Has your new year ever been totally ruined because you got sick on the way to a loved one's house? It happens to the best of us. You are working so hard to get everything done before you head home for the new year that you neglect yourself. Instead you focus on buying the perfect goodies and disentangling your schedule (which is impossible). All of that comes on top of your already hectic schedule.

Worst of all, precisely when you're at your most overwhelmed, you have to pack the whole family onto an airplane. All of you are tired and cranky and then you get trapped in a plane with dozens of total strangers and all their germs. For several hours. No surprise what happens next.

"New year travel may lead to increased transmission of infectious diseases due to cooler weather which results in congregation of people in closed spaces as well as increased travel and exchange of viruses between communities," says Darvin Scott Smith MD, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine at Kaiser Permanente Redwood City. "To minimize the risk of getting or transmitting an infection during the new years, you can take several steps reduce your chances of suffering or causing others to suffer from an infection."

The best way to prevent getting sick while traveling, experts say, is to stay well before you get on board.

Don't let stress tax your immune system. Try to laugh off the little things that go wrong (you forgot someone's present, so what?) and do some calming breathing during the stuff that usually drives you crazy (hello, Bay Bridge traffic).

On the heels of last year's fatal flu season, health officials also recommend that you get your flu shot.

Once you are actually sitting on the plane, you want to concentrate on germ avoidance. The easiest thing to do is wash your hands. Repeat. Often. A good scrub is the best prevention because many germs lurk between your fingers and under your nails. Not even antibacterial gel works as well as an old-fashioned hand washing, experts say.

You might also consider skipping the tray table, unless you can rub it down with a disinfectant wipe first, and avoid using the blanket (unless it's wrapped). You don't have to be a germaphobe to beware of E. coli and other nasty bugs. One American Society for Microbiology study showed that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus lasted for 7 days on cloth (seat pocket); 6 days on rubber (armrest); 5 days on plastic (tray table and window shade) and 4 on metal. Yikes.

Dr. Catherine Forest, family medicine physician at Stanford Health Care, also suggests that you pay attention to how much water you are drinking. She recommends one glass an hour. And if you do get sick, she advises taking 1 gram of vitamin C on days 1 and 2, which might help reduce severity and length of the sickness. Remember to stick with warm beverages, like soup and herbal tea, instead of cold drinks if you are feeling poorly. Getting more sleep is a given.

The bottom line: try and take as much care with yourself as you do with the new year planning. That's a gift that keeps on giving.

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