Holiday Health Hacks

This Christmas, keeping your entire brood well (while staying sane!) is probably topping your priority list. Luckily, there are things you can do to proactively set yourself up for success. Here, paediatric doctor and mother-of-three DR NATALIE EPTON shares her top tips for staying mentally and physically healthy this holiday season, whether you're staying in Singapore or travelling abroad.

- AMY GREENBURG

Immunity-boosting advice

Travelling with kids on a long-haul flight? Dr Natalie suggests taking measures to boost your family's immunity before you fly by doing the following.

1 Fighting off the flu 

"Experts are predicting a particularly brutal flu season' this year, so it's absolutely worth considering getting flu shots for the entire family, not just the children." 

2 Making sure your vaccinations are up to date

Around a month before flying, Dr Natalie recommends checking your children's (and your) vaccination status.

"Ensure your children's basic vaccinations are up to date, as the prolonged pandemic has caused some of us to take our eye off this particular ball, and some children are behind in their standard vaccine schedules," she says.

"As COVID continues to be a major health concern throughout the world, we do continue to recommend COVID vaccination for everyone who is currently eligible. Travel, particularly travel involving long-haul flights, does increase risk of transmission of all respiratory infections, including COVID."

3 Swapping supplements for a vitamin-rich diet

"Although there are many supplements on the market claiming to boost immunity, there is limited evidence to support such claims," says Dr Natalie. "Generally, a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables should supply all your body's dietary vitamin requirements, and the body can usually absorb these nutrients more readily from dietary sources than supplements."

4 Getting enough sleep