As a frequent flyer, I always arrive back home with some sort of illness. Whether it’s a mild cold, a tummy ache or a bad throat, you are sure to come back with slight plane or jet lag discomfort. Sometimes things can get a bit tougher, like severe colds, migraines, food poisoning or heart condition problems.

Actress Winona Ryder was briefly hospitalized after falling ill on a flight to London’s Heathrow Airport last Wednesday. Regardless of Winona Ryder’s illness was there before or after she got on the plane, anyone can be subject to various type of diseases. People in planes are sneezing, coughing, wiping their noses and touching things in the same spots as you. These human fumes are circulated and suppressed in the plane.  

Tips to prevent catching germs when you’re up in the air:

• Ask your doctor about ingesting some form of vitamin C and other antioxidants, Zinc lozenges or Selenium tablets. You can even try protecting the immune system with herbal Echinacea.
• Drink lots of water, herbal teas and juice. Turn down the less dehydrating coffee, soda/fizzy drinks and alcohol. Cabin air dries out crucial protective sinuses leaving travelers more vulnerable to microbial infection. Steam from hot beverages will help keep mucous membranes moist. Try to consume the more liquids you can handle. Tip: Be sure to get an aisle seat.
• Get a flu shot, or opt for nasal sprays and other new anti-virals in the market.
• Try not to fly during high flu seasons or when the news is reporting an outbreak, especially to the most popular travel destinations.
• Feel confident in wearing a face filter mask. This would work if people had the nerve to wear them up in the air.
• Surgical gloves might be less obvious than a facial mask. It will keep you from touching things and wiping your face.
• Try not to touch anything with your hands. Avoid shaking hands with new friends. Avoid opening the overhead compartment or toilet handles with your bare hands - use your sleeve or a bandana/hanky. If you do have to touch something remember to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face or eating.
• If you cannot wash your hands, carry and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Use a travel sized container of a germ killing mouthwash..
• Use germ wipes to clean surfaces like arm rests, tray tables, seat belt buckles, vent controls and other direct contact surfaces.
• Try not to talk to too many passengers in general. People can be contagious with something and not even show signs of illness.
• Insist in moving your seat if passengers are sneezing, coughing or exhibiting obvious signs of flu or cold illness.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 at 8:33 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.