Stay Healthy While Traveling
You chose the ideal spot for your trip. You made travel and hotel arrangements. You carefully selected the right clothing for the climate and your activities. However, one more item needs to be added to your checklist—knowing how to stay healthy while traveling. The last thing you want to do is to get sick or feel crummy while vacationing.
Although every person’s health status and needs vary, here are some general guidelines to help you stay well so that you can have a wonderful trip.
Drink plenty of water. Whether you’re midair or on the ground, your body needs to stay hydrated. As the low humidity of airplanes is especially dehydrating, purchase bottled water or fill your empty container before you board; don’t just wait for beverage service. Carry bottled water on your day trips.
Eat healthy food. Limit the amount of fast foods you consume; instead, opt for fruits, vegetables, and protein. Too many carbohydrates can make you constipated. Also, avoid unclean restaurants. If you are traveling outside the U.S. or Europe, be especially cautious about what you eat. (Make sure you choose well-done meats and thick-skinned fruits and vegetables.) Pack healthy snacks to eat while in transit and on day trips, thus reducing the temptation to fill up on sweets and junk food.
Keep your hands clean. Carry hand sanitizers which kill bacteria, but don’t forgo washing your hands with warm water and soap, which targets viruses. Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes with your hands.
Bring extra prescription medications. One woman always takes an extra two-week supply of her medications---just in case. When stranded in London due to the Icelandic volcano, she had enough to last her.
Pack a small first-aid kit. Include Band-Aids, pain reliever, medications for diarrhea and colds (and motion sickness if you’re susceptible), antibiotic cream, and other supplies you might need.
Use sunscreen. Sunburns can be painful and are never good for you.
Stay immunized. Especially if traveling abroad, protect yourself with appropriate immunizations.
Keep moving. Walk around the airport while waiting for your flight. Get up several times while you’re on the plane. If you are on a road trip, stop every couple of hours to stretch and walk. Use your hotel’s exercise room, and swim, hike, bike, play golf or tennis. Finally, explore the area by foot as much as possible.
Precaution is a key to good health at any time, but it is definitely a travel necessity. Do all that you can to make your next trip a very healthy one.