Why are summer holidays a problem?
As the summer holiday season gets into full swing (thank goodness I hear you say!) it is so important that our bodies are prepared and essentially ready to enjoy our trips, whether it be at home or abroad.
While holidays are a time for us to relax and enjoy ourselves, unfortunately even just reaching our exotic destination (or Staycation location) can put our immune system at risk. Bugs are incredibly easily passed around in busy places such as train stations and airports, and especially on aeroplanes, where we breathe in re-circulated air.
How to prepare yourself
1. Support your immune system by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
2. Not getting enough sleep lowers your immune function, so ensure your body has plenty of rest before the journey. A.Vogel’s sleep advisor Amy recommends 8-10 hours sleep a night to help the body repair itself and build the immune system. If your inner child is too excited to sleep ahead of your holiday, follow Amy’s 10 tips to help you get a better sleep.
3. Take regular exercise to boost your immune system.
4. Wash your hands – a simple rule but vitally important, especially in busy locations.
5. Drink plenty of fluids – hydration ensures that toxins are flushed out of the body. Approximately 8 glasses of water a day are recommended.
6. Take plenty of zinc (found in meat, oysters, eggs and seafood) and also fresh ginger. Used together or separately, these have been known to boost the immune system.
7. The final suggestion would be to avoid high traffic areas where a congestion of people can undoubtedly encourage the spread of bugs although this can be unavoidable in the holiday season, particularly when travelling.
Are there any herbal remedies that might help?
Echinaforce is a great herbal remedy for the immune system because it contains fresh Echinacea, which is traditionally used to support immune function.
Our tincutre comes in a 15ml, 50ml or 100ml bottle so any size will fit in your hand luggage, or you can take Echinaforce tablets with you instead.
If you tend to suffer from a sore throat on holiday, then Echinaforce® Sore Throat Spray could be of great use and its handy 30ml size means that it is ideal for travelling and convenient to use, with the well-designed nozzle and pump which directs the spray straight to the back of the throat.
A recent study of long haul air travellers who used Echinacea 14 days prior to travel, and 14 days afterwards, found that only 25% of users had any respiratory illness after travelling compared to 39% of those not using the product.[1]
With any luck by using these tips, this holiday season you will only be collecting your bags at your destination – not bugs!!
[1] Tiralongo E et al. Echinacea supplementation in air travellers.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2012; 2012: 417267. doi: 10.1155/2012/417267
