Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling During the Holidays

Paula Gallagher on
Woman packing suitcase - think ahead about how to stay healthy during travel.

It's a busy time of year for many of us, and while traveling should be relaxing and enjoyable, unfortunately it can also be hard on your body. Recycled air on flights can expose you to germs and viruses and jet lag can make you lose valuable days of vacation time. Eating foods that you are not used to can also cause digestive distress. Being prepared before you travel can make the difference between a miserable trip and a memorable one.

Proper hand-washing hygiene, avoiding touching your face, eating healthfully, and good sleep are the first lines of defense to stay healthy. Masking may be a good idea, especially in close quarters. Along with these basics, there are times that our bodies need a little extra help, especially when traveling.

Supplements to Support Travel Health

Melatonin

Plane travel may interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles. This might explain why airplane travel disrupts our sleeping patterns and why it takes a while for us to adjust to a new time zone. Studies suggest that melatonin doubles the speed at which your body adjusts to the new time zone. For that reason, take melatonin for half the number of days as time zones you crossed, plus one. For example, if you travel six time zones, take melatonin for 3+1=4 days, with maybe just a half dose on the last day. Start taking melatonin the day you arrive at your destination.

Probiotics

"Friendly" bacteria that normally live in the intestinal tract can be destroyed or depleted by stress, dietary changes, or from coming in contact with foreign bacteria while traveling. Therefore, it is very important to take probiotics to help maintain optimal intestinal health and immunity. Probiotics, such as Pathway Suprema Dophilus may be helpful for diarrhea caused by bad bacteria or from taking antibiotics. Suprema Dophilus is an advanced combination of seven species of beneficial bacteria to give you a complete probiotic formula, and it is also shelf stable, so there is no need for refrigeration when traveling. There are many other great choices in probiotics, too.

Relaxation Support

Traveling can be very stressful. To help calm your nerves during anxious travel moments, try Pathway Relaxation Support. This formula is a blend of relaxing herbs, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to gently quiet the mind and body, allowing for rest and relaxation. Relaxation Support has two unique patented ingredients, Relora® and SunTheanine®, to calm, focus, and relax you without making you drowsy.

Zinc

At the first sign of a scratchy throat, get soothing relief while also strengthening your immune system by sucking on a zinc lozenge. Pathway Zinc Lozenges contain zinc, vitamin C, slippery elm and bee propolis for added immune protection. These vitamins, minerals and herbs help keep viruses from penetrating deep into the body. Pathway Zinc Lozenges are convenient for travel and are great tasting, too.

Happy and safe travels everyone!

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