| Want a vacation from travel-related health | | | | while flying, suggests G. Richard Olds, M.D., a |
| troubles? | | | | travel disease specialist and chairman of medicine |
| Try these tips: | | | | at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. |
| Travel Health Tip #1: | | | | Fruit juice is also a good choice; cola, tea and |
| Take regular breaks Stroll the airplane aisle or | | | | coffee are not (the caffeine they contain may |
| highway rest stop periodically to prevent the | | | | have a diuretic effect). Are you visiting a hot |
| blood in your legs from pooling. Another good | | | | climate? A sports beverage can replenish sodium |
| reason to get moving: Sitting in a car or plane all | | | | and potassium that are lost in sweat. |
| day can make you constipated, says Rick | | | | Travel Health Tip #5: |
| Kellerman, M.D., president of the American | | | | Go the distance with germ warfare. You do not |
| Academy of Family Physicians and chairman of | | | | need to vacation in Mexico to experience |
| family medicine at the University of Kansas at | | | | Montezumas revenge. The farther you travel |
| Wichita, but you can prevent that with exercise. | | | | from home, even within the U.S., the more likely |
| Even moving around for just a few minutes helps. | | | | you are to be introduced to unfamiliar germs, |
| Travel Health Tip #2: | | | | says Dr. Olds, that will increasesyour chances of |
| Pack produce... and other high-fiber foods, says Dr. | | | | respiratory illness, loose stools and other |
| Kellerman. You are more likely to prevent | | | | germ-caused infections. So take precautions: If |
| stomachaches and other gastrointestinal problems | | | | you are traveling across several states, pack |
| by having family members eat the way they do | | | | some over-the-counter cough syrup, sore throat |
| at home. When you get hungry and pull off the | | | | lozenges and an antidiarrhea medication, Dr. Olds |
| road, head to the local grocery instead of a fast | | | | says. |
| food joint. | | | | Travel Health Tip #6: |
| Travel Health Tip #3: | | | | Shun the Sun Spending time outdoors at the |
| Get your ZZZs. To head off jet lag, schedule | | | | beach, mountains or woods? Protect your families |
| your flight as follows: When heading east, fly | | | | skin with a sunscreen that has a high SPF (30 and |
| early; when heading west, fly late. This | | | | up). Apply it to exposed skin areas about half an |
| long-practiced flying strategy ensures the least | | | | hour before heading outside to allow the |
| disruption to the bodys normal sleep-wake cycle, | | | | sunscreen to swing into action. And use at least |
| preserving your travel health. | | | | two tablespoons per application. Reapply |
| Travel Health Tip #4: | | | | sunscreen every two hours throughout the day |
| Wet your whistle. On a flight, you family is in a | | | | and immediately after you have gotten wet or |
| very arid environment that dehydrates the body | | | | have been sweating. |
| and dries out the tender skin and mucous | | | | Follow all these tips and you will go a long way in |
| membranes in the nose and throat. A good rule | | | | assuring your and your families travel health, and |
| of thumb is to drink at least 16 ounces of water | | | | guess what? your vacation will be made in the |
| before leaving and 8 ounces of water every hour | | | | shade. |