in each country.

Traveling forward regularly, lots of flights, and in recent months, touring in a campervan, means I have made my fitness a lower priority. Certainly in the fashion I was accustomed to, with gym classes and equipment which would be far too cumbersome for a 16 foot campervan or a single suitcase!

Excuses aside and values re-adjusted... I have a renewed focus on my health and fitness as one adventure draws to a close here in Europe and a new one soon to begin back in Australia.

P90X, here I come! (For more information on this system, click...here)

Some friends of mine have recently taken up the challenge for the new P90X fitness system. I've been watching their progress and the gauntlet has been laid.

I love a challenge, and it certainly will be a stretch for me to get back into such a physical regime.

My memory jabs at my conscious... "you're even more dynamic when you are so fit!" I nod. I am. And I am excited with the reminder.

Many years ago, before my Paramedic days, I was a fanatical Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer for almost six years. Since then, I have maintained varying levels of fitness, adapted it to my previous shift work lifestyle, and to a much lower degree with traveling, but always focusing on health and fitness as one of my core values.

I attribute my focus on health and fitness over the years as a habit that became one of my greatest assets. It created the pattern of discipline, focus, determination, and pushing my own 'limits' to extend past them and GROW!

I've used this Habit of Success with my health and fitness over the years as a model for the attributes required for my financial, and lifestyle success.

To design a life on your own terms also requires a mind-set of 'attitude of gratitude', adaptability, constantly learning and an internal driving force to always create more, do better, and take the next step! Most of all, to never give up...

And you can change your life for the better at any time!

Like my level of fitness which has decreased over the last year and a half, when you shift your focus back onto what you want (a clear vision), make a decision, lock on to target and take ACTION, our level of success soars and has a wonderful ripple effect into other areas of your life also...

What area of your life today will you make a decision to improve on?

Health, Wealth, Finance, Assets, Relationships and Spirituality... all need to be balanced for a well rounded 'wheel' for you to enjoy the wonderful ride called 'life'....

Love and Blessings,

Katie Gilbert
aka
"Global Butterfly"

Inspirational Beach (Life) Games..

Inspirational Beach Games.

Every day we have been heading to the beach in the afternoon for some European summer fun.

And every day we begin with frolicking in the water, playing our 'bat and ball' game.

We were extra challenged these last few days with the additional surf as the wind blew a little harder and the current tugged at our legs. Needless to say, we laughed and played as the sun kissed our skin, despite the not so 'perfect' conditions.

As we bantered with our game, it occurred to me how even a simple game, such as we were playing, reflected symbolism of larger life.

There were shots missed, and some hit well. There were times the ball came within easy hitting range, and times it was out of reach. In those times, do you just stand still and wonder why it didn't come closer? Or blame the other person for not hitting it to you 'easily'? Or do you ..S T R E T C H... and take a risk, and leap, perhaps even dive for the ball?

What are your thoughts whilst you play the game (of life)?

Are you 'stuck' in a moment of emotion which you are carrying forward into every new opportunity now, in each and every moment, blinding yourself from new opportunities being hit right at you?...

Or are you in the NOW, connected with your higher self, asking yourself quality questions, telling yourself wonderful empowering stories, causing you to be AWARE and ALERT to the ABUNDANCE of opportunities coming at you all the time? ...Even the ones that might look like they are out of your reach, but when you stretch and 'swing' you strike the 'ball' and empower yourself even more.

Our thoughts determine our outcome... our life. They determine how we choose to play. Our thoughts add fuel to how we feel. When we are telling ourselves empowering stories, we step up in life and become the hero or heroine... taking greater (intelligent) risks, swing at the opportunities more often, position ourselves to win with our posture and placement.. even when the conditions are not 'perfect'.

In the famous words of Norman Vincent Peale - "Change your thoughts and you change your world"

Calpe Spain ...Climbing Calpe Rock (Pendond'Ifach)!

Calpe, Spain.. Climbing Caple Rock (also known as Penond'Ifach) was a magnificent adventure!

The journey up the mountain became a wonderful metaphor for life... and success!

It takes some effort, trust, faith, persistence, perseverance, tenacity, preparedness, a plan-of-action, vision of the end goal, team work, empowering self-talk, effective communication, and least of all ...courage... amongst many of the MUST HAVE traits to succeed to complete your goal and achieve the outcome you desire! ....

Most of all.. NEVER QUIT!

And when you make it to the top of YOUR mountain... you too will see the delights, sights and extra SPACE available to you...

Don't be one of the (too many) people who quit their dream or goal before they reach the top... Instead, move forward to experience and enjoy the magnificence of putting in the effort to create your life by design...

There is a trek. There are decisions to be made. There will be hurdles to overcome, and ramble to scratch your way through. There will also be beautiful, glorious views along the way, sometimes easy trails or paths to follow, the odd rope thrown your way to help you 'UP', fresh air, new awareness and awakenings as you realize your dreams manifest into reality....

Go... Now... Start climbing YOUR mountain!

Love & Blessings,

Katie Gilbert
aka
"Global Butterfly"

Tomato Throwing Festival 2009, Bunol Spain

Tomato Throwing Festival 2009

Yesterday we made it to Bunol, Spain for the Annual Tomato Throwing Festival.

What hilarious madness! The streets were flooded with truckloads of tomatoes, being thrown, flared and flung at people by one another. The tomatoes are brought in by the thousands of kilos, and most of them smelt rotten!

As a creative and passionate cook, I really needed to numb my olfactory senses to the smell of rotten salsa!

What was most interesting to witness was to watch people get into the spirit of it, watching the inner child of each person just PLAY!

Whilst we missed the dense action (thankfully!) I managed to get into the midst of the aftermath and interview a few Aussies and New Zealanders... and still witness some of the action!

Enjoy!

Dreams.. Desires.. Designing YOUR life!

How often do you dream about what you REALLY want? Do you visualize it daily? Are you open to looking (and receiving) the flow of opportunities when the 'window' (doors, gates, and many other 'portholes' in guises) opens up for you?

Are you ready to take a 'leap of faith' or are you holding yourself back with fear?

F.E.A.R.

Fantasized
Experiences
Appearing
Real

"All fear is self-created by imaging some negative outcome in the future" - Jack Canfield (one of my great mentors - whom I've met and interviewed).

What would you like to be/do/have, but perhaps are holding yourself back with a fantasized experience, a false illusion?

• Would you like to leave the job you hate to explore your passion?
• Would you like to ask that girl you have your eye on out on a date?
• Would you like to book that dream holiday, and perhaps even go on your own?
• What about delegating some (or many) of your personal and business tasks to free up your time and life for your greatest abilities and joys?

These all require you to create a vision of success for what you want, and to take (massive and effective) action!

When you hold in your mind a picture of your ideal outcome, you create a very different internal conversation with yourself than you do if you are imaging all the worries and possible disasters. (Just reflect on your own life right now: how often have you thought of the worst case scenario - and it never happened!).

When you create supportive thoughts for your goal, you ACT DIFFERENTLY. Your behavior and actions you take move you in alignment with what you want... because you are BEING congruent with your thoughts, feelings and behavior.

Guess what? There is a Universal Law Of Attraction that works every single time, for each and every wonderful one of us Beings. It appears to work in favor for some more than most. But the truth is, the same Law works for ALL of us ALL the time.

If you have in your mind's eye a desired want - but carry in your heart a load of F.E.A.R. the 'pulse' you set off is incongruent and the F.E.A.R. will carry more 'weight'. Therefore you are signaling to the Universe a much stronger magnetic force of what you DON'T want.

You MUST focus on what you want with a heart felt full of belief and desire, of JOY, GRATITUDE and LOVE. Holding your desire with faith that it WILL manifest for you.

Now here is the critical KEY. The true secret to this process. When you are in alignment with your thoughts and feelings you will take ACTION in the direction of your goal.

Let me share a little of my earlier life with you.

I've ALWAYS dreamed to travel the world. For the last 15 months I have been globe-trotting full-time (in mini-retirement!).

However, I first traveled around the world (on my own) for 8 1/2 months when I was just 19 years old!

When I was 15 I held and announced a STRONG dream. I told my family, "I will travel around the world before I am 20."

That announcement was met with a lot of negative feedback - "You can't do that!" "You can't afford that!" "That's not possible."

Of course, the responses I was getting from family members was based on THEIR BELIEFS and their MODEL OF THE WORLD.

Their responses only fueled my desire and commitment to my goal even further.

1. I focused on people who HAD ALREADY ACHIEVED what I desired to do.
2. I also BELIEVED it was possible for me.
3. I took immediate action and the first thing I did was create a poster to inspire me. I drew a big thermostat. I had decided (based on research and an educated budget) that I would require $10,000. (Remember, at that time I was 15!)

I posted that visual up on the back of my bedroom door. I then took my next steps of massive action and found or created work opportunities. As I saved chunks of money I also coloured in on my poster the next $50, $100, $1000... As you can imagine, as that visual grew in my experience, the stronger the desire became and the faster it took me to manifest my goal.

Now being in high school and only 15 years old, you can imagine that it took me many years to save the money. I also had some other goals along the way which had that money flow out of my savings (a scooter, a one-month volunteer trip to the Philippines to work on a mission, and a motor-bike, amongst other things). But as I had set my goal "before I am 20" the momentum kicked in as my 'time critical' goal was closing in on me.

By the time I was 19 years old I saved over $12,000 for that trip and when the opportunity opened up for me I had leapt at it. I organized my life and in less than a month I was on my journey.... I brought into BEING a goal I had visualized for more than 4 years.

*** *** ***

What is your dream? What action will you take today? Will you take the leap of faith, right now?
What excuses are you now willing to let go of to bring into being your greatest dreams?

Go on... start with simply IMAGING... what will your life be like when you achieve your dream? Who does it require you to become? What do you need to do? Right now! Who has already achieved what you want, so you can model their success?