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Saturday, May 12, 2012

How to Stay Healthy from Plane to Sightseeing Part 2

In Part 1 of healthy travels, I talked about the first 7 things I do or take with me to prevent myself from getting sick and also being healthy enough to jump off the plane and sightsee to my heart’s content. Don’t let jet lag or a cold bug keep you from having a good time. You spent your hard-earned money to take this trip and allowing yourself to have to be “house”-bound for a day or more is really lowering the value of your vacation. Here are 7 more ways to stay healthy and energetic on your trips.



Papaya Enzyme. Sometimes you eat too much, or you eat something that your tummy really isn’t sure is the best food of the day. Digestive problems can happen on the road, but papaya can really help. It’s found all over and is a natural supplement made from actual papaya that settles the stomach and minimizes bloating. It can also stave off mild heartburn. They are fruity tasting and chewable, so they are an easy take along in your day bag. Just take 2 or 3 when you start to feel ick and they help to work the problem out. Even my dog likes these, which is great when I see her go out to eat grass when she isn’t feeling well.



Allergy pills & other meds.
Do you have allergies? You never know how they will react in a different climate, so make sure you bring extra pills along with you while you’re out and about. The same goes for medications. Keep them in your carry-on when you fly and make sure you have enough for your whole trip. If you don’t, call your doctor or pharmacy to get more before you travel. If you are dependent on medication each day, it will suck to be without them for a day or more. Being prepared will always pay off.

Antibacterial wipes, spray or gel.
When you travel, I can guarantee you that germs are everywhere! From the escalator handrail to the airplane tray table. You can’t always get to a place to wash your hands, or you may want to wipe something down, so bringing any of these is a good idea. I opt for wipes, because you can use them on anything and they can just go in your carry-on instead of your 3-1-1 bag.



Wash your hands.
When you ARE within the vicinity of a sink with running water, make sure you wash your hands. Often. Beat those germs at their own game and also keep from transferring them to your face and making yourself sick.

Plan for downtime.
A combination of downtime and getting enough sleep will surely keep you on top of your game when traveling. You’ll feel better and you’ll have more energy. I know it’s exciting to do as much as possible. I pack my days full of fun things to do, but I also make sure we have time to relax. Traveling in the fall and winter forces you to slow down, because the hours for shops and attractions are shorter. If everything closes at 6pm, you really only have a choice of late-night bars or dinner and laundry before bed. I always opt for going back to my hotel/apartment and chilling for a bit, then changing clothes, going to eat and coming back to do email, read a book or play a game. You will notice how much more rested you feel and when you get up the next morning – NOT at the crack of dawn, because things don’t open until 9 or 10am – you’ll be more ready to start your day.



Bring healthy snacks.
Snacks are important. You’re burning more energy than usual (or I hope you are), so you need to keep it up with nutritious snacks in between meals. I keep granola bars and nuts in my bag that are protein-packed and won’t slow me down. Fruit is also a good travel companion, but they don’t all survive rolling around in your day bag or carry-on, so choose wisely. Oranges, bananas and apples do pretty well and are somewhat easy to eat on-the-go, as are celery and carrot sticks.

Don't forget to eat.
Sometimes you’re having such a great time you just plain forget to eat. Not me. I’m hungry all the time on vacation. But if you’re not like me – like my husband – you will be so engrossed in what you are seeing/doing, you totally don’t eat until you are so hungry you could eat your own foot. Plan meals into your schedule and go even if you don’t feel like eating. A regular schedule is important and even if you don’t eat much, it’s better than skipping a meal altogether. It also helps if you don’t overeat, which I am wont to do on vacation. If I know I’m not starving, then I get Eric to split something with me, because we can always grab a nibble later if we get hungry again.

Hopefully, after the last two posts, you'll never get sick again on vacation. Do you have other tricks for staying healthy?

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