You’ve just come home from a fun-filled and travel-packed vacation when you start to notice a little bit of scratchiness in the back of your throat. The next morning…the sniffles in your nose start. And before you know it, here comes the head cold that you feared coming down with from all your travels. Does this sound familiar?
I know this was me…for a very long time!
I was always worried about what illness I would encounter while being packed into an airplane like sardines with all manner of people. Always hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, I decided to make some effort and better support my immune system when I travel!
Here are four of my favorite tips for supporting a healthy immune response during travel:
- Try to get good sleep – Sleep is essential for all higher forms of life! It is critical for maintaining a healthy immune system. Sleep contributes to the optimal functioning of both the innate and adaptive immune responses, by allowing critical bodily processes to occur while the body and mind are at rest. Not only is sleep beneficial for immune function in the short term, it also is critical for prevention of many chronic and/or debilitating diseases like heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and many mental/emotional illnesses.
- Focus on healthy travel snacks – Eating while on vacation is always hit-or-miss! And trust me, it can be hard to focus on healthy eating while on vacation! I’m not saying you can’t enjoy your vacation and indulge a bit…I know when we visited Universal Studios, I couldn’t NOT have a Butterbeer in the Wizarding World! The important thing is just to not overdo it. Too much sugar and processed foods will actually depress your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to any germs that may be joining you on your travels!
- Avoid alcohol as much as you can – Alcohol consumption, especially when excessive, has negative effects on both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Weakening host defenses to pathogens, and ultimately predisposing them to risk of infection and also chronic illness through systemic inflammation. Consumption of alcohol also affects the structure and integrity of the GI tract, which is where a large portion of our immune system acts through the gut microbiome. Also, within the respiratory system, alcohol impairs the function of the cilia within our upper respiratory tract, and also damages the immune cells located within that system.
- Support with supplements – Whenever I travel, I always make sure to boost up on certain immune supportive supplements. My favorites are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, and Elderberry. These have all been shown to support a healthy immune response and increase immune function.
Now, these tips don’t need to be exclusive to travel! They are beneficial any time of year to support your immune system. And a supported immune system better handles any germs you might encounter…from the kiddo school year colds, to “cold and flu season” a healthy immune response will help your body function optimally overall.
For further information on how you can best support your own immune system and reach your optimal vitality, book a Discovery Session and learn more!