I’m recording this solo episode from Greece after learning a travel lesson the hard way: even when you feel like your immune system is strong, you can still get sick while traveling.
During my first week in Greece, I came down with a sore throat / cold. I had intentionally packed very few supplements because I thought I could take a break while traveling—and I quickly wished I hadn’t.
In this episode, I’m sharing everything I wish I had packed, what I actually used, and what will be going into my travel immunity kit from now on.
Why “my immune system is so strong I’ll never get sick” is exactly the thought that gets you
What I noticed living in Greece for three weeks: food quality, community, and the European lifestyle vs. the US
The give-and-take of European living: incredible food and social culture, but more smoking and less muscle-building
Why my Oura Ring dying for two days meant I missed my early warning
What I actually packed, and what I ran out of
The long list of things I wish I’d packed to prevent getting sick
What helped once I was already down, including hyperbaric oxygen in Mykonos
The mistake that made my cold worse and dragged it out
Why sleep is the immune foundation you can’t skip while traveling
My full travel immunity kit for next time, including a note for older or more vulnerable travelers
A Few Thoughts on Greece, Food, and the European Lifestyle
Before the protocol, something I couldn’t stop noticing while I was here.
The food quality is unreal. The tomatoes, the dairy, the olive oil — everything is so good. It genuinely makes me not want to leave. Real, whole, high-quality food everywhere, and it’s easy to eat clean.
The culture is deeply social. Everyone goes out to dinner, sits in cafes, socializes, spends time outside and in nature. In the US, we tend toward a lonelier, work-work-work, stay-inside culture, and I think that community piece is a huge and underrated part of health and longevity.
It’s a give-and-take, though. A lot of people here smoke and don’t work out or build much muscle. So you have this amazing clean food system and outdoor social life, but those other habits cut the other way.
My Early Warning System Was Dead
Normally my Oura Ring catches this before I feel anything — strain, an elevated resting heart rate, changes that tell me something’s coming so I can pull back early.
However, my ring died right as I was getting sick, and I didn’t have it charged for about two days. So I missed the warning window entirely and woke up already down with that brutal sore throat. Lesson: keep the ring charged, especially while traveling, because that’s exactly when you need the early warning most.
What I Packed
Methylated Vitamin B
Happy Cellular Energy (my own, from Happier Health)
Zenos Health supplements
Collagen
MCT oil
Magnesium
Glycine (for sleep)
Beekeeper’s Naturals lozenges (propolis, zinc, vitamin C and D) — I only brought one pack and ran out fast
Astragalus — immune support, helps prevent getting sick
Cat’s claw — good for viruses
Salt water gargling — free and helpful, but it can only do so much on its own
Honest take: I brought a few immune supports, but not nearly enough, and I ran out. Astragalus and cat’s claw are baseline-level help, not rescue once you’re actually run down.
What I Wish I’d Packed
Liposomal vitamin C packets — I take vitamin C every day with my iron at home, and somehow talked myself out of packing it. The liposomal form absorbs better and the packets are made for a suitcase.
Quercetin — amazing for immunity. I couldn’t find it in Mykonos and only finally found it in Athens.
Oregano oil capsules — the one I missed most. At home I chew the capsule so it coats my throat the moment I feel anything. Potent and takes up no space.
A good nasal spray — everything dries out when you travel, especially on the plane, and dry nasal passages are an open door. I love the Quicksilver Scientific mineral nasal spray and the Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis nasal spray, and brought neither.
Beekeeper’s Naturals throat spray — the one you want the second your throat feels off.
More lozenges, and my own — I ran out, and the local options were full of glucose. Pack double and bring your own.
My peptides — I was with my friend Dr. Sogol, who brought all of hers, and I’d decided to “take a break.” I really wish I’d brought thymosin alpha-1 for immunity and KPV for inflammation. The Ultra Life Peptides nasal sprays are ideal for travel: no injecting, no refrigeration.
High-dose vitamin D — a staple in any immunity kit.
Glutathione — your master antioxidant, burned through fast by poor sleep, alcohol, and oxidative stress.
NAC — the precursor your body uses to make glutathione, and it thins mucus. Pairs well with vitamin C.
Immunoglobulins or colostrum — I love the MegaSpore immunoglobulins. One of the most underrated things to travel with: they bind pathogens and toxins in the gut and escort them out, and support the gut barrier while you’re eating unfamiliar food.
More probiotics — ran out quickly.
Electrolyte packets — hard to find while traveling, and hydration isn’t just water.
A sleep mask and earplugs — I have ten sleep masks at home and brought none. On the plane and in a new time zone, blocking light and sound is huge for the sleep your immune system depends on.
A nebulizer (for older or more vulnerable travelers) — great for congestion and clearing the lungs when the immune system is slower to recover.
What Helped Once I Was Already Sick
Hyperbaric oxygen — I did one session at Fouquet’s in Mykonos and it genuinely helped. I wish I’d done a few days in a row.
Thymosin alpha-1 — my friend gave me one injection when I was at my worst, and it made a real difference. This is a provider conversation, not a packing-list item (see the note below).
Raw garlic and raw ginger — ate both straight, hoping to help. Somewhat helpful.
Salt water gargling — continued throughout.
Aggressive hydration — all day.
The Mistake That Made It Worse
The peptide, the hyperbaric, and the rest were helping, but I kept wanting to go out. Dinners, some drinks, staying out late, not sleeping. That pushed my immune system when it needed rest, and I think that’s what turned this into a longer, worse cold.
I should have just gone to bed the first day I really felt sick. Instead I kept going. Your immune system can only do so much if you won’t give it the sleep and recovery it needs. Feeling a little better is not a green light to overspend. Rest is how you actually recover.
Sleep Is the Foundation
Sleep is when your immune system does its work, and it’s the hardest thing to protect while traveling and going out. It was my biggest failure on this trip, and yet almost everything I packed was a supplement, not a sleep tool. Next time, the sleep mask, earplugs, magnesium, and glycine come first — because protecting sleep protects your immune system.
Key Takeaways
“My immune system is so strong I’ll never get sick” is the exact belief that gets you. Anyone can catch something on a plane or in a crowd.
Pack a real immunity kit every time you travel, and pack double. Running out of the thing that’s working is a preventable failure.
Your wearable is only an early warning system if it’s charged. Mine died for the two days I needed it most.
Cabin air and travel dry out your nose and throat, your first line of defense. Protect them with a nasal spray and hydration.
Baseline adaptogens like astragalus and cat’s claw are maintenance, not rescue. Don’t ask them to do a job they can’t.
Liposomal vitamin C, quercetin, oregano oil, and high-dose vitamin D are the prevention staples I won’t skip again.
Glutathione, NAC, and vitamin C work as a unit, and travel burns through your glutathione fast.
Immunoglobulins and colostrum protect the gut barrier — where a huge share of your immune system lives — exactly when you’re eating unfamiliar food.
Bring your own supplements. Local options abroad were full of added ingredients and sugar. US supplement quality is genuinely better.
Sleep is the foundation. Pack the sleep mask and earplugs, and protect your sleep window like a meeting you can’t move.
Feeling better mid-illness is the most dangerous moment. Going out, drinking, and skipping sleep set me back and made it worse.
Act fast and rest early. The first day you feel it, go all in and stay in.
Peptides are a provider conversation, not a packing-list item.
Community, nature, and being outside are real health inputs. The European social lifestyle is a longevity lesson worth borrowing.
If you or a loved one is older or more prone to getting sick, consider adding a nebulizer for congestion and lung support.
The Travel Immunity Kit for Next Time
Prevention supplements
Liposomal vitamin C packets · Quercetin · Oregano oil capsules · High-dose vitamin D · Beekeeper’s Naturals lozenges (double what you think) · Astragalus and cat’s claw · Glutathione · NAC · Immunoglobulins (MegaSpore) or colostrum · Probiotics · Electrolyte packets
Daily foundation (never skip)
Happy Cellular Energy · Vitamin B · Zenos Health · Collagen · MCT oil · Magnesium · Glycine
Airway and nasal defense
Quicksilver Scientific mineral nasal spray · Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis nasal spray · Beekeeper’s Naturals throat spray
Sleep protection
Sleep mask · Earplugs · Magnesium · Glycine
Peptides (provider-guided)
Thymosin alpha-1 (immunity) · KPV (inflammation) — Ultra Life Peptides nasal sprays travel best
Free and effective
Salt water gargling · Aggressive hydration · Raw garlic and raw ginger · Rest and an early night at the first sign
For older or more vulnerable travelers
Nebulizer for congestion and lung support
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About Jenny Jones (Biohacker Blondie)
Jenny Jones is the founder of Happier Health Supplements, host of the BiohackerBlondie Podcast, health coach, and author of Biohack For Life. Based in Miami, Florida, Jenny is on a mission to help people optimize their health through biohacking, functional medicine, and real food.
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Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional before starting any new treatments or protocols.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing here is a claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness. Peptides discussed are prescription or compounded medications that require a qualified provider. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement, peptide, or health protocol.
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