Is your immune system ready for traveling? Here are 5 rock-solid tips to be ready go anywhere!

Whether it's family reunions, the holidays, weddings, or graduation ceremonies, there are many reasons to leave your house and see the world!

While you might be ready to travel, is your immune system? As you get ready to leave home, consider these ways that travel taxes your body:

1. Travel almost always involves sitting for long periods. Whether on a plane, bus, or road trip, sitting for long periods is hard on the body. Read about how "Sitting is the New Smoking."

2. Changing time zones messes with your body's internal clock. It is said that every time zone you cross will require a day to adapt.

3. Flying in an airplane is particularly hard because of the stale, recycled air. These days, there are likely to be even more dangerous cleaning chemicals and residues in the air and on the surfaces you touch.

4. A whole new set of microorganisms to meet. When you leave home and visit new environments, your body will experience a whole new mess of bacteria, viruses, and other germs. At the end of the day, you'll be better off having come into contact with all these new microorganisms, but only if your body is healthy and your immune system is ready to adapt and respond healthily.

5. Travel often includes splurging on food and drink you wouldn't normally consume. Many people drink more alcohol and eat out at restaurants more than usual when traveling or vacationing. The increased alcohol, sugar, and refined carbohydrates strain the body and reduce white blood cell function.

6. Disrupted sleep. Even if you're staying in your native time zone, travel often messes with your sleep schedule and the amount of sleep you get. Sleep is when your body heals from all the stuff you do to it during the day, so disrupting your sleep leaves you vulnerable to getting worn down and having reduced immune capacity.

Here are four rock-solid tips for being ready to travel anywhere! Whether you are headed across town or around the world, there are simple things that you can do ahead of time and during your trip to stay healthy.

1. Stay hydrated. Keep those fluids up. Even if it means more bathroom pit-stops along your route, staying hydrated will help your body perform all of its functions that are necessary for staying healthy. It is especially important to stay hydrated when breathing the dry, recycled air on planes. Try adding electrolytes like Ultima to your water to make it yummier and easier for the water to stick.

2. Vitamin D3 is the immune system vitamin. Over 20,000 scientific articles have been published about the importance of Vitamin D in healthy body functions. Vitamin D is critical in detecting and fighting off pathogenic microorganisms by supporting white blood cell (WBC) function. Vitamin D also works to regulate the inflammation process in the body. Vitamin D to the Rescue offers a clinically significant dosage of 5000 IU paired with Vitamin K2 to increase absorption and effectiveness.

3. Prioritize sleep. Travel can be exhausting, so you need to give your body a chance to rest, recover, recharge, and catch up. Pro tip: Bring earplugs and consider an eye mask to create a dark sleep environment.

4. Movement is paramount. Take time to stretch and move to get your blood flowing. On a road trip, allow time to stop and stretch. On an airplane, get up and stretch about once per hour.

5. Healthy Food. Part of a good vacation is splurging on yummy food and drink. Permit yourself to enjoy delicious meals and desserts, but prioritize some healthy food to balance out sugary desserts and carb-laden meals.

Vitamin D intake is one of the most important action steps to take immediately, as you'll want to take it before your trip. Most of the above recommendations are actions you can take while traveling.