Travel Health and Fitness - How I prevent colds/flu before flights

The days before the flight I take a One a Day Multi-vitamin, Drink lots of tea, soups with spices and wash my hands as often as possible.

On the day of the flight I drink a beer onboard and I feel it keeps the colds down and helps me to breathe through my nose which clears out bugs.

I swear by Simply Saline and use it often to clear out my nose and ears.

I use Zicam if I feel a cold coming on or to up my immune system to fight one so the symptoms are minimal.

The night before my flight I sleep 7-8 hours and feel rested and ready to go.

What do you do? Am I right on with my tips? Its been a few years since I have had a bad cold. I always do the flu shot as it helps me.

On days before flights I eat normal, drink lots of waters as normal (or sometimes lots of alcohol), eat my normal food, wash my hand semi-frequently using normal soap. I sleep however I normally would do (7-8 if possible, which not always is the case), I never take any strange medication or supplements ir flu shots. And I never had a cold after a flight that I didn't have before, and even that is very rare.

Ah yes, the age old wisdom correlating consuming lots of alcohol and feeling healthy.

probably all things you should be doing flight or not?


I don't do anything special but I drink lots of water, take a multi vitamn, wash my hands, drink lots of tea, eat soups, sleep 6-8 hours/night, etc.

I can literally go years between colds (I did have a long on this year...ugh)

I had a string of bad luck for a few years where every other trip to Europe had me sick with a bad cold in my hotel room for at least four days. Every time I was sick it was because I sat next to a sick person on the flight from AMS or FRA to my final destination. Now I don't fly within Europe in Coach anymore. If 1st class isn't available, I'll take the train. Also I carry a bunch of individual antibacterial hand wipes. I use them to clean everything in my hotel room as soon as I check in. I'm also careful at the morning buffet and evening snacks in the club lounge, usually using a paper nabkin to hold the serving utensils. I assume at least 50 people have used the serving utensils since they were last washed. One of those people must have been sick.