Planning on travelling soon? Wherever your destination will be, you may be wondering how to stay healthy while travelling for business or how to stay healthy while travelling abroad. Whether you’re staying healthy while travelling for work or pleasure, it’s always best to be prepared for emergencies, especially while abroad. Check out these travelling safety tips to ensure you have the best travel experience while staying healthy and well:
Staying healthy while travelling is possible by doing a medical check-up and getting the right vaccines prior to your trip, especially while travelling abroad. Get a physical examination and discuss related issues with your doctor to see if you’re healthy and fit enough to travel. Some of your travel destinations might require you to get vaccinated beforehand, so find out what kind of immunisations is needed. Additionally, you’ll also need to understand the possible health risks of your travel destinations, so come fully prepared.
Before your departure, being properly insured is a must to ensure your health and wellbeing. Buy travel insurance or make sure your health insurance covers healthcare overseas, in case you or your family requires medical assistance. Consult with an agent about what kind of coverage you personally need, based on factors such as destinations, weather, and travel type (e.g. exploring the city or the wilderness). Read the fine print, examine various policies and make the right inquiries to make sure you’re getting the perfect insurance for you. Basically, your insurance plan should have these features: instant, direct payment to the medical provider and toll-free, 24-hour phone assistance (English-language).
You’ll never know what kind of event will occur, so it’s best to be prepared. For your convenience, remember to pack your important documentation before leaving, and create softcopy backup for them. They include your visas, travel or health insurance, plane tickets, passport, medical insurance card, itinerary, and immunisation record. Keep all of your documents and e-documents in one place.
Wondering how to stay healthy while backpacking? Make sure you pack a survival or first aid kit during your trip, particularly in the wilderness. Your kit should include all or some of the following:
If you travel by air, staying healthy while flying is possible if you sit on the side where you’re used to just like when you’re in the car (left or right), or sit near the plane’s wing. Earplugs can come in handy too for high altitude sickness. If you’re travelling by sea, sit in the middle and focus your view on the horizon. If you’re travelling by land, sit in the front seat and avoid reading. Bring your medications just in case.
The secret to staying healthy while flying is to prevent blood clots during your flight journey. Sitting for too long without moving much will result in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots. Try to move your legs frequently and walk around every 2-3 hours. Know the symptoms of blood clots and be prepared. Consult with a doctor if you’re at risk of developing DVT.
If you have allergies, always carry your medications wherever you go, especially an antihistamine or the EpiPen. Avoid anything that can trigger your allergic reaction.
Dealing with irritable bowel syndrome while you’re travelling can be a nuisance. Carry prescription medications or over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications with you. Follow these simple healthy eating travel tips: avoid consuming high-fat foods (e.g. fatty cuts of lamb or beef) and caffeine (e.g. coffee, ice cream or hot chocolate), and try to stay stress-free.
The rule of thumb to avoid diarrhoea is to steer clear of unpasteurised milk products, raw vegetables and fruits, and uncooked meat. Additionally, try to only eat at food premises that display a grade certificate (awarded for its food safety and hygiene) and a certified ‘Halal’ logo (if you’re travelling to Muslim countries). If you’re travelling to a country where finding Halal food is a challenge, you can find Halal food places on your mobile using the Halal Trip app. If you’re suffering from traveller’s diarrhoea, drink purified water or tea.
Check out our travel blog for more travel tips or read more on useful travel hadith and Dua
