Are you dreading that next flight? We’ve all experienced coming back from a long trip with a nagging cold or stomach bug. While there isn’t an exact figure on the increased risk of illness while traveling, it is common for people to experience some form of ill effects during or after a big trip. Being in a cramped airplane with other travelers increases the risk of illness, especially on longer international flights. Even if you drive instead, spending enough time in a tourist hot spot can leave you exposed to various harmful bacteria and germs.
Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to support optimal immune function before that big trip. From healthy lifestyle management habits to select nutraceutical products, discover the best tips for enhancing your body’s immune system.
1. Drink a Lot of Water
Staying hydrated is a critical component of maintaining healthy immune system function. With over 70 percent of the human body being composed of water, it is important to replenish the body’s water supply to support the optimal health and function of cells, tissues, and organs.
Water is also needed by the body for nutrient absorption and maintaining the mucosal membrane in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which is where most of the body’s immune cells reside. Absorbing the proper nutrients is necessary for the support of healthy immune function, while the mucosal membrane protects the GI tract from a wide range of environmental toxins. Water also comprises roughly 96 percent of the body’s lymph system. Not only does lymphatic fluid carry white blood cells known as lymphocytes to fight infection throughout the body, but it also flushes toxins and other waste products from the body.
Make sure that the water comes from a trusted source. In some areas, it may be necessary to drink bottled water to avoid harmful bacteria.
2. Stick to a Balanced Diet
Another way to promote a healthy immune system is to adhere to a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Doing so will provide the body with a full range of vitamins and minerals, including those that are known to support optimal immune function.
Vitamin C is the vitamin most commonly associated with immune support and with good reason. Vitamin C has long been recognized for its ability to support optimal immune function with its powerful antioxidant properties. Fortunately, this immune-supporting vitamin can be found naturally in a wide variety of foods, including oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, red bell peppers, kiwi, and green bell peppers.
To make it even easier to protect your body from illness, many additional nutrients have also been connected to optimal immune support, including zinc and selenium, as well as vitamins B6 and E. These nutrients can be obtained from a wide range of food sources that include beef, chicken breast, turkey, chickpeas, bananas, salmon, tuna, tomatoes, seeds, spinach, lentils, milk, Greek yogurt, eggs, oatmeal, nuts, brown rice, and fortified breakfast cereals.
3. Supplement With Professional Grade Nutraceuticals
If you struggle to provide your body with foods that are rich in these certain nutrients, you can also supplement your diet with professional-grade nutraceutical products. Many of the nutrients that are known to support healthy immune function can be obtained from multivitamins like Multivitamin Ultra from EVEXIAS Health Solutions.
For added immune protection, there are also nutraceutical products that have been developed to specifically bolster immune system function, especially when used in tandem with healthy lifestyle management habits. These products contain only certain nutrients that have been targeted for their immune- supporting properties.
EVEXIAS offers two such products: Immuno-T LPT and Inflam-X LPT. These two professional-grade nutraceuticals are packed with phytonutrients that are known to support optimal immune function. As an added benefit, these two products have been developed with liposome platform technology (LPT) for enhanced bioavailability (absorbability) and durability.
4. Reduce Stress and Stay Calm
Chronic stress can also have a negative impact on your immune system. Stress is an inevitable part of life, which is why our bodies are equipped with a natural stress response. Cortisol, which is also referred to as the stress hormone, is a critical component of the body’s natural stress response. Unfortunately, cortisol can also be detrimental to whole body health when levels of it are consistently high.
High levels of cortisol can reduce immune function from multiple fronts. First, high cortisol levels can lead to increased inflammation throughout the body. This result can have a particular impact on the GI tract, which houses most of your immune cells. High cortisol levels can also lead to a reduction in the lymphocytes that help your body fight infection.
The good news is that adhering to a balanced diet and exercising daily can both support balanced cortisol levels. Getting quality sleep on a consistent basis also goes a long way towards reducing the risk of chronic stress.
5. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Not only can getting a good night’s sleep reduce the risk of chronic stress, but reducing stress and cortisol levels can also contribute to more optimal sleep cycles. This feedback loop relationship means that improving one of these areas will often lead to improvements in the other. Adhering to a healthy diet and consistent exercise routine can also lead to optimal sleep cycles. Other ways to maintain healthy sleep hygiene or sleep habits include limiting the use of electronic devices before bed, adhering to a consistent sleep-wake schedule, avoiding large meals before bed, limiting alcohol consumption before bed, and avoiding naps throughout the day.
Sleep also has a more direct relationship with immune function. It has long been known that a lack of sleep can lead to reduced immune function. This is because your immune system produces infection-fighting proteins known as cytokines while you sleep.
6. Cut Back on Alcohol
Enjoying a tropical drink or some great local beers are often ingredients for a fun vacation. Unfortunately, alcohol has also been connected to a reduction in immune function through its effect on the GI tract. That does not mean that going sober on your next vacation will guarantee that you do not get sick, but avoiding excessive drinking can decrease the risk of infection and illness by helping your body maintain proper immune function.
7. Wash Your Hands!
Washing hands has always been recognized as a good way to reduce the risk of infection and illness, and this tip becomes even more important while traveling. Airports, airplanes, and tourist destinations all feature countless shared surfaces. With so many travelers passing germs from various locations onto these surfaces, the risk of infection and illness increases.
8. Make Sure You Are Up to Date on Vaccines
Being vaccinated against common infectious diseases is another way to enhance your immune system before traveling. If you are unsure of which vaccines you should check on, visit the CDC page for travelers’ health recommendations.
To learn more about how you can best optimize your immune system, contact your nearest EvexiPEL certified practitioner today!
