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Holiday Health Tips: Simple Ways to Stay Well

The holiday travel season brings joy, connection, and often travel and disrupted routines. Between crowded airports, long drives, irregular meals, and changes in sleep schedules, your immune system and energy levels can take a major hit. Fortunately, a few evidence-supported strategies can help you stay strong, balanced, and resilient throughout your travels.

1. Support Your Immune System Before You Go

Your innate and adaptive immune defenses work best when the basics are in place: adequate micronutrients, hydration, and circadian alignment. Research shows that vitamins C, D, and zinc help support immune cell activation, maintain mucosal defenses, and regulate inflammatory responses¹⁻³. Adding immune boosting botanical such as elderberry or quercetin increases resilience during travel ⁴⁻⁵. Begin immune support 2-4 days before you travel for maximum protection.

Supplement Recommendation: PureDefense w/ NAC, Nasal Spray, Throat Spray , ,Nourish & Flourish meal replacement

Food Recommendation: citrus fruits, bone broth, green tea

Lifestyle Recommendation: >30 min daily sunlight exposure, open windows & prioritize fresh air when possible 

2. Prioritize Hydration to Reduce Fatigue and Jet Lag

Even mild dehydration can impair cognitive performance, energy, and mood.⁶ Winter air in naturally drier and heating removes additional moisture. Airplane cabins are the worst offenders with typical humidity levels lower than 20%. All of which accelerates fluid loss. Water consumption is critical along with electrolytes, particularly magnesium, potassium, and sodium, which help maintain fluid balance and support normal muscle and nerve function. 

Supplement Recommendation:  Advanced Electrolytes 

Food Recommendation: water + electrolytes, juice, coconut water, soup 

Lifestyle Recommendation: Carry a water bottle with you when you travel and sip regularly. Bring an empty bottle through airport security and prioritize hydration  especially during long flights and when consuming alcohol and caffeine. 

3. Protect Your Gut While Eating Away From Home

Holiday travel often means unfamiliar foods, irregular eating windows, and exposure to new food pathogens. The gut microbiome plays a central role in immune function and inflammation regulation and abrupt shifts in diet can temporarily disrupt microbial balance. Probiotics, digestive enzymes, and fiber-rich foods help keep digestion smooth and support microbial diversity and oregano and botanicals can help with eliminating harmful digestive pathogens. 

Supplement Recommendation: Probiotic, Prebiotic Fiber, Enzymes, MicroDefense 

Food Recommendation: yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, asparagus, gelatinous broths, artichokes, resistant starches (chilled rice, pasta, potatoes, green bananas) 

Lifestyle Recommendation:  walk for 5-10 minutes after a meal to improve digestion, eating slowly and try to stop eating especially heavy foods at least 3 hours before going to sleep. 

4. Keep Your Sleep-Wake Cycle Consistent 

Sleep is one of the strongest regulators of immune competence. Inadequate or irregular sleep weakens natural killer cell activity and increases susceptibility to respiratory infections. When crossing time zones, melatonin may help regulate circadian rhythm and reduce the time it takes to adjust. L-theanine, magnesium & calming herbs can reduce cortisol and help with stress-related insomnia. 

Supplement Recommendation: Best Rest Formula, Magnesium Glycinate 

Food Recommendation: chamomile tea, almonds, bananas

Lifestyle Recommendation: sleep in as dark as possible room as possible, aim for early morning sunlight outside without sunglasses to set circadian rhythm

5. Move Your Body Every Day 

Blood flow, lymphatic circulation, and joint comfort decline with prolonged sitting. Light movement increases oxygenation, maintains muscle function, and helps counter the inflammatory effects of immobility and circulates immune cells to prevent infection.

Supplement Recommendation: Nourish & Flourish, Vascular Relax, Nitric Oxide Ultra

Food Recommendation: water & other fluids, olive oil, berries, pomegranate, cranberries & other polyphenol rich fruits, fatty fish, avocados 

Lifestyle Recommendation:  on long drives or flights, aim to stand up and move at least every 60-90 minutes, more if you have circulation issues. Flexing toes & feet while sitting is also helpful when standing isn't an option. 

Pack a Small 'Travel Wellness Kit'

Consider including:

  • Nasal spray – helps keep nasal passages moist and supports the body’s first line of immune defense 

  • Throat spray - fights inflammation and provides a protective coating against pathogens 

  • Meal replacement packets – provides protein, fiber, and a polyphenol boost between holiday meals 

  • Electrolytes

  • Refillable water bottle

  • Hand sanitizer / wipes (preservative + fragrance free)

  • Eye mask 

  • Simple snacks - like nuts, jerky, fruit to prevent blood sugar crashes and extra nutrition 

Keeping these essentials handy reduces travel stress and helps you stay aligned with your normal wellness routine.

The Bottom Line

Holiday travel doesn’t have to derail your health. With a little planning and a focus on hydration, sleep, immune support, and gut balance, you can arrive energized, resilient, and ready to enjoy the season.

If you’d like personalized supplement recommendations for your travel plans, our team at Solutions 4 Health is here to help contact us today!

References

  1. Wintergerst, E. S., Maggini, S., & Hornig, D. H. (2006). Contribution of selected vitamins and trace elements to immune function. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 50(2), 85–94.
  2. Hossein-nezhad, A., & Holick, M. F. (2013). Vitamin D for health: A global perspective. PLoS ONE, 8(3), e58725.
  3. Prather, A. A., Janicki-Deverts, D., Hall, M. H., & Cohen, S. (2015). Behaviorally assessed sleep and susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep, 38(9), 1353–1359.
  4. Ganio, M. S., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., McDermott, B. P., & Lee, E. C. (2011). Mild dehydration impairs cognitive performance and mood of men. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 30(5), 362–370.
  5. David, L. A., Maurice, C. F., Carmody, R. N., et al. (2014). Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature, 505(7484), 559–563.
  6. Herxheimer, A., & Petrie, K. J. (2002). Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (2), CD001520.