How to Stay Healthy while Traveling: an Anecdotal Journey

Preparedness equals resilience, so boost that immune system by focusing on the basics: exercise, sleep, hydration and nutrition prior to traveling.

Exercise - Some form six days a week. Exercise also equals resilience!

Sleep - Prioritize it and then nudge it in the right direction by adding or taking away sleep time if the time zone you are going to is different from the one you live in.

Hydration - Drink more water than usual and skip or limit the alcohol for a week or so prior to traveling. Then, when in Veneto, feel free to drink the whole bottle, especially when it is 100 percent organic, no sulfites added, think -- just one big megadose of resveratrol!

Nutrition - Stick to basics, eat the rainbow, leave out sugar and processed foods, and add some immune enhancing foods to your diet such as garlic, mushrooms and kale. Regarding sugar, it is important for some of us to keep a bit on hand for quick energy, but too much sugar feeds viruses. So, keep it to a minimum or at least try to multitask by eating sugar that is wrapped in fiber, like a peach for instance. And, for breakfast, skip the Belgian waffle with homemade whipped crème and tons of maple syrup and instead indulge in a savory Japanese style breakfast containing fish and eggs for sustained energy throughout the day.

The next step in preparing, is putting together the following list of remedies, including a just-in-case pill pack for your “everywhere belt bag.”

Trail mix - Buy individual packets pre trip. Sometimes you just need a little something….like when hiking the Zugspitze in Garmisch, Germany and your friend telling you mile after mile and four hours in, “the summit is just around the next bend”…nothing better than sitting on a rock with a mountain stream pulsing by eating some trail mix to reenergize and keep going.

Matcha tea - In travel packs. The catechins (polyphenols) in matcha have anti-viral and anti-microbic properties. Also, if you are extra worried about catching the flu, you can try gargling with bottled green tea as studies in Japan have suggested it helps prevent flu infection. Yes really. Cannot say enough about matcha powder except drink as much and as often as possible…

Ricola Herb Lozenges - Or any kind you like, so when you are hiking up an 8,000-foot mountain in Peru and forget your trail mix and you need a little sugar to make it to the top, that one Ricola can make all the difference! Again, there is always a time and a place for a little bit of sugar.

Vitamin C - Preferably liposomal, but any type will do just take at least 500 mg a day! All around good supplement, helps immunity and is a building block for energy.

Elderberry - 300 mg capsules, two daily and then three or four capsules daily in the first few days of travel. There is some science behind this herb and its immune stimulating benefits and while nothing can stop a virus, it may help shorten the duration. Note: If you are in an elderberry orchard in Hungary, do not eat them raw as they can be toxic!

Magnesium - (I prefer glycinate) For multiple reasons, including sleep, nerves, leg cramps, just do not overdo, 250 mg a day max. And, if you eat super healthy (almonds, spinach, oatmeal, bananas, etc.) you may already get your daily allotment.

Activated Charcoal - Capsules for if you eat anything suspect! Just take one or two asap. This tried-and-true traditional cure will bind to any bad stuff and render it harmless. Like when the friendly bartender in Cusco offers to show you around and takes you to a very local restaurant for lunch. Even though much of Peruvian produce is organic, it can still wreak havoc. You eat the soup of multiple veggies and something about it makes you nervous, so you take two activated charcoal tablets as a precaution, and you are fine the next day. Who truly knows if it is the capsule or mind over matter, but it works.

Lactaid - Indulge in too much Burrata cheese at a cicchetteria (café style tavern) in Venice, just pop one or two for easy digestion.

Saline Drops - Dry nasal passages allow germs to take hold, so moisten them and keep them that way! I use saline drops or a drop of glycerin. Same goes for your throat, keep it moist with cough drops or water.

Ear Drops - With a steroid, or not with a steroid, if you are 100% holistically minded. I have experienced earaches while flying and decided to never put myself through that again, so now I prepare!

Antibiotics - Just in case.

Travel First-Aid Kit - Compact basics like band aids, first aid crème et al.

Baseball Cap - Doubles as an eye mask and face mask should you end up sleeping with your mouth open. Maybe decreases the chance of germs flying in.

And, to round out your how to stay healthy while traveling, DON’T overpack; save your back!

I have been known to take items of clothing and undergarments that will not see another season at home, and just toss them out as I go. Unless you are going to a deserted island, you can more than likely pick up anything you need so keep the weight of your luggage down, there are other ways to get your workout in that will not tweak your back or hurt your neck.

Also, believe it or not (and I was skeptical until I tried it) for those without preexisting back issues, buying a backpack that is ergonomically adjusted to fit your back is a healthy way to move about while traveling! It evens the load, helps with good posture, and makes it easy to climb stairs and navigate train stations.

After preparing, and if you still get sick, here is a little glass-half-full from my school of belief:

An occasional knock-you-on-your-butt cold or other virus is a good indicator that your immune system is working and able to defend against invaders. It is when you never get sick or when you get sick too often you might want to question your lifestyle and make adjustments.

Also, chances are the happy emotions of exhilaration and excitement along with some meds and some extra rest can still salvage your trip. Know your limits and listen to your body, like if you need to crawl under a big warm blanket in a yurt (tented cabin) in the middle of the snowy and cold Mongolian Steppe (grasslands) and stay down for 10 hours, then do it. You may lose a day of exploring but you will nip it and be able to resume your adventure.

Lastly, and in the spirit of preparedness, since preparedness equals resilience, go to In Case of Emergency | Mass General Brigham on YouTube and take a few minutes to learn how to address basic emergencies.

The countries referenced above were Italy, Japan, Peru, Germany and Mongolia. Contact me if you are interested in additional healthy information and planning a trip! May your travels be full of wonder and always healthy!

How to Stay Healthy while Traveling Supply List:

• Trail Mix

• Matcha

• Ricola Herb Lozenges

• Vitamin C

• Elderberry

• Magnesium

• Activated Charcoal

• Lactaid

• Saline Nose Drops

• Ear Drops

• Antibiotics

• Travel First Aid Kit

• Baseball Cap

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For more travel tips, check out fora advisor Chloe Kletsa's trip report, For the Discerning Eco-Warrior: Indulgent Yet Sustainable Travel Tips for 2024.

This guide is part of our ongoing series on wellness travel.