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?

Review: GoLite Cayambe Reversible Travel Dress

Don't forget to enter to win a Conair MiniPro Ceramic Straightener and enjoy the continuation of REVIEWapalooza...

Trying to fit clothing for a week or more in a carry-on can sometimes be a big challenge, especially if you have a lot of activities planned that are all over the map: hiking, sightseeing, dining out, boating, plays. How can you possibly pack for all those things and still go light? One word: Reversible. While there aren’t a lot of products to choose from that do double-duty, the smart people at GoLite created the Cayambe dress for those of us that are active, but still want to look good.

I’ve been eyeing this dress for some time, as it looks pretty simple, has two layers of fabric (read: no fancy underthings like a slip is needed), is moisture-wicking, quick-drying, lightweight and moves with you. Or so it claims. I had previously gotten the Stelvio 1/3 Zip Travel Sweater when it was on clearance on Amazon and loved it so much I ordered a second color that was NOT on sale. They are super warm, lightweight and comfy. Then I decided I must try a tank for my warm-weather trips and picked up the Vista Ridge Sleeveless Top. Another homerun! So of course I said yes when offered the chance to try out the Cayambe dress.

I immediately tore open the package when it arrived and tried it on. The fabric felt great on my skin, which is always a plus in any garment, and the colors were pretty. I received the black/fern. The fern is a soft green and seems like it would be fairly complimentary to most skin tones. But don’t worry, if it’s not for you, there are other colors to choose from.

I wondered about the versatility of the dress, so I tried it out with some different accessories and shoes and ran around my yard with the dog and did some hoola hooping in it. (That’s about the extent of my exercising most days.) Surprisingly, it allowed me to be mobile without feeling constricted, I didn’t feel too girly in it to keep me from being active and the fabric kept me cool throughout activities and running around the house in search of things to pair it with – yes, I am also not that organized. Thanks to the DriMove Lite technology, you can get really active in this dress and never feel sweaty and gross, because it pulls moisture from your body to the outer fabric and it evaporates.  

Considering the dress is flattering, though not really fancy, I threw on a necklace, cardigan, belt and some nicer shoes and it turned into a thing I could go out on the town in. You could probably do this by just adding a nice looking wrap and strappy sandals, too, since you probably won’t have all these accessories with you on vacation. The black can easily be your new LBD for travel (and even to keep in mind at home in the warmer months that make you hope you don’t have to dress up for anything outside). The chest has a nice ruching to flatter your bust and give some extra support for those heavier on top, and the straps are nice and wide to hide your bra straps (a big gripe of mine for many warm-weather dresses and tops).

The bottom has a raw edge, so it gives it a bit of ruffle. When turned around, you get a double hem, as some of the black peeks out at the bottom. Cute, right? The longer length gives you extra coverage for whatever you have on your itinerary, whether it’s sipping wine at a café or playing touch football on the beach. The slight A-line gives you freedom of movement, but falls in an attractive way that is flattering on most body types. The dress is a bit clingy from the waist up, so if you aren’t into that, you may want to go up a size. You know what else is awesome? You can save your sunscreen and just use it on your exposed skin, because this dress has built-in UPF of 50+. You won’t get a nasty burn underneath like you can with other thin fabric.

This dress is seriously lightweight and for two items to take up less space in your bag than a t-shirt, that’s pretty cool. Going away for the weekend? Throw this baby in your carry-on with a change of underthings, some accessories and a pair of shoes and you are good to go anywhere. This is definitely a must-buy for those trips to tropical climates or long trips to Europe, but also perfect for trips to Disney, romantic getaways and your cousin’s wedding weekend. And if you go to GoLite.com, you can get it for less than $45! That’s two dresses in one that can be worn for almost any occasion for a little over $40. Want more versatility? Pick up the Cayambe Reversible Travel Skirt for $28 and in discontinued colors for $19! You can’t beat prices like that for awesome travel pieces that have a lifetime guarantee*. (GoLite also sells amazing travel clothing for men and travel bags that have gotten rave reviews from everyone I’ve talked to that owns one.)

My size: I am wearing the Cayambe Travel Dress in XS. I’m 5′1″ and weigh ~115 lbs.

More information

Where you can buy it: GoLite online

Other colors it comes in: Burnt Orange/Espresso & Canal Blue/Gunbarrel Blue

How much it costs: Regular price is $85, but you can purchase this year’s inventory for more than half off.

Fabric: Polyester with built-in UPF 50+, weight 6.7 oz

*GoLite will replace any gear with a manufacturing defect, free, for the life of the product.

Follow GoLite: Facebook | Twitter

Disclaimer: I was provided with the GoLite Cayambe Dress for the purpose of this review, but all options are my own.

How to Stay Healthy from Plane to Sightseeing Part 1

If anyone should be an expert in getting sick on a trip, it's me. it used to be that every time I went anywhere, the change in setting would result in me getting some sort of bug. Talk about having a miserable time...and what a waste of money. Saving all that time just to get there and get blasted with a sinus infection or a massive cold. Of course, I could still go sightseeing and do things, but it wasn't as much fun. In fact, I would wager it was probably only 10-20% as fun as it would have been had I been healthy and feeling totally like myself. Unfortunately, we still had to pay 100% of the vacation. Nowadays, I know how to stave off colds and also how to make them much shorter if you do get something while you're away. Don't let bad health ruin your trip.

Get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is one of the first rules of travel. If you are constantly on the go, you are going to get tired and your body won’t have the chance to recharge itself. What to hate everyone and everything on your trip? Then sleep as little as possible and try pack as much as you can into the time you have.

Lay off the drinking. Drinking too much can affect your sleep cycle and also dehydrate you and make you more tired, leave you open to getting sick and sometimes cause you to have bad judgment that results in even worse consequences. Don’t waste your money at the bar. Limit your drinking to a few glasses of whatever you find interesting that day and you’ll see a big difference in your health and happiness…and you’ll get out of bed before noon and probably not wake up at the police station or some stranger’s bed.

Drink more water. Instead of alcohol, carry around a bottle of water and drink as much as possible. A hydrated body is a happy body. At least drink as much as you would if you were at home, if not more. Travel has a way of sucking all the moisture from you, especially on long plane rides, so if you don’t like plain water, do what I do and load up on those ice tea packets from Lipton or Crystal Light.

Get enough exercise. So, you just want to lounge around by the pool and get tan and eat yummy food and do nothing for a week or two? As exciting as that sounds, you COULD, in fact, do the same things at home and not pay hundreds (or thousands) on airfare and hotel. Sure, soaking up some sun and doing absolutely nothing is fine, but make sure you get up and get some exercise, otherwise you’re going to notice that your pants don’t fit very well and you might start to feel sniffly. Exercise is good for you and you’ll be eating a lot more calories on vacation than you would at home, so offsetting those potential LBs is always a good thing. Take a walk to the shops and you won’t even notice you’re getting a workout.

Halls Defense! I love these things. I keep some in my travel bag all the time, just in CASE I start to feel a bit tired or a sniffle starts making itself present. They come in tasty flavors and are like candy, so pop 3 or 4 throughout the day when you start to feel a bit run-down and overload your body with Vitamin C. Your immune system will jump-start, especially if you make time for a nap of some kind. If you don’t give your body enough time to rest, it will make sure you do it when it is needed, so head it off early if you get a little too excited about seeing everything there is to see on vacation in one day. These are also a good alternative to Emergen-C and Airborne, because they are cheaper and don’t require water to make them work.

Charcoal Tabs. Going to a country that has questionable food or you have a weak stomach for new foods and bacteria? Bring along some charcoal tablets and take them before you eat. The charcoal filters bacteria and keeps you from getting sick. These are particularly good if you plan on eating a lot of street food in foreign countries.

Olive Leaf capsules. I swear by these and take them all year round. Olive leaf is a natural supplement that raises your immune system and keeps you from picking up every little bug there is. You can find them at natural food stores and GNC stores. Make sure if you only want them for vacation that you start taking them one-two weeks before you leave, so they have a chance to start working for you.


Stay tuned for part two of this post on Saturday. In the meantime, don't forget to check out all the reviews of REVIEWapalooza this month. Already you can read about Magellan's Matte Jersey Essential Collection and Conair MiniPro collection. Up next will be GoLite's Cayambe reversible dress, AeroPress Coffee Maker from Aerobie, OSHO travel toothbrushes and Travelon's Anti-theft Urban Tour Bag.

What do you do to keep healthy on your travels?