Fall Travel Tips: Bulletproof Immune System

From the red-eye business trip to the standard family vacation, maintaining your health and fitness is often a difficult task.  Making time to exercise when traveling is only half of the battle– the complexities of staying healthy during any trip prove to be overwhelming for many men.  Taking the necessary steps to stay healthy when the road schedule is grueling may be the difference between regressing and progressing. While research that examines the relationship between lifestyle and immune system is preliminary, there is undoubtedly a strong correlation between the two that must be noted for optimal performance.

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Bulletproof your immune system and keep making strides no matter where you are in the world with these Fall travel tips.

Fall Travel Tips: Bulletproof Immune System

Nutrition

The importance of proper nutrition may seem overstated in the fitness industry; however, it is for good reason that health and fitness professionals so heavily emphasize eating (and drinking) well. All of your body’s systems function more effectively a midst a healthy diet. Both quality and quantity matter when eating on the road. Choosing antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, as well as foods low in saturated fat, will help you feel well and perform at a high level. When the schedule is tight, tempting fast food will always be an option– dismiss this temptation by researching healthier restaurants in the area before you depart for the trip. Furthermore, make it a priority to reserve hotel rooms or guest homes with some type of kitchen so you can eat more natural foods and effectively control the ingredients. Entire books have been written on the benefits of certain vitamins but some vitamins that you don’t want to be without while traveling are; Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, and safe portions of the trace element Zinc. Side note: Beyond food and drink, do yourself (and your loved ones) a favor by avoiding cigarettes and other harmful chemicals.

Rest

Between post-workout recovery and mere overnight sleeping, sufficient rest is of utmost importance when traveling. This is generally a problem area as both the process of getting to your destination and the lifestyle once you’ve arrived do not welcome a normal sleep schedule. It is unreasonable to advise the cliche “get 8 hours” prescription but you can certainly employ some more realistic rest strategies like power naps (20-30 minutes in duration) and toning down the electronics (turn off the TV, close the laptop).  If you are to perform at a high level, you must approach recovery with an extreme sense of urgency.

Potential Roadblocks

Jet Lag: As a professional, you have likely mastered the art of avoiding jet lag. Things like adjusting your internal clock beforehand, selecting overnight flights, and limiting alcohol and caffeine in route, are minute details that will help you crush jet lag symptoms and bulletproof your immune system. Furthermore, the impact of hydration can not be overstated when traveling and trying to stay fit– drink up!

Vaccinations: The last thing you, your business partners, and/or your family want while traveling is to be derailed by an illness or condition that could have been avoided with proactive research. Before you depart to a new destination, take time to research the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention– here you can enter the location and discover any vaccinations you may need.  Side note: Wash your hands thoroughly and often.  From day-to-day interactions to shaking hands at a networking function, germs from everywhere and everyone are trying to penetrate your body’s security system!

The journey to dominance and optimal health never ceases– that is, a brutal travel schedule should never be the reason you don’t hit a goal. Prepare like a mad man, control the things you can control, and a bulletproof immune system will be the result this Fall.