It's easy to fall ill when traveling. Change in time, weather, environment, and diet can all impact your health. However, you can take some preventative steps to help you stay healthy while traveling.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Continual
Here's How:
- Be sure to pack various over-the-counter medications that might be useful if you fall ill while traveling. Ibuprofen, something for an upset stomach, and cough drops are easy to transport in small quantities in your carryon luggage. If you feel it's necessary, keep larger quantities (adequately labeled) in your checked baggaged.
- Take vitamins. Begin a vitamin regimen well before you travel, and continue it en route to and upon arrival at your destination.
- Invest in some immune system-boosting tablets. These will help bolster your body against the germs it will encounter while traveling.
- Drink plenty of water. Bottled water is best if you aren't sure about the sanitation levels of the tap water.
- Carry waterless hand sanitizer, and use it often. You may also carry moist hand wipes that will clear away grime as well as kill germs. Handwashing may not always be an option when you travel in Eastern Europe. Use these hygiene products before meals, after bathroom breaks, and after you've used public transportation.
- Go easy on greasy foods. Eastern European foods can be a little on the heavy side, so avoid shocking your system by ingesting a plateful of buttered perogis with a side of sausage immediately after you arrive.
- Make sure you are well hydrated before hitting the bar or the bottle. Yes, drinking is a part of Eastern European culture, but that doesn't mean that the night of arrival you should down as much vodka as you can handle without passing out. You will regret it like nothing else in your life, and if you have traveling companions, they will offer little sympathy.
- Make sure you dress for the weather. If it's chilly or cold, don't try to pretend it isn't. Wind and chilly weather can exacerbate a slight cold or headache, and turn a little sniffle into the flu.
What You Need:
- Common sense
- Respect for the fact that your body may betray your desire for fun
