Pellerini Travels: How to Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling
The last thing you want to worry about is getting sick while traveling.
Think about it. You plan a great vacation or are scheduled to go on a business trip and you start to feel a bit under the weather. Or even, you’re on vacation and you feel like something’s coming on.
Here are some healthy travel tips to take into consideration before heading out of town.
BEFORE TRAVELING
One of the first things I check, more so when I travel overseas, is what my health insurance covers while abroad. In some cases, the policies don’t cover out-of-state or out-of-country coverage, but not to worry! You can purchase travel insurance.
Always check the CDC’s website for any important health-related news. The SARS outbreak occurred shortly before I traveled to Italy for my honeymoon. It was a little unnerving, but we were aware of it via the website.
Make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date. There may be some required immunizations needed when traveling to certain countries. Be prepared and not surprised a few days before your trip!
If you are traveling on an airplane, don’t forget to pack Clorox wipes to wipe down the armrests and trays. Also, pop a bottle of hand sanitizer in your carry-on.
I can’t tell you how many times one of us gets sick and we have to go to the nearest pharmacy or grab something (overpriced) at the airport. I created a travel medicine bag that I bring on each trip. Inside I carry:
- Bandaids and ointment
- Tylenol (adult and children’s)
- Advil or Motrin (adult and children’s)
- Aspirin
- Pepto Bismol
- Allergy medicine (adult and children’s)
- One-use ice packs
- Alcohol swabs
- Thermometer
EN ROUTE
If you’re planning a trip that requires a long flight, be sure to get up and walk around the cabin every hour or so. It’s super important to keep circulation flowing to reduce the risk of blood clots.
I like to do ankle and foot exercises to help keep the blood flowing! Simply pointing and flexing your toes and ankle rotations work well.
Hydration is key in flight or actually any time. When I travel to the west coast of the US, I am even more sensitive to hydration due to the dryness and elevation changes from my home state.
AT YOUR FINAL DESTINATION
The last thing you want during a vacation is to get sick.
Watch what you’re eating and drinking. Depending on your vacation spot, you may want to opt for bottled water in lieu of tap.
If you do fall ill while away and are stateside, you can contact your insurance company (if you didn’t do research ahead of time) to see what your options are for medical care.
I got sick while on our honeymoon in Italy and it was not fun. Aside from the fact that I tried so hard to avoid getting sick while traveling abroad, it was our honeymoon (completely a BAD time to get sick), and the only TV channel in English was CNN and all they were talking about was the SARS outbreak. You can only imagine where my mind was going watching it over and over and over again!
My husband went down to the concierge who directed him to a local pharmacy to pick up some cold medication to hold me over until we got home. I read that if you are in a country where English is not the native language, you can find English-speaking doctors and clinics on the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers website.
I hope these tips help you prepare before your next trip and I wish you a healthy vacation!
Below are some products that I include in my travel medicine bag:
I try very hard to drink tons of water while traveling, but it’s not always easy. I also load up on Vitamin C.
I try very hard to drink tons of water while traveling, but it’s not always easy. I also load up on Vitamin C. This helps tremendously.
Such amazing tricks and tips. I always find that I catch a little cold when traveling. totally keeping these tips in the back of my head.
Digestive Enzymes, Probiotics, and Vitamin D are what protect me from getting sick. I swear by these!
It’s horrible being ill while on holiday! These are wonderful tips!
I fell sick on my last trip to Dublin. It was not funny and I didn’t enjoy Christmas! Thanks for these great tips. Will remember them on my next trip! Thanks for sharing
Add Imodium to your take along meds.
These are such great tips! I always bring Tylenol and Imodium with me on my travels, just in case. I also take two Echinacea before and after landing, just to make sure I don’t get sick (even if I don’t feel anything coming on).
Whenever we are on travel, we always make sure that we have enough medicine on our bag for all kinds of emergency situations.
what wonderful travel tips. headaches are one of my major problems when I am traveling. So important to bring medicines.
An article worth reading and sharing. Most of the time, travelers are getting sick while they explore the world. This article has tackled important factors! Thank you so much for sharing, very helpful and informative! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the article, Emery!
This blog is helpful, I always have headaches or dizziness whenever I have to travel, I woll keep these tips ony mind and also share it.
Thanks for the great info
We are trying to travel with the family, so far we have avoided the disease, but we always have the essential medicine with us.
I’m glad you’ve been able to avoid getting sick!
This blog post is so helpful. I really have some issues when it comes to traveling. I will keep these tips in mind.
Thank you, Rachael!
Great tips and tricks. I always avoid tap water and never eat fresh food or seafood to avoid getting sick while I am visiting certain places.
Thank you!
Great content for a traveler like me! Loved it!
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These tips are a great help. I always make sure to drink loads of water while travelling and to watch what I eat.
I prefer to travel solo but I might be open to a family cruise.
Traveling solo must be fun!
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Great post and really helpful especially while traveling with family. Thanks for sharing.
These are all really great tips! Definitely something I’ll have to remember to do the next I plan on traveling long distance especially. Thanks for sharing!
Good tips, everyone should carry a first aid kid. In my case, I usually get sick after traveling, I guess water is the main problem.
It happens to me too – I don’t drink as much water as I usually do when I am home.