Before you trip even begins, you need to make sure you are staying as hydrated as possible. Prior to boarding a airplane, and throughout the duration of the flight, keep your body hydrated.
Water is your best defense, especially during a long flight. Low humidity creates dry air, which can dry throat and nose mucus-two nasty things you do not want.
However, if you keep your body hydrated, the mucus membranes continue to function properly, and your body can protect itself from harmful bacteria and germs. Avoid drinking soda and coffee, which naturally dehydrates you.
Stock up on your antibacterial gel. Not only do you have to worry about the guy sitting next to you, but the person who sat in your seat on the previous flight could have had a cold, or worse, the flu.
Colds and flu develop after inhaling germs and bacteria. Touching a contaminated magazine, seat belt, or blanket, and then touching your nose or mouth increase your chances of becoming sick.
All of the surfaces around have not been wiped down. This includes your tray table, and the button which makes you seat lean back.
As gross as the blankets and pillows on airplanes may seem, the FAA actually found they are not all that bad because they are washed. However, the trays, overheads, etc. are not.
The area to worry about on airplanes are the galley water taps and lavatory faucets where they have found germs associated with feces, in seventeen percent of airplanes tested. If this does not scare you into being more germ conscious, who knows what will.
If you have a disinfectant wipe, take it out and wipe down all of the surfaces around you. Once you depart the plane, make a beeline to the nearest restroom, and wash your hands with soap and warm water.
If you want to avoid getting cold or flu on a flight, strengthen your body's defenses beforehand. A few days prior, take vitamins, drink plenty of juice with vitamin C, or take herbal immune system boosters.
Remember that a cold and flu usually develop slowly. At the first sign of sickness, take medication, or an herbal remedy.
Sometimes, you can head off a cold before it starts. Better to be safe than sorry, after all.
Two simple things make airplanes the perfect germ companion: the air is being recirculated, and you are in close proximity to others. If you have nasal congestion or ear pain before getting on your plane, consider taking a Sudafed thirty minutes before takeoff, to avoid that painful ear pressure upon takeoff and landing
If you are on a plane or charter jet for five hours or longer, you are at increased risk for a deep venous thrombosis, which can travel to your lung. Ideally, book a seat in an exit row, a bulkhead seat, or an aisle seat.
Walk up and down the aisle about once an hour, or flex your ankle up and down as if you are pushing on the accelerator. Blood pools in the veins in your leg when you are sitting in cramped quarters, so your job is to get things moving.
Your best weapon against those germs is washing your hands. Here is the all-star guide to hand washing: use soap and warm water, and rub hands together (the friction may be the reason hand washing really works) for fifteen to twenty seconds.
Try singing the song happy birthday, or going through your ABCs twice in your head. This is generally a good standard length of time that even doctors themselves use.
You can even throw some antibacterial hand gel on after washing your hands. Why not get a little extra protection?
Try carrying it with you everywhere. The more often you use it, the safer you will be.
There is no evidence for this, but some would suggest using an alcohol-based disposable hand wipe to wipe the trays, overheads, and armrests before you touch them. Once again, better safe than sorry.
After your trip is over, continue to make sure that you get plenty of sleep, and take lots of vitamin C. The more run-down you get, the more susceptible you are to germs and bacteria taking over your body.
Try some of these tips, and see if it helps you on your next excursion. Not getting sick is well worth the effort!
Author Resource:-
Tom Selwick has worked the past 22 years in the air charter industry. He suggests usingPrivate Jet Charter for a quality charter service.
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