Three portable antioxidant cocktails suitable for carry-on flu and cold protection when you fly.
A study by the Journal of Environmental Health Services suggests staying hydrated in airplanes (PDF file) to combat the "very high colds transmission risk" during travel as an airline passenger.
Pressurized cabin air dehydrates the sinuses, leaving frequent travelers especially vulnerable to the inevitable germs found in dry, close quarters. There are plenty of ways to prevent catching a flu bug prior to, and during flights. To combat the dry air in particular, you can drink lots of airplane bottled water - but why not pack an extra antioxidant punch to the water you're sucking down?
Here are three portable and easily available Antioxidant cocktails allowed in carry-on bags for flying.
- Airborne - Tablets that fizz. On the package: "made by a schoolteacher". This doesn't inspire much confidence for the business traveler, not like a "made by a doctor" would...but this is really just vitamins and minerals here, albeit in doses reported to boost the immune system. Immune-strengthening herbs like Echinachea are added. The spice Ginger is also included, to help fight motion sickness. Some people swear by Airborne...and some say it's an expensive placebo. The biggest problem with Airborne is that one really has to take their dose every few hours before, during and after a flight/conference/business meeting. Airborne is not a magic pill; it's not medicine. It's just Vitamins A, C & E, Zinc, Selenium and some New Age-type things you can buy in a health store. When taken with the proper frequency, Airborne seems to prevent colds before they begin (according to the limited sample of my own family and friends). Airborne comes in their original orange flavor and lots of new odd concoctions all the time.
- Dr. Brandt's Anti-Oxidant Water Booster - Dropper of additives. This dropper bottle is easy to use and portable. Flavors include Original (blech), Lemon (blech) and Pomegranate (very, very good). The Pomegranate flavor is mildly sweet without any added sugars, and just a dropper full packs a walloping load of antioxidants. The water booster provides the equivalent of 15 cups of green tea in one dropper. It also contains white tea extract, grapeseed polyphenols and potassium. The company recently reconfigured the dropper cap - now more rugged - so it won't leak. The water booster bottle is suitable for your carry-on toiletry bags at under 2 fl. oz.
- Borba - Packet of powder. More like a juice drink than Dr Brandt's, if you prefer your drinks sweeter. Mixes easily from small packets and contains the no-carb sweetener Sucralose. This would be the easiest beverage of the three in this article to get traveling youngsters to drink. Flavors include Lychee, Pomegranate and Acai. Basically translated: Green Kool Aid, Pink Kool Aid, and Purple Kool Aid. The drink mixes contain many of the same vitamins and minerals found in the Dr. Brandt Water Boosters, but Borba also claims their drinks fight wrinkles, clear acne and reduce pore size. Buy it for the antioxidants and don't worry about your pores.
Related: Avoid Flu Germs in Planes
