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How to boost the immune system during frequent travel?

How to boost the immune system during frequent travel?

Old Nov 7, 2011, 7:50 am
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How to boost the immune system during frequent travel?

Over the last year or so I have been traveling extensively and many of my long-haul trips have ended in illness. I've fallen ill in Argentina, Russia, France and now the U.K. I have almost never been sick in the last decade when staying at home or traveling less frequently. Most of the travel has been long-haul intercontinental flights. Are there any supplements you guys recommend to stay healthy while aloft and out and about?
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 7:58 am
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Have you tried taking a daily supplement like Emergen-C? They are little powder packs you dump in a glass of water. I just take regular Vitamin C, but my boyfriend swears by the Emergen-C. Be sure to drink lots of water and eat healthy. Seems like such a small thing, but it can really help keep your immune system up. And try to get enough sleep. My biggest problem is the sleep thing. I always sleep horribly the first night away and if I am in a different place each night, I am wiped by the end of the week. Also, make sure you wash your hands a lot. Carry hand sanitizer and wipes with you everywhere. For flights, I wipe down the tray table before I put anything on it. Oh, and maybe talk to your doctor. Mine added B12 to my daily regimen. Good luck!
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 8:01 am
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Originally Posted by Darbs
Have you tried taking a daily supplement like Emergen-C? They are little powder packs you dump in a glass of water. I just take regular Vitamin C, but my boyfriend swears by the Emergen-C. Be sure to drink lots of water and eat healthy. Seems like such a small thing, but it can really help keep your immune system up. And try to get enough sleep. My biggest problem is the sleep thing. I always sleep horribly the first night away and if I am in a different place each night, I am wiped by the end of the week. Also, make sure you wash your hands a lot. Carry hand sanitizer and wipes with you everywhere. For flights, I wipe down the tray table before I put anything on it. Oh, and maybe talk to your doctor. Mine added B12 to my daily regimen. Good luck!
I've heard of Emergen-C for hangovers, but not for use as a daily supplement. Getting enough sleep is always a problem as well. I try to remember to carry Purell with me. I just always worry about what's going around the re-circulated cabin air for 12 hours and how that's going to impact me a few days down the road. Thanks.
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 8:16 am
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Drink lots of water and try to catch up on sleep. I always bring alcohol wipes with me and use it to disinfect the tray table and armrests.

I also try to disinfect the door handles when I use the facilities. Other than that, a multi-vitamin or two helps
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 8:32 am
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It happens to me, travelling regularly to the US. I so often end up with a cold that comes on a day or two after I arrive. I'm not convinced it's the surfaces that I come into contact with - after all I'm forever coming into contact with "shared" surfaces. I do believe it's principally the disruption to normal sleep patterns that reduces the body's ability to fight infection that is the culprit. Add that to close proximity to people who themselves have infectious colds and it's a heady cocktail.

Using First Defence (that's the UK name - I've never found it in the US) as soon as I start feeling the slightest bit odd has helped hugely but I still am "off-color" on about 1/3 of my winter trips.
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 9:11 am
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The boyfriend takes Emergen-C every day and (knock on wood) is NEVER sick. Even if he does start feeling the sniffles coming on, he'll double up and it will be gone the next day. I can't take it because the fizziness makes me nauseous. But I agree that a lot of the problem is sleep. I'm currently fighting travel induced bronchitis so I know what you mean. Had it a month ago and despite antibiotics, it came back after a solid month on the road. My doc put me on bed rest and luckily no travel planned for this week.
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 12:08 pm
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In the colder months, I bring a small travel kettle so I can boil water for tea in the morning and before bed. I find that a hot beverage helps relax me at the end of the day and I do sleep better.
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 12:20 pm
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Originally Posted by lhrsfo
It happens to me, travelling regularly to the US. I so often end up with a cold that comes on a day or two after I arrive. I'm not convinced it's the surfaces that I come into contact with - after all I'm forever coming into contact with "shared" surfaces. I do believe it's principally the disruption to normal sleep patterns that reduces the body's ability to fight infection that is the culprit. Add that to close proximity to people who themselves have infectious colds and it's a heady cocktail.

Using First Defence (that's the UK name - I've never found it in the US) as soon as I start feeling the slightest bit odd has helped hugely but I still am "off-color" on about 1/3 of my winter trips.
I'm in jolly olde right now, where can I pick up First Defense? My issue seems to keep manifesting itself as tonsillitis which is not pleasant.
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Old Nov 7, 2011, 2:42 pm
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I've had the same problems, now there are a few things that are mandatory for each trip. I'm travelling 2-3 times a week on planes and unless you beef the immune system up, your going to get sick.

1 - Take Airborne

This works really well, you can get "Airborne On The Go" at places like Target.
Just pour the packets in to water and glug it down about 1/2 hour before getting on a flight.

2 - Carry Zicam

I am not really someone who takes medicine or pills. However, 3-4 years ago my wife introduced me to Zicam. She told me it was "herbal" and I looked at her with that "yeah right, this is really going to work" look. As soon as you feel a sore throat or a sniffle, get one of the tablets or one of the chews inside you and it will either prevent a cold or will shorten the duration. I always have these in my briefcase when travelling.

3 - Wipes

Like other people said, you have to have these on planes for wiping down the tray, the armrests, even the TV screen and definitely for when you get up and use the bathroom.

The other thing I always do is make sure that the plane air vent is turned off or pointing away from me. Who knows what germs are being circulated by that thing.
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Old Nov 11, 2011, 2:20 pm
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I've found Zicam and Airborne are basically useless. Sambucol liquid (not the gels) is about the only thing out there which is truly anti-viral (with studies to back it up), so my regime before and during travel is 2000MG minimum of Vitamin C and a couple daily doses of Sambucol.

Having said this, Sambucol is not effective against bacterial infections (i.e. strep throat, etc), so your best defense here is keeping your hands clean, and never touching your eyes, mouth or face with unwashed hands which are not treated with alcohol gel.
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Old Nov 11, 2011, 2:41 pm
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
I'm in jolly olde right now, where can I pick up First Defense? My issue seems to keep manifesting itself as tonsillitis which is not pleasant.
Most pharmacists/chemists such as Boots, Superdrug, and I cannot remember the name of any others ! But they are usually in all towns.
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Old Nov 14, 2011, 10:26 am
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I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian here. I find that drinking enough water and getting enough sleep tend to do it for me. If I remember to get some extra vitamin C, I will.

I don't use wipes or hand sanitizer, just based on the idea that exposing myself to those germs keeps my immune system tuned up. I have exactly *zero* proof that this works, nor do I claim any, but it has worked for me.
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Old Nov 19, 2011, 11:41 pm
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In Canada.. ColdFX helps with colds..
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Old Nov 27, 2011, 12:44 pm
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Originally Posted by UALfromMSN
I'm going to be a bit of a contrarian here. I find that drinking enough water and getting enough sleep tend to do it for me. If I remember to get some extra vitamin C, I will.

I don't use wipes or hand sanitizer, just based on the idea that exposing myself to those germs keeps my immune system tuned up. I have exactly *zero* proof that this works, nor do I claim any, but it has worked for me.
I wanted to say the same, so QFT, though at times I can't help but disinfect when in China...
To add in my opinion is:
- NO alcohol during long flights, they screw up immune system / sleep quality and add bad calories ;-)
- warm clothes / scarf, those air planes are getting better but sometimes their temperature regulation is seriously screwed up!
- try to get some healthy food before / during the trip. The chicken wings & burgers in the terminal, massive cola servings & plane food screw with your diet balance and for sure this doesn't help your immune system.
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Old Dec 6, 2011, 10:40 pm
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There are so many products that claim to help your immune system while travelling, but I doubt much of it is of any use. My sense is that you should do your best to get sleep, stay hydrated, eat right and disinfect your hands more than you usually would. I'm on the other side of the spectrum of germaphobes normally, but when you travel, you're particularly vulnerable to infection.

I once read some advice from a microbiologist about having something really acidic, such as orange juice, with each meal when you travel to developing countries. The idea is that such acids in your stomach make it difficult for irritating, local bacteria to multiply and cause you discomfort. I don't know if that really works, but it sounds plausible.
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