Even healthy people may find that travelling can precipitate illness. Differences in food, climate and schedule, in addition to the possible stress of travel can make you more susceptible to illness. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy when you travel.
BEFORE THE TRIP
First of all, plan ahead. Get your medical and dental checkups done before your trip, so that any problems can be detected, and to relevant medicines can be taken along. Find out what your health insurance company will pay for if you need to consult a doctor while you're away. In case you are travelling abroad, you may need to obtain a special health insurance policy called an Overseas Mediclaim Insurance Policy. Carry adequate quantities of your regular medicines in their original containers, along with extra prescriptions for them. It would also be a good idea to carry a doctor's note, listing your medical diagnoses and the medicines you need to take. If you are going abroad, get this translated into local language (for example, French or German), if possible. Carry a spare pair of spectacles and an extra set of contact lenses, if needed. If you have medical disorders such as diabetes or epilepsy, wearing a medical information bracelet can provide life-saving information in an emergency in a foreign country
Prepare and pack a simple first-aid kit in your suitcase. This kit should contain the following items:
- Your prescription medicines, in their original containers.
- Medicines for diarrhoea and an upset stomach. Obtain from your doctor a prescription for an antibiotic you can take in case you are struck by diarrhoea. Ensure that you have packed medicines such as loperamide and antacids.
- Cough and cold medicines, such as pseudoephedrine tablets and cough syrups.
- Pain-relieving medicines, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin.
- Decongestants and antihistamines for treating allergies. Go in for the varieties that don't cause sleepiness or drowsiness.
- Antibiotic ointments, adhesive bandages and hydrocortisone cream.
- Medicines for preventing motion sickness, such as dimenhydrinate and an anti-nausea drug such as promethazine.
- Scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, pocket knife, thermometer, torch and mirror.
If you are travelling abroad, remember that medicines can be very expensive in the West! Also, A lot of medicines are available only on prescription, which means you will need to spend additional money on a doctor's consultation. Therefore, it is far more prudent and much less expensive to carry all your medicines with you! If you are travelling with children or elders, you will need to take extra supplies to be able to meet their needs as well.
WHILE YOU'RE TRAVELING
The first precaution: Eat carefully! Traveler's diarrhoea can easily ruin a holiday! Steaming-hot, well-cooked food is usually the safest. Avoid eating foods from street vendors, unpasteurised dairy products, and raw or uncooked seafood. Peel the fruits yourself. Drink water only from commercially sealed bottles or else go in for carbonated beverages. Avoid using ice. Brush your teeth with bottled water.
If you're going to a place where you could face an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases, protect yourself well. Insect repellents that contain DEET(N, N-diethyl-metatoluamide) work the best. If possible, wear permethrin-coated clothing and use nets while you sleep.
Sunburn can be danger if you plan to spend a lot of time in the hot sun. Use a sun block with a sun protection factor (SPF) greater than 15 and reapply this lotion after swimming or sweating.
If you are going trekking in the mountains, you should be aware of the risk of developing acute mountain sickness, which is caused by a lack of oxygen when travelling to higher elevations. This form of sickness usually occurs at an altitude: headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, poor appetite and inability to sleep. It can be prevented by gradually ascending over several days to give your body a chance to acclimatize to the higher altitudes.
Jet lag is a major bane for air travellers. Adjusting to a new time zone can take up to a week and the more time zones you cross, the longer the adjustment period. Symptoms include daytime fatigue, nighttime insomnia, headache and disorientation. Lengthy travel may upset your circadian rhythm which controls various body cycles, including the production of a hormone involved in sleep patterns (melatonin). One strategy to prevent jet-lag is to change your sleep time closer to the new time zone over a period of several days; adjust go-to-bed and get-up times appropriately, so that you will be only slightly out of sync when you arrive at your destination.
Being forced to sit for long periods in an uncomfortable airplane seat just adds to your woes (unless you are flying executive class!). Simple tips to help you cope with the travails of intercontinental flight are as follows:
- The dry air in aircraft causes dehydration. Therefore, drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic only!) to counter water loss. Water is better than coffee, tea or fruit juices. Alcohol is not only useless in combating dehydration, but also brings about a markedly greater intoxicating effect when consumed in the rarefied atmosphere of an airliner than it does at ground level.
- Blindfolds, earplugs, neck rests and blow-up pillows are all used in helping you get quality sleep while flying.
- Get as much exercise as you can in the plane; for instance, by walking up and down the aisle, standing for spells and performing small twisting and stretching exercises in your seat. All of these help reduce discomfort, especially the swelling of legs and feet. If possible, get off the plane at stopovers, and perform some exercises or take a walk.
Motion sickness can pose a major problem for some people, especially on a ship, or on long car journeys. There are A lot of effective products available to prevent and treat this problem (including prescription drugs such as cinnarizine and promethazine) and you should start taking them at least one hour before starting your journey. Recent studies have shown that ginger root may be as effective as drug treatment, and is associated with fewer side-effects.
AFTER YOUR TRIP
In case you do fall ill during your trip, or after you come back, don't forget to let your doctor know about yourjourney, as this information can help him in making the correct diagnosis.
