Healthy Travel Tips

Summer is the time for travel, sunshine, beaches, and fun. But all that travel can often times cause stress - and when there is stress, sickness is too quick to follow. Nothing is worse than planning a week of relaxation, only to spend it feeling crummy. So here are some travel health tips for your summer vacation.

1. Plan Ahead.  The worst thing you can do to your health when traveling is to find yourself hungry in the middle of nowhere, and resort to convenience store food. Bring a cooler in the car with you full of healthy snacks from the grocery store (or your garden!) from home. If you are flying, pack snacks in your purse or travel bag that will help you resist the temptation to grab quick and easy food. In addition, planning ahead is better on the budget.
2. Stock up on Vitamin C. For a few days prior to leaving, stay away from too much sugar (see below), and do a little immune support. Pack some Emergen-C along with your healthy snacks and mix one into your water bottle on the go.
3. Eat healthy snacks. This is actually not as difficult as it sounds. Pack bananas, carrot sticks, packs of almond butter, dried fruits, hummus, and lunch meat to graze on in the car, airplane, or hotel.
4. Avoid sugar. This one requires some planning, but it’s vitally important - not just when traveling, but all year round. Drink water instead of soda, and eat fruit instead of sugary pre - packaged snacks. Read my blog about sugar for more information. Sugar is the worst thing you can do to your immune system, so avoid it as much as you can.
5. Get some good sleep. An unfamiliar bed can be a nuisance, and it can be tempting to stay up late for all hours of the night catching up with friends and family. But lack of sleep is killer on the immune system, and the last thing you want is to spend the entire trip sleeping - because you got sick.
6. Get adjusted before you go. Plan a wellness visit before you leave on vacation. A single chiropractic adjustment can increase your immune function by 200%. Increase your odds of optimal immune function by getting a quick wellness adjustment in the days before you leave.
7. Don’t overbook yourself. It’s tempting to fit all the fun things available into your short time off, but overdoing it can be stressful, leaving you needing a “vacation from your vacation.”
8. Practice extra careful hygiene. This should be done every day, not just when vacationing. However, extra care should be taken with little ones when you are in a new place. Small hands like to touch things, and that can be a little extra risky when you are out and about on vacation.
9. Get some sunshine. Read my post about the sunshine vitamin: vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for optimal immune function, and fortunately it’s easy to come by on vacation!

Enjoy your summer - it always goes way too fast! Make sure to take extra steps to support your health while you do so.