By Mitzi Solomon, Founder & President, Countdown
This fall has been one of Countdown’s busiest travel seasons yet. In just a few short weeks, I’ve traveled to Chicago as a featured speaker at the HOMeHOPe Conference and to London, where Countdown CEO Julie Teer and I presented at The Aurum Circle, a gathering of international family offices, investors, and business leaders. Next up: being hosted by the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit in Washington, D.C., and Eudēmonia in West Palm Beach, Florida.
That’s a lot of time zones, a lot of airports and a lot of recycled cabin air. For anyone, travel is a stress test for the body. For me, living with a mitochondrial dysfunction disorder, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), dysautonomia, celiac disease and features of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, it can be the difference between showing up fully and spending days recovering.
Your mitochondria set the pace for everything: your energy, your focus, your sleep and how well you bounce back. Over the years I’ve built a set of products and simple rituals that help me keep my cells in good standing wherever I land. Here’s what’s in my bag, and what I do before, during and after every trip.
Before I Go
The trip starts a few days before the flight. A little prep means my body isn’t playing catch-up the moment I land.
Shifting my clock early
Two or three days out, I nudge my bedtime, wake time and meals toward my destination’s time zone. Your circadian rhythm is tightly linked to how your mitochondria produce energy, so easing the shift beats forcing it overnight.
Infrared sauna
I have an infrared sauna at home, and in the days before a big trip I make a point of using it. It’s one of the ways I reset, relax and ease the stiffness I know is coming after hours of sitting still.
Yoga and walking
When I know I’m going to be doing a lot of sitting — on the plane, in meeting rooms — I prioritize walking and yoga before I go so I start the trip moving well instead of stiff. I work with a yoga instructor who specializes in connective tissue disorders, so every pose is adapted to support and protect my joints.
Pack my reading: Heal Your Cells by Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Will Cole
Why I love it: This incredible book puts mitochondria at the center of cellular health, the very mission of Countdown! I’m reading it a second time on audio, downloaded before I leave so layovers turn into learning time.
The science: The book’s central idea is that fatigue, brain fog and faster aging often share a root cause: cells, and their mitochondria, that aren’t functioning well. Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Will Cole pair that framework with practical food and lifestyle strategies.
Book fascia work before I fly
Why I love it: Long flights mean hours of sitting still, and my body feels it. A myofascial session in the days before a trip helps me start out loose and supported instead of already tight.
The science: Fascia is the connective tissue that wraps every muscle, joint and organ. Myofascial therapy uses sustained, gentle pressure to release restrictions in that tissue, which can ease pain and improve mobility.
Get an infusion before a big trip
Why I love it: When I have a demanding stretch of travel ahead, an infusion beforehand is part of how I prepare.
The science: IV infusions deliver fluids and nutrients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing digestion, which can matter for people whose absorption is affected by conditions like celiac disease. Infusions should always be guided by a physician who knows your health history.
In the Air
A plane is dry, bright, crowded and full of signals. These are the things I reach for once I’m in my seat.
Shield myself: HAVN EMF-shielding blanket
Why I love it: On a plane I’m surrounded by phones, seatback screens and onboard Wi-Fi for hours. Wrapping up in my HAVN blanket is my way of creating a calmer bubble.
The science: Research on everyday EMF exposure and health is still evolving. For me, reducing exposure where it’s easy is a reasonable precaution. HAVN develops EMF-shielding textiles and has received a U.S. Air Force research contract for that work.
Actually sleep: SOMO Sleep Fitness Mask
Why I love it: You never know what light environment you’ll end up in: a bright cabin, a hotel with thin curtains, a sunrise you didn’t plan for. My SOMO mask blocks it all and is comfortable enough to sleep in on a long-haul flight.
The science: Darkness supports melatonin release and deeper, more restorative sleep, which is when cells do much of their repair. The SOMO mask also applies gentle pressure at the Yin Tang point between the brows, an acupressure point studied for promoting calm.
Once I Land
The first 24 hours decide how the rest of the trip feels. My priority is telling my body, clearly, what time it is now.
Get morning sun, wherever I am
No matter the city, my first move is to get outside in morning daylight, ideally within an hour of waking and without sunglasses. Morning light is the strongest signal your internal clock has, and it anchors energy, mood and sleep for the day ahead.
Walk, and take my shoes off when I can
A walk after a long flight gets my circulation moving. When I can find a patch of grass, a beach or a park, I take my shoes off for a few minutes. Grounding is one of my favorite ways to come back to my body after hours in a metal tube at 35,000 feet.
Keep it clean: Branch Basics Travel Kit
Why I love it: With mast cell activation, harsh fragrances and alcohol-heavy sanitizers can be a trigger for me. I use the mini Foaming Wash on my hands and the All-Purpose spray on tray tables and armrests.
The science: Washing with soap and water removes germs physically, and the CDC recommends it over sanitizer when you can. Branch Basics is plant- and mineral-based and fragrance-free, which matters if your body reacts to fragrance or harsh chemicals.
Every day on the road
These come with me on every trip, because consistency is what keeps my baseline steady when everything else changes.
Coffee, but clean: Instant Danger Coffee
Why I love it: Hotel coffee is a gamble. I pack Instant Danger so my first cup is one I trust. Sun first, then coffee.
The science: Mold toxins called mycotoxins can survive coffee roasting and brewing. Danger Coffee is lab tested for mold and remineralized with more than 50 trace minerals and electrolytes. The instant version is slow-brewed for 72 hours, then freeze-dried.
Red light, on the go: Kineon
Why I love it: Red light therapy is already part of my routine at home, and this is portable enough to pack, so I keep it going wherever I am. I use it in the hotel room after a long travel day, when my joints and muscles feel it most.
The science: Red and near-infrared light is absorbed by cytochrome c oxidase, an enzyme in the mitochondrial energy chain. This process, called photobiomodulation, has been studied for its effects on cellular energy, recovery and inflammation.
Load up on minerals: Trace ConcenTrace Trace Mineral Drops
Why I love it: A few drops in my water bottle and I know I’m getting more than plain water. I start a couple of days before travel and keep it up the whole trip.
The science: Trace minerals act as cofactors for hundreds of enzymes, including the ones your mitochondria use to make energy. Magnesium, for example, is needed for cells to use ATP, their main energy currency. ConcenTrace is a concentrated source of ionic minerals from Utah’s Great Salt Lake.
Feed my cell membranes: BodyBio PC
Why I love it: This is a non-negotiable for me, at home and away. It’s a cornerstone of how I support my cells day to day.
The science: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant phospholipid in cell membranes, including the membranes of your mitochondria, where energy is made. Healthy membranes control what enters and leaves each cell. BodyBio uses a liposomal form designed for absorption.
Support my connective tissue: Great Lakes Wellness Collagen Peptides
Why I love it: Ehlers-Danlos affects connective tissue, and I live with features of it, so collagen is personal for me. The single-serve sticks are unflavored and dissolve into anything: my coffee, my water, even a hotel-room smoothie.
The science: Collagen is the main structural protein in skin, joints and connective tissue. Collagen peptides are broken into smaller pieces that are easier to absorb. These come from grass-fed bovine sources, 12 g per stick.
A daily wellness shot: Kyoord High-Phenolic Olive Oil
Why I love it: I live with a lot of inflammation, and for years I juiced celery every day, but it took time I just don’t have, especially on the road. Now I take a tablespoon shot of Kyoord instead. The single-serve pouches make it easy to keep up in a hotel room, and it feels like a small, grounding ritual no matter where I wake up.
The science: The polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, including hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal, are among the most closely studied dietary compounds for mitochondrial health.
Energy by day, calm by night: LifeWave Energy Enhancer and Y-Age Aeon Patches
Why I love them: LifeWave makes small, drug-free patches that you stick on your skin like a bandage. I wear an Energy Enhancer patch during the day to keep me going. While I’m flying and before bed, I switch to Aeon to help manage my inflammation. They weigh nothing and take up no room in my bag.
How it works: LifeWave patches use a patented form of phototherapy. They contain no drugs or stimulants. Instead, they reflect the body’s own infrared heat back to specific points on the skin. Energy Enhancer promotes the flow of energy in the body, and Aeon helps you relax, manage stress and ease tension.
Small Rituals, Big Difference
None of this is about perfection. Some trips I hit every ritual; some trips I’m grateful for a walk in the sun and a good night’s sleep. What matters is giving your cells a fighting chance, especially when life is moving fast.
Several of these brands are Countdown partners, and some purchases support our research. If you try something here, I’d love to hear what works for you.
Safe travels, and take care of those mitochondria.
— Mitzi
