Traveling frequently opens one up for extra stress, loss of sleep, and extra colds. The first two events almost inevitably lead to the last. I know that people do not intend to pass colds on but, with stale airplane air as an enabler, they just cannot help themselves! The combination hits everyone at one time or another.
In order to protect myself I try to follow a discipline approach to flying and working away from home. I drink all the water I can find while avoiding sodas, caffeine, and anything that might accelerate my body’s dehydration. Foods like milk and cheese are taken in scarce quantities, and strong spice avoided. Rest is valued over finishing a good book, watching a first-run movie, or finishing the project already three days late for work.
A critical area, at least for me, is desserts. If I indulge I can predict with a high degree of certainty what will follow 24 to 36 hours later. On most occasions this part of the discipline is reasonably easy. I rarely find cheese-cake served by airlines attractive. Somehow cr?me brulee just isn’t the same at 40,000 feet. Even fresh fruit served with sweetened cream doesn’t strike the same cord as when it is served at home.
There is one exception and unfortunately for me it is one that I freely admit I have no ability to personally control. When I am offered gulab-jamans, an awesome, mysterious, wonderful, incredible, and indescribable West-Bengali sweet I will always says “yes”. As bad as this is, I know that I cannot possibly just have one! I need, want, desperately desire two, three, four; how about a dozen? Before you even ask, there is nothing remotely healthy about this particular sweet. It is just one that I really enjoy and have carried a weakness for since the first time I let one pass my lips.
Today you and I face a plateful of choices. What will we choose?
“It’s not smart to stuff yourself with sweets, nor is glory piled on glory good for you.” (Proverbs 25.27)
