Road trips

by Dr. Madeline Behrendt

I went to Vegas. I saw Elvis. Even better, I saw Fab, Terry, Donni, Patrick, Matt, David, Veronica, Tony and 10,000 other awesome chiropractors and speakers. Bravo to Dr. Fabrizio Mancini for creating a tremendous event. Sign me up for next year and I encourage every chiropractic team to come to Parker Seminars Las Vegas!

You just don't want to miss out on these events, so let's discuss how to travel with ease.

The reality is that seminars are endurance events. When I was a neophyte triathlete, I developed a healthy respect for endurance and quickly learned the distinction between an amateur and a veteran approach. You don't want to start off big and then bonk at the finish. At seminars we're all energized upon arrival, but what about Saturday? No one wants to be drained and drooling. Pros exit with power and energy, not just adrenaline. Finish strong.

We somatocize chiropractic events on so many levels, if we decrease interference, we can increase the results of the experience we are immersed in. Let me share some choices I've learned to make -- some practical, some decadent -- that encourage an optimum experience:

THE PLANE (train, car, etc.). I bring my own food and water, plus sunscreen, spine-friendly luggage and business cards.

THE HOTEL ROOM

Food -- I visit Whole Foods online to search for their site in my destination city so I can load up on water, breakfast, tea, healthy snacks, fresh fruit (and flowers) etc. to have in my hotel room. Be nice to your adrenals, as they'll get a workout on the weekend. Try to pay attention to how you trash the sugar, caffeine, etc. If you're going to cut loose, go for it your last night instead of your first. Check with your nutrition sage for any extra supplementation you may benefit from.

Air -- In my normal life, neither my home nor office are sealed buildings, so planes and hotels are a challenge. I put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on my door throughout my stay to avoid chemical cleaning solvents (leave garbage outside the door and ask for more towels as needed). For the truly decadent, bring essential oils (packed in plastic) to enhance your room.

Water -- At home, everything has water filters, promoting long, luxurious showers and baths. Yet, on the road most showers reek of chlorine, so I'm really fast! There are shampoos and body washes that help remove chlorine if you're very sensitive (look for in swim shops).

Pillows -- Ever wake up subluxated from a hotel pillow? My cervical curve loves my awesome, easy-to-pack travel pillow. Or, if you're sensitive to the detergents used in commercial laundry (i.e. hotel pillowcases), you can toss a pillowcase from home in your bag.

THE SEMINAR ROOMS

-- Always bring water and snacks (Whole Foods stash) for physical and mental energy.

-- Conference rooms are notoriously unpredictable when it comes to temperature, so I wear layers (and bring a hat) to not be too cold or too hot.

-- During breaks, I go outside to walk and talk. It feels great and re-energizes me.

ENERGY GREMLINS

When your self-care -- meals, sleep, exercise, and chiropractic care -- gets altered, you may be in Las Vegas physically, but your body still thinks you're at home in another time zone, and it's time to eat or sleep.

Snacks allow you to eat something at your regular meal time. I eat light during my travel meal time so I'm not eating twice as much.

With sleep, I just try to get as close as possible to my regular schedule without missing anything.

When it comes to exercise, my butt needs to be the same size when I return from a trip as when I left. I try hotel spas, run/walk, take a class in town, do yoga or pilates in the room, stand during the seminar, etc. The bottom line: I just move!

When it comes to chiropractic care, we're so lucky. We can get adjusted when we travel, all we need to do is ask, so ask!

Last, load up on chiropractic hugs. Dr. Wayne Dyer discussed a study about kindness and its positive effects on serotonin and the immune system. How cool that science is discovering kindness is good for you!

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I had a magnificent event, made a lot of new friends, connected with many of my favorite people, learned much, and have many articles developing that were stimulated by great conversations. Now, I'm going to do it all over again at the WCA Summit, May 1-3! Dr. Leslie Bedell and I will be speaking on women's health, in addition to a line up of amazing speakers. Can't wait to see you all there. Try out some tips and let me know your feedback.

(Dr. Madeline Behrendt is chair of the WCA Council on Women's Health and associate editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation [JVSR]. An author and speaker, she is committed to connecting women to chiropractic and chiropractors to women, and may be contacted at drmadeline@drmadelinedc.com)