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There's Nothing Worse Than Taking Sick Days After A Vacation

Travel in the winter means that cold and flu bugs are on every counter, button, person and thing you touch on the way through. It is even more critical to fly smart at this time of year.
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Smiling woman enjoying Paris from the airplane window
martin-dm via Getty Images
Smiling woman enjoying Paris from the airplane window

Now that I am an innkeeper, I need to plan my travel wisely. The nice part is that there are predictable peak seasons in Stratford and the Theatre Festival runs from April until October. November and December are for family, but January through March are for me to seek inspiration in food through travel.

Travel in the winter means that cold and flu bugs are on every counter, button, person and thing you touch on the way through. It is even more critical to fly smart at this time of year.

Here are my no-sick travel secrets:

Sanitize

Use alcohol-based gel every couple of hours or so and wash your hands whenever you see a sink.

Use nasal gel to keep sinuses moist. The bugs like a dry schnozz, don't let 'em take hold.

Bring wipes to wipe down your own armrest, tray table and window blind. Honestly, people change their babies and cough all over those things.

Snack Smart

It is easy to find carbohydrates at every turn at the airport. A bagel here, a bag of chips there, gummy bears and a glass of tomato juice and you are on your way to salt, sugar dehydration jet lag. That icky travel day feeling is the last thing you need whether you are sitting on the beach or hustling to a meeting.

That icky travel day feeling is the last thing you need.

Pack these snacks and order sparkling water on the plane and you will arrive nourished and rested.

Roasted chick peas offer protein and fibre plus that stress busting crunch. These are lower in fat and salt that chips and are a more respectful option than nuts. Allergies today being what they are, don't risk rubbing an anaphylactic reaction on your seat cushions, they don't get cleaned that often and you never know who will be sitting in your seat next.

If you have a sweet tooth, you may be tempted by a candy bar but upgrade to a low sugar protein bar and dried fruit in your bag. Choosing the right one means reading the label: look for three to 10 grams of fibre and less than 10 grams of sugar. Dried fruit is higher in calories and sugar than you would think but it also comes with fibre and minerals that jujubes do not. Chewing helps calm your brain so when you are finished with the fruit, be sure to clean your sticky teeth with a piece of sugar-free gum.

Supplement

You can't always eat what you want, but if you try sometime, you can get what your road-weary body needs.

Vitamin C powder packets can be added to any water bottle for instant flavour and an immune boost. Magnesium powder packets do the same at night, only they help your muscles relax so you can sleep. Melatonin tablets are excellent for short term use to get you adjusted to a new time zone so you get your rest.

I prefer holidays that are active and exploratory, but I still need to land home rested. It just won't do to have to take a week off to recover from my two weeks off.

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