If you’re traveling with your family or on your own this holiday season, you may struggle to keep your immune system up to snuff. Especially during the colder seasons, immune function can be suppressed. Moreover, if you’re traveling you’ll be exposed to a whole lot of germs your body isn’t used to. But there are ways to stay healthy during the holiday season, even when you’re traveling.

While you might expect the typical list of germ-busting techniques, the ph360 approach is a bit different. Because the real way to keep yourself healthy is by nourishing yourself as your immune system uniquely needs to be nourished.

Just like any other arena of your health, what works best to keep your immune system active should be targeted for your unique needs. There is no one size fits all for immune strength. The strongest immune response will be a result of preventive health care measures taken over time—customized to your specific physical and genetic demands.

Here’s how:

Exercise the right way. Help your body by doing the exercise that is right for you—not straining or under-exerting yourself in the most popular new workout trend. How to know what’s right for you? Enlist the support of a personal trainer, or simply pay attention to how your musculature and joints feel after different kinds of exercise. If you ever experience pain or inflammation in your joints, you may be exercising in a way that’s taxing your body unnecessarily.

Eat the best foods for your body. The food you eat should energize and fuel you, rather than cause weight gain, brain fog, and a weakened immune system. Whole, unprocessed foods tend to support immune function, though different foods will be better for different people depending on metabolic and hormonal needs. Consult your ph360 FOOD dashboard for guidance, or work with a nutritionist.

Get enough sleep! Prioritize sleep whenever possible, particularly before and during travel. Enlist the help of sleep aids when you need—ear plugs, eye mask, or white noise may all be useful when trying to get sleep in unfamiliar environments.

Have fun. Studies show that laughing and enjoying time with the people you love can actually have a positive effect on both mood and health. Minimize stress—which stimulates cortisol release and diminishes your capacity to fight off illness. Find small ways (a hot bath, a walk, singing along with your favorite song) to diminish the accumulation of  stress.

And of course: Minimize germ exposure. Wash your hands frequently. Use hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes after you use germ hotspots like ATMs, water fountains, credit card keypads, gas pumps, etc. Avoid touching your eyes unnecessarily—remember that germs can be transmitted this way, too.

Remember, ph360 can help you discover the specific foods, exercises, and lifestyle choices that may help keep your immune system strong year round. Explore ph360.me today.