Easy Tips to Travel Well

While trips can be fun, they can also be stressful – especially when it comes to dealing with unexpected illness.  Some careful planning can alleviate stress when preparing for possible health risks related to travel.  Here are 5 quick and easy tips to stay healthy this travel season.  As Benjamin Franklin once said, “an ounce of self-prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

1. If you have any chronic health condition or special health needs, such as diabetes, allergies, asthma, or heart disease, talk with a doctor a few days before jetting off to talk about overall travel health maintenance and whether you should avoid or limit certain activities.

2. Pack a travel health kit to ensure you have the supplies you need to manage preexisting medical conditions, prevent illness and injury related to traveling, and take care of minor health problems as they occur. This may include: prescription medication, anti-motion sickness medication, OTC medications (acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen), treatment for upset stomach or diarrhea, basic first aid items (band-aids, aloe gel for sunburns, thermometer, antibiotic ointment, antibacterial hand wipes, anti-itch cream) Remember to check expiration dates and replace any medication that is used or out of date.

3. Drink plenty of fluids. Buy a bottle of water, or two, before boarding on a plane and avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks as much as you can to prevent dehydration. Avoiding soda and alcohol is especially important for minimizing travel-related health concerns, like jet lag. Stock healthy snacks, like granola bars, energy bars, almonds, fresh fruit, or vegetables, to maintain a healthy regimen during your travels with no regrets.

4. During long plane, train, bus and car rides, your risk of deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots in your legs from sitting too long, increases. To reduce your risk, move about and stretch as frequently as possible, drink plenty of water, and exercise your calf muscles and stretching your legs while you're sitting.

5. Download the Amwell app. Even if you’ve tried every preventative measure in the books, someone in your travel clan will get sick but you can rest assured knowing that a doctor is only a click away. Sign up now and be prepared for later. After all, the only thing you should be bringing home from your vacation is a souvenir—not a sickness.