7 Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling
Hello from the Travel Doc. These are some tips I use while traveling the US and beyond to stay healthy so I can enjoy my adventures.
1. Hydrate
Remember to drink plenty of water before and during your travel. Hydration keeps your energy high. Hydration will help to avoid blood clots. Hydration will help to prevent jet lag. Keeping this in mind will help you stay healthy while traveling.
Blood clots form when the veins in your legs are not moving for a long period of time. So on long trips [plane, car or train], people should walk around every 2 hours, pump their legs up & down stretching the calves, toe touches and stay hydrated. If they do not have stomach problems or bleeding after consultation with primary doctor, they can take aspirin at least 2 days before the trip and every day during the trip.
2. Avoid gaseous food before flying
Don’t eat beans, broccoli, cabbage, etc 24 hours before flying. The pressurized compartment causes your abdomen to become expanded, bloated and discomfort. Bubbly drinks also are in this category.
3. Remember to pack your prescription medications
Take your medications with you and stay on schedule. If you are in the USA, forget your medications and they are filled through a national brand pharmacy, you can contact the pharmacy to get a limited day supply. If you are out of the USA, you may not be able to find the medication. You can visit a local pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist. Also, if you are traveling internationally you should take your medications in their original bottles with YOUR name. It helps when processing through Customs.
4. Over the counter medications
Take the medications you use regularly for fever, pain, acid reduction etc. You may not find your brand at your destinations.
5. Sunscreen
Use if you are going to be exposed to the sun. And not only at the beach or in the summer, also mountain hiking, skiing and definitely near the equator. Apply the sunscreen 20 minutes before you are exposed in order for the skin to absorb the protection. Reapply every 2 hours or after in the water. Remember to put on the top of your head, the face, lips, ears and back of neck.
6. Boost your immune system: rest.
Getting enough sleep is important in order to stay healthy while traveling, 6-8 hours each night. Sleep before a long trip. To avoid jet lag and change of time zones, start sleeping according to that time zone 2-3 days before the trip.
7. Things to carry
Cleaning wipes. You touch objects that other people have touched and then you touch your face; that’s how viruses are passed. As you are traveling, wipe objects in the hotel [TV remotes, telephones, door handles, rental car [steering wheel, key fob, gear shift] or the airplane [arm rests, seat trays].
Yvette McQueen MD, The Travel Doctor | April 12, 2018
YVETTE MCQUEEN MD: Dr. McQueen is a global physician on a mission to education about health, travel wellness and disease prevention. She is an Emergency Medicine physician and Travel Doctor; working as a physician across the US and the Caribbean. Dr. McQueen also serves as a travel group physician ensuring healthy and safe travel of the clients before and during the international trip. Dr. McQueen is a speaker, blogger, author, consultant, CPR and First Aid instructor; wilderness emergency care training and international teaching for the American Heart Association. She has traveled to 30+ international countries for exploring,; organizes medical missions to Africa [Burkino Faso, Malawi], hospital training/teaching in Rwanda and Tanzania; and participates in international church missions. Inquiries can be sent to info@yvettemcqueenmd.com.
