Many of us travel to explore and relax. Unfortunately, we still run the chance of coming across something detrimental to our health. It may be as simple as a cold or as serious as a bacterial infection.

While there is some risk, you can stay on top of things and prevent them from happening or treat them effectively when they do occur.

Here are some travel tips to help you properly prepare, stay safe and enjoy your trips.

1. BRING FIRST AID SUPPLIES

Having first-aid supplies and medicines is the first thing you can do to stay safe and healthy during your trips. They’re great for treating minor aches, injuries, and incidents like mild allergic reactions and light scrapes. They can even be useful in serious situations when you’re in a pinch until help arrives.

Other essentials are more for prevention than treatment. These are crucial because they can prevent scary situations from developing.

Your emergency travel kit should include:

• Tylenol/Advil
• Anti-diarrheal tablets (immodium)
• Anti-nausea (if you tend to get motion sickness)
• Anti-itch
• Antihistamine (benadryl)
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antacid (tums)
• Pain patches (icy hot/Salonpas)
• Anti-bacterial hand wipes
• Flushable wipes
• Bandaids and bandages
• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Insect repellant
• Sunscreen

You can buy a pre-made first aid kit online and add to it. You don’t have to bring full-sized ones. There are travel-sized products you can fit in one bag.

2. BE SURE THAT YOUR VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTERS ARE UP TO DATE

It’s super important to make sure that your body is current with all of the proper protections needed before travel – especially for international travel. It’s important not only to protect yourself from endemic diseases at your travel destination, but also to prevent the spread of that disease to other countries. Check your own medical records and consult with your own doctor about your travel destinations and schedule. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting vaccinated at least 4-6 weeks before your departure. Also, refer to the World Health Organization’s Website for a list of vaccines to review and up-to-date information about countries that require proof of vaccination upon entry.

3. CARRY MEDICAL INSURANCE

There may be instances when you’ll find yourself in a hospital needing serious medical attention. Carrying medical insurance can help in those situations. It prevents you from dipping into your savings. It also gives you and your family the peace of mind in knowing you’re prepared for whatever happens.

4. PHYSICAL COPIES OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

You never know when you’ll need to bring out your papers, so keeping them on you is a smart move. While it may seem like a great idea just to save them on your phone or the cloud, a lot can go wrong when you need the most: your battery might die, the files get corrupted, or you can’t find a stable Internet connection to access them.

And with an organized setup of these documents, you won’t be scrambling to look for that one piece of information.

What to pack:

• Passports and visas
• Tickets
• Itinerary
• Credit card contact information or customer service
• Contact information
• Insurance summary page with phone number

5. SHARE YOUR TRAVEL INFORMATION

Your friends and family should know where you’re going, when you’re going, and what you’ll be doing. If you’re traveling to another country, give them your itinerary, flight information, and the contact information of the place you’re staying.

Keep them in the loop. Update them from time to time to let them know you’re safe. If you miss a check-in, they may know something is wrong and do the steps that will ensure your safety.

6. FIND OUT THE COUNTRY’S EMERGENCY NUMBERS

There may be situations when you’ll need professional and serious help. If you’re traveling to another country, find out its emergency numbers. It would also be a good idea to familiarize yourself with emergency places like hospitals and police stations.

You can save this information on your phone or have a physical copy too, like your important documents.

7. HAVE A PLAN B

Having a backup plan can help you get out of some sticky situations. Although it’s not plausible to have one for every event, thinking through these scenarios will help you out of a tough spot:

• Are you familiar with your surroundings? Take note of landmarks.
• Learn basic but helpful words, phrases, and sentences in the local language.
• Have the address of the place where you’re staying written down.
• If you’re separated from the group, find out where the designated meeting place is so you can meet them there.
• Do you have a power supply in case your phone dies? Write down or memorize your number and emergency contacts.

8. RESEARCH AND PLAN YOUR TRIP/S

Stress is arguably the biggest cause of health problems. And when traveling, being unorganized is a huge trigger for stress.

So, before packing for your trip, do your research and get to know your destination in depth.

Plus, being prepared, organized, and careful will help prevent unwanted events from happening. 

9. MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES

Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. You still need to be conscious of your health. So even if you’re tempted to go all out, make healthy decisions.

• Eat healthy food 

Trying a place’s cuisine is one of the best ways to learn about its people and culture. Food is an adventure all on its own, and it may be overwhelming and tempting to taste everything, take things in moderation. If you’re traveling in a group, consider splitting plates.

Eat more healthy options:

• Make sure you’re getting in plenty of fiber to keep things regular.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables too.
• Stay hydrated.
• If you have access to a kitchen, cook whenever you can.

You wouldn’t want to spend the rest of your visit with a tummy ache. Following these nutrition tips not only keeps you healthy, but also prompts you to be more adventurous with food (even though it might not seem like it).

When traveling, all the street food and snacks look so enticing. But trying to stay healthy will make you seek out different food choices.

• Stay away from foods that can hurt you

Before taking a bite of anything, ask if it contains anything you might be allergic to. You can also ask about spice levels. If you have a weak spice tolerance, you don’t want anything too hot in your system.

• Make sure the place your eating at is clean

Before taking a bite out of anything, inspect the restaurant or street vendor to make sure they’re hygienic. Whenever possibly, go to places with filtered water. “Dirty” food stalls or restaurants may carry bacteria that can upset your stomach.

Again, carry your first aid kit with stomach medicine, i.e. immodium AD and tums, just in case something does upset your stomach.

• Limit your alcohol intake

We don’t drink. But if you decide to, do it responsibly and in moderation. Don’t get blackout drunk while on a trip. Being unaware or unconscious in a place you’re unfamiliar with is very dangerous.

• Don’t forget to sleep

Even if you want to see all the places and do everything humanly possible, you have to get enough sleep– and proper sleep at that. Being sleep-deprived in a new place may have more severe effects than alcohol. Plus, you won’t be able to enjoy the rest of your stay if you’re feeling grumpy and sleepy.

10. STAY ACTIVE

Even during leisurely and relaxing trips, you should stay active. Walk whenever you can. Add hikes to your itinerary, stroll around the city, or walk when running errands. It’s up to you, but remember to stay active.

It’s better to be safe than sorry! Follow these tips so you can properly prepare for your next adventure, enjoy trip, and have more peace of mind. If you want to read more articles like this, visit our website. There’s also other content there you might enjoy.