Hello, friends! Hope you all had a fantastic holiday this week. My week has been super fun, filled with family and celebration, but my weekend was a little less great: I got sick. This time of year, illness just seems to take over. There is practically a flu epidemic in my own town; I know this is the case in many parts of the country. Travel always brings you into close contact with germs, and that is truer than ever right now. We’re not going to stop flying, so it’s very important to take steps to stay healthy. Here is what I’ve found helps keep illness at bay during flu season.

Keep your immune system up. The things that make me feel the healthiest: eating well and Vitamin C. When I’m eating junk food and unhealthy stuff all the time, I get sick more. When I eat more protein and veggies, I get sick less. Good enough for me! Then, if I start feeling run down, a shot of Emergen-C will often pick my right up.

Keep hydrated. Drinking sufficient water is so important for a number of reasons. During winter, the air is so dry that it sucks all the moisture out of your body. This is magnified during air travel. Your body is basically made of water, so drink up!

Wash your hands. Wash your hands after contact with anything public. However, it’s not always practical to run to the loo seven times in ten minutes, so while I’m not usually a huge fan of hand sanitizer I use it often.

Keep your sinuses moist. One of the things that hits me most often in the winter is a sinus infection, especially after bouts of frequent travel. Some of the tips I mentioned above will help keep those at bay, and another thing my doctor recommended to me is to keep my sinuses moist. Now I use a saline nose spray regularly. She also said that if I get steaming hot tea, I can lean over it (carefully) and let the steam bathe my face. Mini facial and sickness prevention in one!

Use disinfecting wipes. I don’t mean to sound paranoid, but it’s not a bad idea to disinfect the area around your seat with some Lysol or Clorox wipes. They are sold in packages of ten or so, and you really only need one to wipe down the armrests and seatback tray. I also read that the phone and remote control are usually the germiest areas in a hotel room, so go ahead and wipe those down too.

Wear a mask. If you’re feeling run down or worried you’re especially susceptible, wear a mask. You can purchase them at drug stores, and wearing one will block exposure to many kinds of airborne illnesses.

Obviously none of these things will guarantee you won’t get sick during your next trip. And of course, I’m not a doctor! But there are several steps you can take to avoid illness. Staying healthy will keep you more productive and allow you to have more fun, so do whatever you can to stay that way!

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