Will you be traveling this holiday season? Traveling can hard on your immune system: you’re around other people traveling while sick, the dry airplane air, the climate difference, the interruption of your sleep cycle (jet lag) and the stress of it all. Here are some tips to maintain your health (and good humor) while traveling during the holiday season.

1 – Pack your own food. It can be hard to find fresh, organic whole foods at the airport, on the airplane, or on the road. Bring nuts, dried or fresh fruit, granola, carrot sticks to snack on – and check out my favorite travel trail mix recipe in this email.

2 – Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. This is an important one especially for air travel. Bring your own (empty) water bottle to the airport and refill at water stations/fountains and try to drink water throughout your flight.

3 – Meditate. When else do you have this much time on your hands? Download a meditation app to your phone (I like Headspace), put on your headphones, and get some zen time. You will feel more relaxed and refreshed for it, and it is thought that meditation can help reduce jet lag.

4 – Noise Cancelling Headphones. These are kinda big and can be expensive, but so, so worth it. Not only great for listening to music or watching movies, but you will be so happy you have them when there are crying babies on your flight.

5 – Neti pot or saline spray. One of the main reasons people get sick while traveling is that their nose mucus dries out, and is then no longer able to filter viruses and bacteria. Use a neti pot before and after flying, or use a natural saline spray to keep your nasal passages hydrated and functioning properly.

Travel Trail Mix:

3-4 cups walnuts
3 cups brasil nuts or whole almonds
1 cup goji berries
1 cup dried mulberries
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons cacao nibs

You dump this in a bowl. You mix it. Done!