The holidays are nearly upon us. If you are one of the over 100 million Americans that will travel somewhere for the holidays, it can be a time for visiting loved ones, attending parties and sharing the joy that only seems to come this time of year, or for a much-needed vacation in the sun. It can also be a time for our healthy lifestyle to unravel faster than the wrapping from a child’s present. We certainly don’t want to sound like a Grinch, but there are more deaths from natural causes reported between Christmas and New Year’s Day than any other time of the year1.
While more research is needed, the higher mortality rate during the holidays is believed to be caused by a number of factors, including stress and anxiety, overindulgence of food and drink, as well as putting off planned trips to medical professionals so they can be with loved ones. Whatever the case, we still can plan on having a wonderful holiday season without ignoring our health.
Here are 6 ways to stay healthy during this year’s holiday travel.
1) Wipe away germs
Before taking your seat on a plane, train or bus, wipe down the armrests, tray table and seat buckle with a disinfectant wipe. Clean anything that you might touch so you don’t pick up germs from the last person (or 20 people) who sat there. Since tray tables are rarely cleaned by the airlines, it is usually one of the dirtiest surfaces on the plane2. Keep some of those wipes handy for bathroom stall locks and drinking fountain buttons at airports and bus terminals as well.
2) Stay hydrated
Low humidity at high altitudes can cause plane cabin air to be dry. When your sinus cavities dry out, it’s a possible entry point for viruses. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking water and/or eating fresh fruit. Bring an empty water bottle with you through security, and then fill up at a drinking fountain so you’ll have plenty of water to drink during the plane ride.
3) Stretch your legs
We’ve all been guilty of being complacent on long flights and staying in our seats, especially if we’re not in an aisle seat. However, it’s important to keep your circulation moving. Sitting for long periods of time can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which are blood clots in your legs. Clots can travel in the bloodstream, up to the brain, lungs and heart. DVT’s can cause severe organ damage and even death3. If you are on a plane, bus or train, try to get up every two hours and stretch your legs, walking up and down the aisles. If you are stuck at an airport for a layover, try walking several laps around the terminal every couple of hours. If you are traveling by car, make sure you schedule plenty of stops so you can walk and stretch. (This is good practice for when you’re at the office all year, too!)
4) Don't run yourself ragged
It’s a common temptation to pack in as much as possible during those holiday trips, but burning the candle at both ends might take its toll on your health. In a scientific study, those that sleep less than seven hours a night were shown to be three times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept eight hours or more4. Poor sleep can also cause weight gain, put you at risk for heart disease and stroke and even cause depression5. Plan your schedule with some downtime and keep rested during those long winter nights. Leave the all-nighters to Santa.
5) Moderate food and drink
It’s easy to overindulge during the holidays. Even if we eat healthy all year long, just five days of indulgence is enough for our bodies to change in an unhealthy way6. One study showed that if you’re already overweight, holiday eating can pack on another 5 pounds7. Of course, there are also plenty of health risks with drinking too much as well, including liver disease, heart disease, depression, stroke, stomach bleeding, etc. Drinking too much will also increase your chances of being injured or killed in an accident8.
This year, make a point of moderation in your food and alcohol intake. You’ll certainly feel better and thank yourself later. Try this trick before hitting the buffet table. Try chewing some gum in advance. It will help trick your brain into thinking you’re eating, so it might help you eat less. Popping in a mint between servings can help reduce those cravings as well.
6) Support your immune system
“The immune system is a complex interconnected network of organs, cells and molecules that prevents our body from being invaded from countless pathogens every single day. When our immune system isn’t working properly, it leaves our body at risk for disease to form in our body9.”
Our immune system can become weakened with holiday travel, so giving it support around the holidays is extra critical. Sovereign Silver’s Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol™ is an effective dietary supplement to help support* your immune system during the holidays and into the winter months. It is a safe*, tasteless, pure and effective* form of colloidal silver that outsells all other colloidal silver brands on the market, combined. Start a regimen of Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol™ before, during and after the holidays for the immune support* you need.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20805014
https://www.travelmath.com/feature/airline-hygiene-exposed/
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-prevent-blood-clots-when-traveling-health-1221-20161216-story.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19139325
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#section6 https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/unhealthy-holidays-how-just-5-days-of-eating-bad-can-harm-your-metabolism/ar-AApou7E?li=AAb280R&;sa=U&;ved=0ahUKEwiK6pij1uXRAhWEzLwKHeGcCakQFgj8BDBj&%252525253Busg=AFQjCNHfsZBgYmXJLAKZD7wqjViaJdUvjQ
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=11206847&ordinalpos=15&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/How-much-is-too-much/Whats-the-harm/What-Are-The-Risks.aspx
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/infectious_diseases/immune_system_85,P00630
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