Many of us will soon be flying to get to the BlogHer Conference in Chicago. Yea! Let me just stray a bit from my topic and say..."I am soooo excited, only 14 more days to go!" -- "I can't wait to meet everyone." -- "This will be my first time attending, so if you see me make sure you stop and say hello, o.k.?"

Now, back on track with the topic.

Most BlogHers will get on and off the plane without picking up any illness from the myriad viruses and germs that will be running rampant along with us on the planes we'll be flying in. The reason some of us will get sick and others will be just fine is because of our immune systems. Some just work better than others. However, it's not always a "crap-shoot" - There are ways we can improve our weakened immune systems, and that is what I will be talking about here. But before we travel, we need to understand what actually causes our immune system to weaken.

How do we know if we are one of the BlogHers that may be traveling with a compromised immune system? Well, anyone who is already sick, has a chronic illness, or is taking certain medications will be at a greater risk. But did you know that there are many other things that can serve to compromise your otherwise healthy immune system? (note: a compromised immune system only means you are at a greater risk for picking up a germ and getting sick, not that you will definitely get sick) Lets take a moment to address some of the other risk factors.

Risk factor #1 -- Stress

How many of us BlogHers are not under any stress in our lives? Are you a BlogHer under stress? If so..."Hi, and welcome to the club". We have a lot of members. If your answer was that you have no stress in your life, then you are most likely in a very small, but lucky minority. However, let me just point out that within that minority there will also be a percentage of BlogHers that fall into a separate category. These people suffer from a sometimes overlooked and often misunderstood condition - In the medical community it's known as "denial".

When you experience chronic stress, some features of your immune system may remain suppressed, making you susceptible to infections. Other features of the immune system may be permitted to run unchecked, increasing your risk of autoimmune diseases, in which your immune system attacks your body's own healthy cells.

Risk factor #2 - Yo-yo dieting and unhealthy eating habits

Another culprit in the weakening of our immune system is...Yo-yo dieting.

Bouncing between weight loss and weight gain wreaks havoc on the immune system, says new research. NK cell activity dropped as much as 30%, and the negative health effects of yo-yo dieting lingered for years.

This is further evidence supporting slow, sustained weight loss rather than crash diets or trying to "lose ten pounds in ten days." If you want to attain and maintain a healthy body weight, persistence, not immediate results, is the key. If you lose more than 1-2 pounds a week, you're probably overdoing it.

Being too thin, too heavy, eating excessive amounts of sugar or fat, as well as consuming too much alcohol, can also play a role in compromising your immune system.

Risk factor #3 -- Cigarette Smoking

There are approximately 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of them toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body's immune system. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and widespread.

Liz Rizzo a BlogHer Contributing Editor did a post about smoking titled "People Are Really Still Smoking?" - If you are still smoking you should really check it out.

I'm guessing that quitting is pretty damn difficult for many people, considering all the products out there to help you quit. (Here's a list of online resources from the American Lung Association.) But Seriously, It's Time. Right Now. Today.

Now for the hopeful stuff. There are actually many things we can do to boost our immune systems. Let's talk about a couple...

1. Good nutrition is a great way to start.

How often have you heard the saying “You are what you eat”? Mounting evidence from scientific research indicates that nutrition plays a major role in helping the immune system fight diseases such as cancer.

2. Getting enough sleep is also important.

Sleep not only provides rest and rejuvenation for our physical body, it also allows us to assimilate our daily mental and emotional experiences, and supports our immune system.

3. Minimizing stress is a big help so here are 25 Stress Relievers.

Because stress is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease your negative reactions to stress. -- read more from WebMD

So these are a few things you can do before you fly. But what about when you fly? What can we do to reduce our chances of getting sick when flying?

These first four are important for everyone...

1. Drink plenty of water, and keep hydrated.

2. Bring hand sanitizer, and use it often.

3. Bring sanitizing wipes, and wipe down the armrest, seat belt, tray table, and anything else within your seating area.

4. If you think you might need a pillow or blanket, bring your own. Avoid using these items from the plane.

If you have a tendency to get sick when you travel on planes, I also recommend five and six.

5. Consider using Airborne in some water or juice a half hour or so before the flight. I can't say for sure if Airborne works, but I use it anyway. If nothing else the additional fluids will help prevent dehydration.

6. There is a new product on the market that I haven't tried yet, but I'm still considering the possibility of ordering it. They are called Plane Clean Air Filters

The air quality in airplane cabins is generally poor due to the recirculation of air that includes germs as well as contaminants like heated oils, hydraulic fluids, and pesticides. As if the dry air and high-altitude sinus pressure weren't bad enough for allergy sufferers on airplanes, they also have to deal with low oxygen levels, chemical pollution, germs, and allergens in the recirculated cabin air.

Now, number seven is a little excessive. In other words, not for everyone. However, if you really do have a very weak immune system, or you are obsessive compulsive when it comes to germs...Then this is something you can keep in your carry-on bag "just in case".

7. A surgical mask, to cover your nose and mouth if someone is coughing excessively in your vicinity.

Surgical Mask, around 40 cents per mask They work, they are cheap and people will stare at you. -- read more from ABC News Report: Guarding Against Airplane Germs

And that's all I have. So stay healthy BlogHers, because I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you in Chicago. Until then.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and Informed Voters