The Ultimate Guide To Healthy Travel
- Elisabeth Caraballo
- Dec 20, 2018
- 2 min read
If you love nothing more than getting your wanderlust kicks by jetting off to the most exciting and off the beaten path destinations you can think of, the chances are that you have itchy feet right now. You adore the thrill of seeing new vistas, meeting new people and immersing yourself in different cultures. While you wish you could spend your life traversing the globe, you might have to make do with extended vacations and well planned trips. When you travel, it’s vital that you remain healthy, fit and capable of taking part in all of the activities and excursions that you have planned. Take a look at this guide that will help you remain healthy when getting your wanderlust kicks.
Eating
When traveling abroad, it’s all too easy to be seduced by the weird and wonderful delicacies on offer. Those scorpions on sticks, sheep’s brain stews, and locust bean sweets are not necessarily made in poor conditions, but they can be so different to what you are used to eating that they can make you feel poorly. Street food vendors may have people queuing up to try their cuisine, but it doesn’t mean you should join the line.
Meat also needs to be eaten cautiously when overseas. In the US, there are higher standards for the cooking and consumption of meat products. Overseas, you need to be more wary. Some travelers who are classic omnivores when at home, choose to go fully vegetarian when hot footing it abroad. This can often be a safer way to travel.
Sun
If you are venturing to a destination that is bathed in sunshine for much of the year, you mustn’t forget your factor 50. Everyone should be protecting their skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun, especially if you are fair skinned or burn easily. You don’t want to be forking out for costly skin cancer treatments in a decade’s time simply because you wanted to get your wanderlust kicks and forgot your sunblock. Be sensible, cover up, stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day and always keep your sun lotion to hand.
Vaccinations
Malaria, hepatitis and yellow fever can be prominent in parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. If you are taking a jaunt to one of these places, it’s vital that you check out the relevant websites and government agencies and take note of their vaccination recommendations. Just because you aren’t keen on injections, doesn’t mean you should be foregoing a jab and risking a deadly disease. For a moment of minimal pain, you can then head abroad safe in the knowledge that you are protected against the worst diseases. For malaria, you may need to take a course of tablets, some of which have a few side effects. However, these far outweigh the negative effects that malaria can cause.
When you head overseas, it’s important to remain safe, fit and healthy. No amount of joy, excitement, and fun abroad is worth it if it’s at the detriment of your wellbeing. Stay healthy when traveling.
