Have you gone on a trip and gotten sick during or after traveling? Not only does it take away from your enjoyment during your travels, but it can make it difficult to get back into your routine when you go home.
When traveling, especially in close quarters with others, like on a train or airplane, other travelers expose you to viruses and bacteria. Also, if you have seasonal allergies, you'll be exposed to more allergens, especially if you're traveling to new locations during spring. When you combine these two immune disruptors, travel and allergies, you're looking at a recipe for a miserable time.
However, there are things you can do to boost your immune system and manage your allergies during travel. Here are three tips you can employ during your next trip to stay healthy and enjoy your vacation.
1. Stay hydrated
You've heard it a million times, but it's true. Drinking enough water is critical to maintaining your immune system. According to the University of California, Irvine, Integrative Health Institute, staying hydrated helps your body transport nutrients to your organs, detoxify pathways, increase lymphatic drainage, and clear out foreign substances and waste, all of which support a healthy immune system.
Staying hydrated is especially important during air travel. Have you ever noticed how thirsty you are during a flight? That's because airplane cabins are typically kept at low humidity, leading to quicker dehydration. You also may notice that your nasal passages dry out, which can worsen allergies after a flight.
Make sure to carry a water bottle with you on your flight (although you'll want to fill it after you go through TSA) and carry a saline spray to moisturize your sinuses. Your immune system and sinuses will thank you for it, and you'll have a more enjoyable trip.
2. Support your gut health
Did you know your gut is home to more than 70% of your body's immune cells? By supporting your gut health, through nutritious foods and dietary supplements, you're nourishing your immune health. While supporting immunity is important year-round, as spring begins your immune health can be put to the test with allergies and travel. "One way to support your immune health is through postbiotics. You've probably heard about the health benefits of probiotics and prebiotics, but you may not have heard about the newest biotic on the market - postbiotics," said Keri Gans, registered dietitian nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet. "Postbiotics are inanimate yet effective. While each postbiotic is unique there are options available today that have been clinically studied and shown to support immune health."
3. Stress less
Stress isn't just a drain on your mental health. It can also have very real physical effects. According to the University of Maryland Medical System, stress reduces the number of lymphocytes - white blood cells responsible for fighting off foreign viruses and bacteria. In other words, stress weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to resist the common cold and other sicknesses and infections.
Also, stress can worsen your allergies because it increases the release of histamines, which trigger allergy symptoms. This does not mean that stress causes allergies. However, an increase in histamines in the bloodstream can make existing allergies much worse. Also, according to The American Institute of Stress, studies show that stress increases inflammation, which can also make allergy symptoms worse, especially when it comes to inflamed sinuses.
A few ways you can combat stress every day and during travel include:
* Meditating
* Relaxing exercises like yoga
* Getting plenty of sleep
* Listening to soothing music
* Eating a healthy diet
While it's impossible to remove all stressors from your life, you can employ these and other strategies to manage your stress at work, at home, or abroad. And remember, you are on vacation!