Out & About

When traveling 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. 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.

2. Support your gut health

Did you know your gut is home to more than

70% of your body’s immune cells? “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. “

3. Stress less

Stress isn’t just a drain on your mental health. It can also have very real physical effects. Stress can worsen your allergies because it increases the release of histamines, which trigger allergy symptoms. An increase in histamines in the bloodstream can make existing allergies much worse. 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, home or abroad. And remember, you are on vacation!