7 Tips for Staying Healthy on Your Travels

by Emily Penney, ND

The kids are out of school, the sun is hot, and summer vacations are in the works! Whether you are hitting the highways or the airways, you can still maintain optimal health during your travels. Next month I’ll give some tips specifically for international travel.
Just because you are going to a new place doesn’t mean you have to abandon your health care routine! Here are some time honored tips for keeping yourself in tip-top shape on the road.

  1. Keep up your supplement and medication regime
    Buy an adequately sized pill organizer, and bring enough supplements & meds for each day you will be gone + 2-3 days to allow for contingencies. If forgetting to take things is an issue, set your cell phone to remind you. Out of sight, out of mind, right? I use my calendar (appointment) function for all such reminders!
  2. Avoid dehydration
    This is especially important for airplane travel, but for those who “hate to stop” it can be an issue during car travel as well. Take the time to hydrate. What’s the rush? You’re on vacation!
  3. Avoid “traveler’s constipation”
    Many people get constipated when they are away from home. Stay hydrated, remember to eat your fiber, and if need be, take extra magnesium 150-500mg daily to help soften bowel movements, if they get too soft, reduce the dose.
  4. Remember the sunscreen
    See the environmental working group’s website on the best natural sunscreens: EWG Sunscreen Guide
  5. Optimize your sleep
    Bring eyeshades and earplugs if you might be in an environment that has more light or noise than you are used to, so you can avoid disturbances to your sleep.
  6. Plan for healthy eating
    Look up health food stores in the area you are travelling to before you leave in order to be sure to get the foods you need away from home.
  7. Have some self-treatment methods on hand
    Homeopathic remedies can be very helpful for common travelers complaints including sunburn, bee stings, and motion sickness. Boise Natural Health carries a handy kit and instruction book that covers over 70 different medical conditions. If you take the time to familiarize yourself with the book, this can be invaluable, especially when you are away from your doctor!