Holiday travel can be exciting. We get to see family and friends, perhaps visit a new location or enjoy old stomping grounds with a new perspective.
In order for your brain to form new memories and learn new tasks it needs fresh, clean food, sleep and water. Below are a few tips to make your holiday travel easy and enjoyable:
1) Start shifting your sleep schedule to meet up with the time zone you will be traveling to. Plan your trip to arrive in the late afternoon so you get a couple of hours of sunlight before sunset. You can then have a light meal and go to bed at a reasonable hour (any time after 7 p.m.) on the new time zone as soon as possible.
2) Pack your own travel snacks to tide you over rather than being tempted by the ubiquitous airport sugar-laden drinks. Once you are landed and into the holiday spirit, you can allow yourself to taste everything, just not eat the whole of the pie or plate of potatoes. Make the mainstay of your meals sumptuously seasoned plant-based foods and clean proteins. If you are unsure that there will be healthy options for you, bring a healthy dish that you love to make and share it.
3) Travel lightly. You will have less stress, your items will be easier to maneuver, thus easier on your body.
Take your time. Creating a “time-rich” experience for yourself can be so rewarding and so easy. Plan to arrive well before your appointed time.
4) Support your immune system in flight. In addition to staying hydrated, I have my own tried and true concoction that works for me. My prevention kit comes with me on every trip: vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, odorless garlic tablets and immune support supplements. I take one dose before leaving for the airport, another on the plane and another as we are landing.
Be empowered to wear a mask if, 1) you feel like you may be contagious or, 2) if you see or hear a nearby sick traveler who is coughing, sneezing or running to the bathroom frequently to wretch or worse.
Keep your hands away from your face in airports and on planes. It is inevitable that you will touch a surface that has microbes. The key is to not let it get into your system through your eyes, ears, nose or mouth.
Water fountain buttons in the airport take the cake for the most germs per square inch. A close second is your TSA bin, which is not surprising considering we all place our shoes in them. On airplanes, the hard surfaces of the tray-top table, arm rests, air vents, window and window shades are all high germ areas. Hand sanitizer? Likewise, the cloth seats can hold germs as long as three days, so spread that sanitized, plastic-wrapped airplane blanket out under you.
To combat the high stress of getting around, fuel your brain with high quality protein. I take a care package of some emergency protein powder, oats, nuts and a relaxing tea to get me through in a pinch. For a quick mental/emotional reset, bring a download of your favorite meditation app to play.
