Jet lag relief

Having flown long distance many times in 30 years of international travel, my husband, Bernie, and I noticed that we get more jet-lagged going eastward and a little less so on our westbound trips, though, in either direction, jet lag leaves us feeling tired and not so alert upon our arrival.

We’ve made two good discoveries.

For the problem of swollen feet when flying, we wear compression socks during each flight, which also help prevent deep vein thrombosis.

Regarding jet lag, itself, the travel supply company Magellan’s (800/962-4943) has pills called No Jet Lag. This homeopathic medication, in the form of chewable pills, has no side effects. We use it when we go overseas, such as on the 14-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney that we took in June ’12; on our arrival in Sydney, we were wide awake, with no jet lag and no aftereffects from the medication, then or later.

We found the same kind of product at the Perth airport in Western Australia. There it was called Jet Ease, but on the box was printed, “... product is also sold as No Jet Lag.” Jet Ease is made in Australia, while the pills sold by Magellan’s are made in New Zealand.

A package of 32 No Jet Lag tablets costs $13.50, which I have found is good for 50 hours’ flight time; buy two or more and each packet costs $11.50. The pills taste rather pleasant.

MIYAKO STORCH
Santa Barbara, CA