health

Traveling can wreak havoc on our bodies. We exhaust ourselves by getting a lack of sleep, have to adjust to different time zones, surround ourselves by other sick passengers, and break our daily routine. In essence, it’s a great way to break down our immune system allowing those nasty germs into our bodies, which is often why people become sick during or after traveling.

By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from getting sick while traveling!

1. Allow yourself plenty of rest prior to your trip
   Make sure the week before your departure, to allow for enough sleep and rest. Sleep is one of the best ways to boost our immune system and keep it functioning at its highest capacity.

 

2. Drink a ton of water
   Water is our friend. Without it we don’t live. Don’t try to be a camel and starve yourself of water. I am horrible at remembering to get my daily amount. I seem to forget, never feel thirsty, and end up suffering because I didn’t pay attention to my water intake. Staying hydrated ensures that your body filters out any nasty bugs, helps avoid headaches, and a whole other list of great benefits.

 

3. Stick to a regular eating schedule
   This is particularly tough when changing time-zones. It is best to acclimate your body to the new time-zone and eat when the locals eat, but this does not mean to starve yourself for hours before. Even if you are not hungry, try to find a balanced small meal to eat. A good example would be some bread, peanut butter, and a piece of fruit. A sandwich is also an excellent idea. When on a plane for hours, this is hard to control, so I suggest packing some nutritious snacks to have on hand.

 

4. Wear sunscreen!
   Once you have arrived at your location, make sure to apply sunscreen regularly. I have burned myself a few times because I was not used to the level of sun and UV my destination had. It was awful. To be on the safe side, over-apply sunscreen. Too much is better than not enough. It is never fun to have a horrible burn when on your dream vacation!

 

5. Check if you need any special vaccines prior to departure
   Prior to your departure, make sure to check with your doctor if you need to get any special vaccines or shots. Sometimes it could be a pill that they want you to take. Nevertheless, particularly with third world countries, it is a great idea to make sure you go through all the preventative measures for your health and safety prior to leaving. It could be simple, and nothing is needed!

 

6. Have enough of your prescription meds ready and on hand
   I almost had a huge disaster with this once. Sometimes prescriptions only come in an amount for a short period of time, shorter than the time you will be gone on vacation. Your insurance company makes exceptions for this problem, but don’t wait until the last minute to figure this out. Call your doctor a few weeks ahead of time and get this all straightened out, you’ll thank me later!

 

7. Eat balanced meals
   It is so difficult to eat healthy while on vacation. We all tend to want to splurge on the food items that look delicious and cater to our heart’s desires. Unfortunately, not only can we expect to gain weight, but we also can potentially make our immune system suffer. Even if we are not the healthiest eaters at home, you can expect to eat different foods, spices, and in have them prepared using different cooking methods than we are used to. Our bodies will adjust as best as they can, but it’s best to try to eat balanced, well-rounded meals. My rule of thumb is to eat one item a day that is junky or over-the-top. Like a po’ boy in New Orleans or a chocolate croissant in Paris. YUM.

 

8. Vitamins and holistic approaches
   I highly recommend taking vitamins while you are traveling, heck, even just in general! A great multi-vitamin, perhaps some Vitamin C, Zinc, B vitamins (great for energy) etc. Do the research first to determine what your needs are. A multi is great for everyone, but some vitamins interact differently with our bodies and prescription meds. Some people love over the counter remedies like Zicam or Emergen-C to help prevent colds or viruses, or even fight off the ones that we feel coming on!

 

9. Bring over-the-counter medications
   It is always good to have on hand a basic Aspirin, Tylenol, or Ibuprofin, whatever you prefer. I also recommend having a cold medicine just in case (with decongestant), as well as some motion sickness pills (Dramamine works best for me). You may not expect to use them, but it’s great to have if needed!

 

10. Avoid tap water in other countries
    No matter how clean the water is, our bodies are not used to their water. It carries different bacteria and can cause a lot of stomach upset if our bodies react in an unpleasant manner. Remember – this can be true of ice too. I know it’s tough to avoid it at all times, but just keep it in mind, and drink at risk. Bottled waters are always the way to go!

 
I’d love to hear your travel tips that help you stay healthy! Add some that you think are great, and I’ll make sure to update the post!

Love, K.

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