How to travel, party, and celebrate the season without catching a sniffle.

The holidays are synonymous with many of our favorite things: steaming hot apple cider, sparkling lights around the tree, and parties with the people we love. Unfortunately, another thing that seems to happen around the holidays is that everyone around you—on the bus, in the office, and at work—gets sick. These next few months are the best time of year and it’s hard to enjoy them with a cold. Luckily, we’re self-proclaimed wellness gurus and germaphobes, who are well-practiced in breaking out the hand sanitizer when it gets frosty, and we love to dole out advice. We’ve gathered tips that’ll help you stay healthy and make it through the season without catching a sniffle.

1. Start taking vitamin C now

It’s common to pop an Emergen-C tablet into your water and guzzle that fizzy drink as soon as you feel the ominous I’m-coming-down-with-a-cold sneeze coming on. However, research shows that to get the benefits of vitamin C you must begin taking this health supplement before you catch a cold. Taking 200 milligrams or more of vitamin C daily has been proven to reduce the length of a cold by 8 percent. So start taking vitamin C to strengthen your immune system now.

2. Wash your hands correctly

The average human only washes their hands for a measly 5 to 7 seconds, which leaves behind a ton of cold-causing germs. Gross! Washing your hands properly can help you avoid 2 whole colds per year! So it’s worth the extra few seconds at the sink.

How to properly clean your hands:

  • Wash for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in your head twice so you know when you’re done.
  • Don’t forget to wash in between your fingers, on your thumbs, and on the back of your hands.
  • Avoid touching handles, use a clean paper towel to turn off the water and open the door, and throw the paper towel away as you exit.

3. Wipe down your surfaces

The good news: Airplanes now clean the cabin air every 20 minutes, circulating the air from the top of the cabin to the bottom to localize germs and keep them from spreading around. This means you don’t have to wear those crazy-looking surgical masks.

The bad news: Your tray tables, arm rests, and inflight magazines are fomites, aka objects that have a high probability of carrying and spreading germs. Bring a pack of cleaning wipes to disinfect your tray and other surfaces as soon as you find your seat. Invest in a pack of Clorox wipes and you might save yourself from a trip to the doctor!

4. Use melatonin to beat jet lag

Sleep deprivation can suppress your immune system, which is the last thing you want when it’s sniffle season. If you’re traveling to a different time zone, take a melatonin, a natural sleep aid, to fall into dreamland. We love chocolate-covered melatonin that taste delicious and can help you get some beauty sleep.

5. Commit to one healthy meal per day

It often seems like there’s a decadent dessert everywhere you turn during the holidays. But if you suddenly stop eating healthy and start consuming junk, your immune system will miss its regular nutritional diet and might not be strong enough to prevent colds. An easy fix? Commit to eating at least one healthy meal a day. This way you can treat yourself to a few holiday favorites, while taking in much needed vitamins on the side.

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(Image source: forloveandlemons.com)

6. Practice self-care with exercise and meditation

Exercising and remaining stress-free keeps your immune system and body working efficiently. Break a sweat when you’re away from home by packing a few travel-friendly fitness accessories (like a jump rope and running shoes) into your carry-on. You can also subscribe to free workout videos like Pop Pilates to stay active during your vacation. Continue (or start) your daily meditation practice by downloading phone apps like Pacifica or Happify to keep the dreaded travel anxiety at bay.

7. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Staying hydrated helps your body operating at its best, but so many people forgo a glass of water in favor of indulgent drinks (like cocktails and coffee) during the holiday season. To stay hydrated while you travel, bring an empty water bottle you can fill up at the airport to stay refreshed during your flight and remember to drink water in between your spiked apple ciders and egg nogs at the holiday party. Your immune system and body will thank you. Following these general wellness tips will have you in tip-top shape to enjoy the Christmas carolers, while the rest of the world is coughing.