Whether we like it or not travel is an unavoidable part of the business world, and with travel comes a wide array of health concerns. Some corporate travelers seem to attend the most crowded seminars and travel all over the world and still somehow avoid getting sick. While others are not so lucky. How do they do it?
If you are one of the many who seem to be unable to mitigate the negative health effects that come along with traveling frequently, then we have good news – there are things you can do to stay healthy while traveling!
Stay Healthy With These Travel Tips
A national travel survey reveals that more than 63 percent of travelers get sick while traveling. When it comes to frequent travel and staying healthy your best line of defense is to be proactive, protective and prepared. Here are eight simple yet useful travel tips to help you stay healthy when you’re on-the-go.
Take your vitamins. It never hurts to make an attempt at bulking up your immune system prior to traveling. So, take your vitamins! There are many supplements out there that are specifically formulated to help combat against colds and the flu, so try them!
Pack smart. It is important to be proactive and prepared when traveling in order to stay healthy and avoid getting sick. So pack smart! Hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes will help you and the area you are in stay clean. Also, bringing your own travel pillow and blanket are a good idea to help you avoid germs.
Be smart. It is a good rule of thumb to avoid people who are sick, but when you are forced to travel this can sometimes be hard. When you are at airports or train stations make it a point to stay at least six feet away from people who are sneezing or coughing.
Keep your hands clean. This travel tip goes without saying, but given the importance of the point it is worth mentioning. Wash or sanitize your hands after touching “germy” things – always!
Drink plenty of water. Be sure to bring one or two bottles of water with you for the time that you will spend traveling. Once you reach your destination be sure that you are getting the recommended eight glasses of water a day. It is a good idea to get even more than that in order to stay well hydrated. Believe it or not, it does not take much to become dehydrated. You need to only lose 1.5 percent of your body’s water to tip the scale of mild dehydration. The effects of dehydration range from making you more prone to illness to impairing your ability to drive a vehicle, so it is a good idea to stay hydrated at all times!
Bring a medical kit. Always pack a medical travel kit. It should include: any prescriptions that you take on a daily basis, an antidiarrheal medicine, antihistamines, analgesics, antacids, cough drops, decongestants, hydrocortisone cream and acetaminophen for fever.
Exercise. Just because you are traveling does not mean that you should not continue to exercise. Go for a brisk walk through the city or a jog through the park. It’s a great way to see the place you’re staying in while staying fit!
Rest up. It is always important to get your rest, but more so when you are traveling. It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of a new city – new people, new places, new activities. But do not lose sight of what is most important: your health. So, be sure to turn in early on occasion and catch some extra zzz’s.
There are times when we cannot control whether or not we have to be away from home. Use these travel tips during your corporate jet-setter trips to help you prepare and be proactive about staying healthy and warding off illness.
