Anna Segal is a professional freestyle skier and former Olympic athlete who makes her home in beautiful Pemberton, BC.
As a professional skier, winter is the most important time of the year for me. Unfortunately it is also the season we are most likely to become run down, or even worse, sick. January is especially busy for me - I’m often on the road, travelling to different mountain towns, sleeping in unfamiliar beds and eating foods that I wouldn’t usually cook for myself. For me it’s important to adapt, but I also need a routine that enables me to keeps my immune system firing on all cylinders. Whether you’re travelling, or just trying to kick the New Year off with your healthiest foot forward, here are a few immune boosting staples that I swear by.
Sleep
Never underestimate the magic powers of sleep. Sleeping away from home can be tough, but I’ve learned a few tricks to a good night’s sleep while on the road.
Photo credit: @Anna_Segal
Hydration
Ensuring you stay hydrated is another easy way to keep your system healthy while travelling.. I try to get at least 1.5 L of water into my system each day. To eep the H20 consumption interesting I make sure to pack a variety of non-caffeinated teas and Ener-C sachets in my bag.
Supplements
There are so many supplements on the market, but I have narrowed it down to a just a couple that fit into my handbag or carry on.
Breath work
There have been a multitude of peer reviewed research studies proving that practising learned breathingtechniques can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and immune system. The benefits include increased production of anti-inflammatory mediators and lower levels of cytokines, which are associated with inflammation and stress. I became a proponent of breath work after reading James Nestor’s book, Breath: The New Science of the lost Art. I highly recommend this fascinating read.
Ditch the Stress
Whatever you can do to keep your stress levels low will ultimately help all aspects of your health. This is far easier said than done when travelling (especially when it is for work). My go to stress relievers are yoga, meditation and a good old Netflix show to help me switch my brain off.
I hope these tidbits will help you next time you travel, whether it is for work or play!