Getting sick, everyone dreads it but if you are in a sardine can with a few hundred people then you are sure to get sick right? I've been on a lot of flights and while I've gotten on flights with head colds (ugh! Disneyland...) I haven't gotten sick after flying. A lot of people ask me how I'm able to do this or what I do to prevent it. While everyone is different and these might not specifically work for you, I find that they work for me. Plus, if you are that worried about getting sick what's so bad about giving them a try?
- Sleep: I try to get full night sleeps for the first few weeks leading up to a trip
- Vitamin C: I start to boost my immune system by taking vitamin C capsules daily. I'll also drink David Tea's Cold 911 mixed with their Bravisimo, Tulsi, and Spirulina at least once a day for the week leading up.
- Hydrate: I buy the largest bottle of water I can find and drink that. When the attendants come around on the plane to serve drinks, I'll only pick something that is canned (tomato juice tastes amazing on a plane for some reason...) since some planes get their water from tanks in the plane and who knows the last time those were cleaned (tea and coffee are also made from this water). Also, skip the booze as this will dehydrate you faster than drinking on land.
- Skip the airlines blankets and pillows: some airlines have these cleaned, some just re-wrap them once you leave. Just don't risk it.
- Don't touch things in the back pocket: want to know the dirtiest area on a plane? It's not the bathroom. It's actually the magazines and seat cards in the back pocket of the seat in front of you. Multiple people skim through them and no one will disinfect a magazine....
- Use sanitizing wet wipes: Wipe down your arm rests, the tray table, and the TV screen since these usually (if at all) will just be given a dry wipe.
- Open & aim the air vent on you: While some people say that aiming the air vent at you will create a "shielded area" that bacteria can't penetrate, I'm not sure if this is true. I do know though that the air that is blown through these is purified and fresh air is good for the immune system so let it blow away on you.
- Try to use cutlery: When you get the meal on the plane, unless you have hand sanitizer, try to use your knife and fork to eat everything. You've just been touching a fabric chair for the last few hours - what do you think you have on your hands?
Bonus: I've used this for dried, cracked, and bleeding nostrils but not for staying healthy yet Leonardo DiCaprio swears by it. Use a cotton swab and lightly line the inside of your nose with polysporne. The idea is that it prevents your nose from drying out and its antibacterial so it will kill anything that gets in.
Have you tried Leo's trick? Does it work? Drop us a line and let us know!
