Jet lag - Letter to the Editor

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  August-Sept, 2002  

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Editor:

Time zone change is a conflict created when natural body rhythms do not synchronise with real time. Until adjusted to, in the new time zone, sufferers feel wide awake at night and cannot sleep during the day. This is because of abrupt changes involving the pineal gland, which manufactures and secretes hormones that regulate the biological clock and promote sleep and wakefulness, and so treatment to help adjust to time zone changes is focused on pineal gland support (and support of other endocrine glands, especially adrenals and thyroid).

Jet lag, however, is more than just time zone change confusion on a biological and mental level. Jet lag is a toxic condition caused by gross cellular dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. This state is compounded and exacerbated by adverse radiation caused by flying, and rapid crossing of the time zones, but its severity is proportional to underlying chronic (long term) toxicity from a multiplicity of causes along with severe cellular dehydration and electrolyte imbalance caused by lack of unrefined salt as a regular part of the diet. White, industrial grade sodium chloride, labelled table salt, rock salt, or sea salt in the shops, is not fit for human consumption and bears no resemblance to unrefined salt which is vital for health and contains about 80+ minerals allowing the sodium part of salt to enter and leave cells and promote correct sodium-potassium pump action. The lack of understanding between industrial grade sodium chloride and real physiologically-essential unrefined salt has given rise to total confusion about the role of salt in health. Unrefined salt is no longer available over the shop counter in the United Kingdom. UK residents have to get it from abroad but there are UK suppliers.

Cellular dehydration is caused by:

1) insufficient water intake

2) excessive water output

3) inability of cells to uptake water because of:

i electrolyte imbalance (lack of unrefined salt)

ii nutritional deficiencies/imbalances

iii radiation

iv toxicity of all kinds including:

a) primarily, heavy metals (mercury from amalgam fillings),

b) vaccination

c) drugs (prescription, QTC, 'recreational')

d) food and water toxins, especially fluoride

e) physiologically unacceptable fats which interfere with the cell membrane and block the lymphatic system

f) long term emotional stresses

There are lots of common factors to the dehydration state at cellular level and each factor is not an isolated one but intimately intertwined with others. Seeing the big picture and not a collection of individual factors enables resolution of the real cause of the problem. The only way to resolve any problem is to identify the cause(s) and correct. There is a cause for every effect and there is a cause for jet lag. It doesn't just happen for no reason.

Symptoms of jet lag cover a wide range of individual responses to stress, which is exactly what cellular dehydration is: a major stress of such critical importance that because the body has no water reserves, it initiates a priority water rationing system. Signs of severe water rationing ('on red-alert') can range from heart attack, angina, pain (migraine, joint, muscle), asthma, allergies, panic attacks to lethargy, disorientation, clinical depression and tiredness. Long term exposure to this state can lead to chronic illness such as cancer and diabetes. These symptoms arise as a result of dehydration caused by fluid and electrolyte imbalance, toxicity and nutritional deficiencies.

For those involved in regular flying, it is important to work out which way to cross the date lines so that detoxification can take place on a daily basis, as much as possible. As mentioned, detoxification can only take place effectively whilst in a horizontal position, during sleep, under the pull of the moon (i.e. at night), so that the sodium-potassium pump is activated to efficiency--the height of liver activity being between 1 am and 3 am (the liver is the main detoxification organ). Detoxification is hindered by several factors, one of which is attempting to sleep in an area of adverse radiation. All of these factors intertwine but it is well known that lack of detoxification is felt keenly by night workers, shift workers and those who fly regularly. With sleep disturbance and dehydration, detoxification is not as efficient and the body tends to become more acidic. Some people may benefit from taking organic apple cider vinegar in water or freshly squeezed lemon juice in water, both of which have an alk aline effect. A mix of magnesium, potassium and sodium bicarbonates helps to temporarily alkalinize the body but the cider vinegar or lemon would be better. Do not have ordinary vinegars--they are acid.

Water with a little unrefined salt is the primary treatment for time zone change confusion. Dehydration is the worst enemy and if sufficient pure (bottle/filtered/distilled) water is taken during travel, symptoms will be significantly diminished. Drink minimum 4-6 pints of distilled/filtered/bottled water (not carbonated, which is acid) daily and three of these before meals, i.e. a pint of water with little salt 10-15 minutes before meals. Without this water, the pancreas cannot manufacture the watery bicarbonates necessary to activate pyloric sphincter function (stomach opening to let contents into the duodenum) and the result will be indigestion and heartburn and, if dehydration is severe enough, angina and heart attack.