Avoid Illness During Your Holiday Travel

Tis the season for holiday cheer with family and friends, so as you go over the river and through the woods, make sure you stay healthy during your holiday travel with these tips.

Wash Your Hands:

Using an alcohol-based disinfection product is a good second choice when you can’t wash your hands. You can also use disinfecting wipes to wash down surfaces you can’t avoid touching. If you are flying, carry a pack of disinfectant wipes in your travel bag and wipe down armrests, tray tables, and the seat back in front of you.

Stay Hydrated:

Especially when you’re flying, the air you breathe in the plane is drier than normal so it automatically increases your risk of dehydration which can make jet lag worse.  Stick with still water rather than carbonated beverages which can make you feel bloated with the fizzy bubbles.

Eat breakfast:

Skipping your morning meal in order to indulge in your favorite holiday treats can lead to over-eating and gastrointestinal problems.  Steer clear of the holiday splurge and starve cycle and start your morning with a nutritious breakfast and brisk walk or other activity. Oatmeal with skim milk, eggs with a piece of fruit or a yogurt are all light, healthy options that will keep your body in tune and working effectively.

Skip the in-flight cocktail:

If you think using an in-flight cocktail will help with sleeping on a flight, you’re setting yourself up for jet-lag and dehydration.  You’ll feel the effect of alcohol faster and stronger while at high altitudes and end up enhancing the unpleasant jet-lag symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.

Coffee and caffeinated beverages can also contribute to these symptoms, and be very dehydrating.  Stick with consuming water and bring along an empty water bottle to fill up at a water fountain after you pass through security and save on the expensive airport necessity.

Eat the right foods at the right time:

Avoid eating a heavy meal before your holiday travel.  With air travel, eat dry snacks such as crackers and almonds and avoid heavy meals for at least two hours before traveling.  Studies show that ginger can reduce motion sickness so pack up on ginger snaps for your pre-flight treat.

Sleep Well:

Make sleep a top priority before you travel.  Sleep deprivation can lead to dangerous driving on your holiday road trip and contribute to a nagging fatigue headache.  If you’re flying, invest in your own in-flight pillow or blanket.  You can rest up on the flight without fear of germs from using the airlines’ community amenities.