Sick Tips While Traveling

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc., Abreva, Emergen-C, Lipton, Robitussin and Theraflu. All opinions are mine alone. #SickDayTips #CollectiveBias

As any frequent traveler knows, a best practice and an unfortunate necessity is to pack a wellness kit when on the road! Don’t be caught in a hotel room coughing, sneezing without relief in sight. No one plans on catching a cold, but it is best to be prepared for all scenarios. There are many techniques and tips for preventing illness while traveling, however, it is inevitable that you or a member of your family will get sick. We will share a few of our sick tips while traveling and give you a peek inside our wellness kit bag.

Prepare A Wellness Kit
Whether you are at home or on the road having a wellness kit that is readily available in the event you or your family become ill is a necessity. Nothing is worse than being stranded with a sore throat, endless congestion or pounding headache. Preparing a wellness kit ahead of time eliminates the trip to the store when sick, and allows you to stay under the blankets for that much-needed rest. We make a trip to our local Kroger to stock up on our go-to cold and flu items before the sickness hits. Having a husband who is a pharmacist makes finding the right products to help during cold and flu season a breeze. Here are a few items in our wellness kit.

Our Go-To Products
Staples like tissues, hand sanitizers, saline nasal spray, pain-relieving medications, and stomach relief medications are mandatory items in our wellness kit. In addition, we always travel with a mini first aid kit. Here are a few other products recommended by the family pharmacist that are good to have in your wellness kit just in case. Head to your local Kroger and assemble you’re sick it today!

Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold
Discover a new way to treat cold and flu symptoms. Try Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold that provides powerful symptom relief in a single-serve coffee maker pod. Press. Sip. Relief and no prescription needed. They are also available in Theraflu Power Pods Nighttime Severe Cold.

These pods are great to take on the go and travel easily. Since most hotels have single serve coffee makers, this is an ideal wellness kit item. I would also recommend tossing a few in your desk at work.  (Remember, Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold and Robitussin® Maximum Strength Honey Cough & Chest Congestion DM should not be used at the same time.)

Abreva® Pump Cold Sore and Fever Blister Treatment
If you suffer from cold sores our pharmacist recommends having Abreva® Pump Cold Sore and Fever Blister Treatment in your bag. It is the only FDA approved OTC medicine that is proven to heal cold sores and shorten the duration of pain, itching, burning, tingling. It’s important to note that Abreva is not for temporary symptom relief, but healing. It delivers the best results when used at the first sign of a cold sore (e.g. the tingle that one feels on his/her lip).

Robitussin® Maximum Strength Honey Cough & Chest Congestion
We were delighted to find the new Robitussin® Honey on the shelves of Kroger this trip! The addition of honey, a natural cough suppressant, aids even more in fighting your cough. Many families, including ours, will attest to the cough relief you receive with Robitussin Honey®. Not to mention, even though it’s non-drowsy,it can help keep everyone sleeping during the night since they won’t be up coughing all night.


Lipton Bedtime Bliss Tea
Lipton Bedtime Bliss Tea can be just what the doctor ordered when you feel under the weather or have difficulty sleeping. An herbal infusion that sings you to sleep, like a lullaby in a cup.* The Lipton Wellness range, made with carefully selected botanicals and blended with essential oils, helps make wellbeing a part of your everyday routine. I recommend sticking a few tea bags in your wellness kit to have on hand.  Starting Feb. 20th, 2019 save $1.00 off Lipton Tea Herbal Supplement Wellness at your local Kroger.


Preventing Illness During Travel
Traveling during cold and flu season can fill one with a sense of dread.  The mere thought of sitting in an airplane with ten people coughing brings shivers down your spine. Here are a few sick tips while traveling to help you avoid catching whatever illness the person sitting next to you on the plane may have.


Practice Good Hand Washing
It is proven that hand washing is the single most effective way to protect you and your family from getting sick. By washing your hands with soap you are removing all the germs that are unknowingly on your hands. In the next hour attempt to count how many times you touch your eyes, nose, and mouth. It becomes clear how easy it is to contract an infection without even knowing it. Washing your hands frequently, especially during traveling is your safest bet for escaping cold and flu season.

Stay Hydrated
Ensuring that you are hydrated will help to reduce headaches, reduce flu symptoms, and support the body’s immune response system. It is imperative to keep hydrated during air travel. High altitudes and low cabin humidity can lower your resistance to cold and flu germs. Dehydration during travel can make one more susceptible to catching these germs. Our advice is to pack a reusable water bottle. Once you pass security you can fill it up at the nearest water fountain.

Wear A Face Mask
Don’t assume that everyone who is wearing a face mask is sick. Often times they are wearing it in attempts to avoid any airborne illness that is floating around. It not only protects against germs but allergens, dust, and bacteria.  Add this as another step in preventative care during your travels.

Sanitize
It goes without saying that it is imperative to have hand sanitizer to help in aiding the fight against cold and flu germs.  After considering how many handrails, doorknobs, and restaurant menus that you touched that have passed through hundreds of people’s hands a little sanitizer will go a long way. Don’t forget to wipe down airline trays and any other common areas.

What To Do If You Get Sick

Rest
As painful as it may be to miss a day of vacation or an important business meeting it is necessary that you take a day to rest. This will give your body an opportunity to start healing. In addition, your fellow co-workers or other guests vacationing really don’t want to share your germs. Take time to sleep and care for yourself.

Use Your Wellness Kit
Hallelujah! Praise the good Lord for your wellness kit. Now you have relief for your symptoms right at your fingertips. In the event, you got sick prior to preparing your wellness kit, make a mad dash to your neighborhood Kroger to stock up on your cold and flu necessities. Kroger even has the option to click list your cold and flu items or have them delivered to your doorstep.

Stay Hydrated
There is that pesky hydration word again. When you are sick, dehydration will only make symptoms worse.  We discovered that munching on cold watermelon not only aids in a sore throat but is also packed with water. Try adding lemon or cucumber to your water for a different taste, if you can taste that is.  Don’t forget to sip on Lipton Bedtime Bliss Tea at night, which will give you a caffeine-free fluid boost before you go to sleep.


We hope that you and your family are able to avoid cold and flu season, but in the event that illness strikes we hope that these tips will help.  Get more #SickDayTips here.



Theraflu-(c) 2019 the GSK group of companies or its licensor. Theraflu is for use in adults 12 years and older.
Use all products only as directed. Read the label and follow directions. Abreva, Emergen-C, Robitussin – Use only as directed. Read the label and follow directions.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent disease.