Traveling is such a rewarding experience, however can definitely take a toll on our immune system. I’ve compiled some of my top tips on how I stay healthy while traveling to make sure I don’t catch whatever germs might be floating around. Read tip #6, it’s a personal favorite!

1. Before you even leave, load up on vitamin C. I like to drink a few packets of Emergen-C a few days before I leave so that it is in my system already. I also bring some with me to drink while I’m away, especially if I’ve had a few late nights!
2. Wipe.everything.down. Sooo many people don’t do this and it is crucial! Not only while traveling but just in life. I always carry disinfecting wipes with me and wipe down the seat, seat belt, tray table, etc the second I get on a plane. I also wipe down the hotel room too! Crazy? Maybe. Less germs? Yes!
3. Never lay on throw pillows or decorative blankets in your hotel room. Like never. These things don’t get washed and who knows what types of weird things were going on with previous guests (yikes). I always pull back the comforter and make sure that I only sit/lay on the sheets.
4. Piggybacking off the previous tip, don’t put your suitcase on the bed! This is my biggest pet peeve and I don’t understand why people do this. Your suitcase was just dragged on the ground and thrown onto the dirty baggage claim. Use the luggage rack that’s provided or the floor – please!
5. Don’t forget about your feet. If you are wearing shoes without socks to the airport, always keep a pair of socks in your carry on bag to put on when walking through security. Also, hotel floors can be dirty and you definitely don’t want to pick up any fungus from the carpet. Dramatic, probably but I always bring slippers to walk around in, plus it’s more comfortable!
6. When we get to hotels, we often unpack our toiletries and leave our toothbrush out on the counter. When the maid comes in, our items get moved around to clean and they might just touch your toothbrush. Yup – dirty hands, maybe just scrubbed the toilet and now it’s on your toothbrush about to go into your mouth. I bet you’ll never leave your toothbrush out again…
7. Get to the gym – at least once! Maintaining your same routine that you have at home is important when you are traveling too. Foregoing all the hard work you have put in would be so sad just because you are traveling for a few days. Try to get to the gym at least once (if not every day!) so that you can still maintain your healthy lifestyle, especially if you’ve indulged more on food and drinks!
8. Eat at least 1 healthy meal a day! It can be tough when traveling to eat well for a number of reasons, however if you try to keep at least 1 meal healthy, this will help you better stay on track. My personal favorite meal is dinner so I would rather eat light for breakfast and lunch and indulge later. If you decide ahead of time what meals you want to keep healthy, you are less likely to make an impulsive unhealthy decision!
9. Drink a whole bottle of water on the plane. I always have a bottle on me wherever I go and when I’m on a plane, I can literally feel the water being sucked from my body. My goal is to drink an entire bottle of water while flying to stay hydrated and keep my skin from drying out.
10. This final tip is something that I do everyday, even when I’m not traveling, however I think it’s important. When “touching” things, like the elevator button or the touch screen on a place, I always use my knuckle. Your knuckle is less likely to touch your face like your finger tip would and it will prevent germs from spreading!