How to Avoid Falling Ill While Travelling
Adventures, discovery or just lazing by the pool, whatever it is you love doing on vacation we want you to be able to keep doing it. Here are some tips and tricks to stay healthy and happy on your travels and avoid spending your vacation in your hotel room.
1. Stay hydrated
Being dehydrated can make you more susceptible to catching a cold – a dry and scratchy throat is typically among the first symptoms. You can save yourself from the prospect of lying under the covers for a good part of your vacation by ensuring that you are adequately hydrated even before you travel and of course during your holiday. So simple yet so easy to forget! Keep a bottle of water with you so that you can hydrate your body on the go.
Note that alcoholic and caffeinated drinks actually dehydrate your body, so consume such beverages in moderation during your travels. If you fancy indulging yourself ensure that you drink more water to compensate for the loss of fluids from your body.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C may not be the cure to a cold but it can help to alleviate symptoms and give your immune system a boost so that you will have a shorter recovery period in the event you are taken ill. Sources of Vitamin C that you may want to load up on include: oranges, berries, papaya, kiwi, bell peppers and broccoli. You may also consider bringing along a Vitamin C supplement to ensure that your body gets enough of this antioxidant.
3. Keep your hands clean
Many of the things that we touch on a daily basis, from door knobs and light switches to handles and remote controls, contain plenty of germs, viruses and bacteria and these are spread through our very own hands! We can be taken ill when our contaminated hands come into contact with our eyes, nose and mouth but we can stop the spread of illnesses by keeping our hands clean. Wash your hands with soap and water before you eat or touch your face and keep a small bottle of hand sanitiser with you so that you may disinfect your hands while on the go.
4. Sleep
Do not underestimate the importance of sleep during your travels! Your body needs to be adequately rested in order to function properly and provide you with that much needed energy for your travels. Not getting enough sleep can weaken our immune system, which means that we are more susceptible to falling ill when exposed to germs and slower recovery from illness. Ensure that you get at least 7 hours of quality sleep during your travels to reduce your likelihood of catching a cold!
5. Vaccination
If you are travelling during winter, consider getting a flu vaccination. This is because the cold weather will mean that people generally spend more time indoors and in closer contact with one another, making it easy to catch a virus. A flu vaccine will not only protect you against the flu but also the potential complications that can result from the virus. It takes about 2 weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that will protect your body from the flu following the vaccination so you may want get vaccinated 2 weeks before you travel.
6. Relax
You may have been under a lot of stress prior to your holiday balancing work commitments and all that planning so do not subject yourself to more stress during your holidays! Stress can actually weaken your immunity and make you more susceptible to catching a cold, which can only make you miserable. You can manage stress levels by planning a realistic travel itinerary, i.e. not packing too many activities in a day, and planning ahead so that you will not be scrambling around just before you travel. Less stress can only mean that you are less likely to fall ill and more likely to have fun!
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