Tips For Healthy Travel

If you’re planning a getaway this Christmas (helloooo St. Lucia) these travel tips will make your flight your healthiest yet. Also, these tips are mainly directed at airplane travel, but definitely some useful tips if your planning on a cross country train ride, or an adventurous road trip. Pre-flight:

• Pack slippers, reusable water bottle, neck pillow, sleep mask, headphones (to avoid buying plane ones), mini hand sanitizer bottle or disinfectant wipes, and some healthy snacks in your carry on.
• Pack a basic first aid kit, the prescription and extra of any medications you’re on in your luggage.
• Check your health insurance, see if you need to get any supplemental insurance.
• Boost your immune system with vitamin C and B-complex vitamins a few days before the trip.
• Eat a good meal before your flight – nothing that will make you gassy though, you really don’t want to be that person on the flight.
• Day of the flight wear comfortable clothes – I generally opt for some lulus or sweats, a tank, t-shirt, and cardigan; layering is key. I like to top it all off with a giant pashmina so it can double as a blanket on the plane. Make sure your shoes are easy to take off, both for getting through security and for once you’re seated and realize that you just can’t sleep with your shoes on.
• Make sure you have the proper vaccinations for the place you’re visiting.

During travel:

• Get that hand sanitizer out and wipe down the arm rest, seat buckle, and anywhere else you’re likely to touch. Yes, this is my OCD talking, and yes, you are far less likely to catch a cold this way.
• Get up frequently, try to stand or walk up and down the aisles once every 30 minutes.
• Do seat stretches – point and flex your feet, fold your torso over your thighs and shake it out, any arms stretches, jog your legs up and down, whatever else you can do without disturbing the person beside you.
• Drink water, and eat water-rich foods such as fruit – dehydration can be an issue on planes because of the humidity level.

Post-flight:

• Stretch and walk around to help your circulation return to normal.
• DON’T NAP. Jet lag can be brutal, so as hard as it is to stay awake, if you arrive in the daytime try to stay up until at least a reasonable bedtime local time.
• Once you get home wash EVERYTHING. So much laundry. All the laundry.
• Drink a lot of water to help you rehydrate.

Sources: http://greatist.com/health/plane-travel-healthy-way-infographic http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/tips-for-healthy-travel http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/healthy-travel-guide-tips-fun-safe-vacation?page=3 http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/airport-germs-healthy-travel?page=4