Improve FoundLocally!

Winnipeg > Recreation > Travel > Away >

Travel Away: 6 Tips For Healthy Winter Travel

(NC)-There is limited air moisture inside an aircraft and much of it is actually other people's sweat and breath. Add to this the fact that airplane filters do not remove all circulating viruses and that passengers are in very close and confined quarters, and it becomes clear people face vastly increased exposure to germs on flights.

If you are planning a winter getaway to the ski slopes or the southern sun this season, here are a few important health tips to take with you:

1. Travel well rested. Be sure to get lots of sleep a week prior to departure. In an environment with lots of people in close contact, sleep also helps keep your immunity strong to fight airborne germs.
2. Bring medications and treatments. Put your medications in your carry-on luggage just in case your suitcase is lost. Take supplements prior to travel to help prevent a cold or the flu. Certain extracts of North American ginseng root (found in the natural supplement Cold-fX) help boost your immune system to keep you healthy. Some clinical tests show virus-fighting results as high as 89%. If you feel a cold or flu coming on, you can opt for the new 'extra strength' version (with 50% more immune boosting power) as an alternative to antibiotics and other drugs.
3. Keep hydrated. Humidity levels can get as low as 10% and that will exacerbate any ailment from dry skin to headaches to catching a cold. Drink plenty of fluids but be aware that alcohol and caffeine are dehydrating too.
4. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Even healthy people can get blood clots in their legs, so on long flights, stretch your calf muscles at your seat from time to time.
5. Pack alcohol-based hand sanitizers. They're more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease and are an excellent alternative while on the road.
6. Don't assume you're safe after you've landed. Researchers have found live cold viruses on hard surfaces in hotel rooms up to 24 hours after cold sufferers checked out. Boost your immune system to protect yourself.

- News Canada