It can be easy to forget that Meghan Markle is a normal person — after all, she is marrying a literal prince this spring. But before Markle and Prince Harry fell in love and set the bar way high for relationship goals, she ran a blog where she dished about her life. Unfortunately for all of us, she's tight-lipped on the Internet these days — royal protocol means that she's deleted her social media accounts — but thankfully, her lifestyle blog, The Tig, still lives on thanks to archiving websites, and the site is actually full of helpful tips. If you've ever wondered how she manages to look stunning in every situation, it's probably because she has a plethora of travel tips to avoid jet lag and getting sick while jet setting.
It almost sounds too good to be true, but after reading her tips in a now-deleted blog post originally published in 2016, you'll see that most of the advice is super helpful — it's just good to have a reminder, especially from someone that we all admire. I've avoided the flu so far this winter, but I'm traveling this week and starting to feel a bit nervous. Airplanes always feel like huge germ tubes, but Markle is generous enough to share the perfect advice for traveling and feeling great once you land.
1Sanitize Everything
EO Hand Sanitizer Spray, Organic French Lavender, $24, Amazon
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-based hand sanitizer is pretty effective when it comes to killing germs. Airplanes are notoriously germ-filled — one study found that 1 in 5 people get sick the week after spending time flying — but you can combat that by washing your hands often and using hand sanitizer. As Markle says, "I’m no germophobe [sic], but when I get on a plane I always use some quick hand wipes or a travel sanitizer spray to wipe it all down: that includes the little TV, the service tray, and all the buttons around your seat." Extremely good thinking.
2Put Neosporin In Your Nostrils
Neosporin Original Ointment, $4, Amazon
Markle shares this tip that a friend reportedly heard from Leonardo DiCaprio, so naturally, my interest was piqued. The idea is that you put Neosporin or another antibiotic cream in your nostrils, which prevents your skin from cracking and also helps block germs. Doctors are divided on whether this is actually effective — one medical professional told Glamour that antibiotics aren't intended for internal use, so the nostril trick may actually not be as helpful as we assumed — but you could also moisturize with lotion to help your skin stay moisturized on a dry plane.
3Take A Probiotic
LoveBug Colds Suck Probiotic Supplement, $30, Amazon
I know I should take probiotics because I've heard they're amazing for your health, but since I don't know where to start, I tend to avoid them altogether. But now that I know my favorite member of the royal family recommends probiotics to stay healthy while jetting across the world, I feel inspired. Markle recommends a high-strain probiotic, which is one that has multiple strains of good bacteria, according to DailyBurn. She says that probiotics help her "gut health" stay in check while jetting around the world.
4Drink Water
S'well 17 oz. Water Bottle, $35, S'well
While you should drink water every day, it's essential that you drink it before, during and after getting on a plane — flying seriously dehydrates you because the humidity is so much lower when you're flying and dealing with recirculating air, and if you don't adequately prepare, you'll step off the plane feeling awful. Markle wrote this on her blog: "This dynamic duo of probiotics and agua will keep your gut health in check and honestly stave off jet lag if you’re globetrotting on your travails." If you don't want to spend eleventy-million dollars on bottled water at the airport, you can carry an empty reusable water bottle through security and fill it once you're by your gate.
5Time Your Meals Wisely
If you're changing time zones while traveling and worried about jet lag, there may be a simple solution: just eat when the locals do. For example, if you land somewhere and it's dinnertime, eat a meal to help your body get on track, even if it's the middle of the night back home. Per Markle: "By simply eating a meal at the time the locals are when you land, you trick your brain a bit and stay much more on track, and much less cranky." Genius advice.
We now know that Markle can act, participate in our generation's favorite love story and give us all advice about how to feel healthier. She's a true hero.
