For the past 15 years, I have been dealing with clients who change time zones on a weekly basis. In fact I have done a bit of traveling myself and know firsthand that jet lag is vicious and can wreak havoc to the body. Here are a few simple ways to be proactive about jet lag and get your body back to normal as quickly as possible.
Begin to adjust your internal clock four to five days before traveling. Depending on where you're traveling, gradually add or subtract an hour per night prior to your departure. This will be less of a drastic shock to the body and will get you acclimated much more quickly to the new time zone you are entering.
Eat healthy snacks on the plane. Missing meals can cause many negative effects in life. The plane is a place where most of us have a tendency to miss meals and get out of our routines. I like having my clients snack on organic turkey jerky or bison jerky on the flight. I will also have them carry raw almonds and some fruit if possible. This will help keep blood sugar levels balanced and will help in the recovery process which is always needed, especially when the body is put under the stress of flying.
Drink water. This is big. Air travel dehydrates you. Focus on getting at least eight ounces of water per hour of flying. I consume a lot more than this, but for those of you struggling with water this is the bare minimum.
Avoid caffeine on the plane. The reason behind this is that you should be trying to sleep! Caffeine will also further dehydrate you, so save the coffee for when you are on the ground.
Supplement. There are also a handful of vitamins and minerals that can be taken for your immune system. Vitamin C and a B complex can only help. Just make sure you are getting them from reliable sources that are not filled with toxic metals.
Avoid alcohol. Again, this will lead to further dehydration and will throw off rest patterns. We need to focus on getting quality rest around travel time.
Give these a shot, and I guarantee your bounce back time from jet lag will be reduced.