How to avoid illness and injury when you travel

Travel can be great fun, full of new experiences and adventures, awe-inspiring sights, and immersion in different cultures. Unfortunately though, trips can have a real dampener put on them if you end up ill or injured along the way. From spraining an ankle or suffering from food poisoning, to contracting a disease or even being severely injured, travelers can sometimes face unexpected challenges during holidays.
 

While you probably spend a lot of time, energy and money on planning your trips and seeing the sites, how much effort do you put into staying healthy and well as you travel around? Apart from purchasing travel insurance before you leave for your vacation, there are other things you can do to give yourself the best possible chance of arriving home in good health. Read on for some top tips to staying well as you travel in 2015. 
 

One of the best ways to avoid getting sick while you’re traveling is to remember your hygiene and hydration. When it comes to hygiene, stay clean with daily showers, and wash your hands on a regular basis. Remember that public places and facilities such as museums and other attractions, and transport like buses, planes, trains, and taxis can be a breeding ground for germs due to the number of people in them. 
 

If you’re going to be traveling somewhere that isn’t likely to have plenty of well-kept bathrooms with soap and clean water, then pack a bottle of hand sanitizer so you’re always covered. In particular, to stay healthy you should try to avoid germs touching your food, so always wash your hands before you eat. As well, do your best not to touch your nose and eyes if you haven’t recently cleaned your hands.
 

Staying hydrated is also a key to good health. This is especially the case when you are traveling. On flights, in particular, the high altitude, combined with air conditioning, can make you dehydrated more quickly than normal.
 

To keep your fluid levels up, try to avoid alcohol and coffee while in transit, as these drinks can further dehydrate you. Water is the best drink to imbibe on a regular basis, so to ensure you have enough, look at taking a reusable water bottle with you on your trip so that you can fill up as often as possible during long drives and flights. 
 

Furthermore, be wary of drinking water straight from the faucet in countries where the quality of the fluid may not be guaranteed. If you’re unsure about the water quality, it’s always better to play it safe and drink purified bottled water or to boil your water in a jug before drinking. This can make a big difference when it comes to avoiding unwanted bugs and bacteria. 
 

When you’re traveling in an unfamiliar place, make sure that you only ever purchase food from reputable venues. It pays to look out for busy restaurants and cafes with lots of locals, as this will indicate that the cuisine is both tasty and fresh. 
 

Quiet venues are much more likely to have food sitting around for a long time, which can make it prone to go off or attract nasty bacteria. If you find yourself struck down by a bad case of food poisoning (or something even worse) from a meal at a local venue, keep in mind that it might be worth putting in a compensation claim with a company like www.ClaimsDirect.co.uk to cover your health expenses. 
 

While you’re traveling to and from destinations, it also pays to avoid the pre-packaged food found on airlines or at roadside gas stops and the like. Stock up on healthy snacks before you leave for your trip, such as fruit, veggie sticks, healthy muesli bars, trail mix, rice crackers, and so on.
 

Once you arrive at your holiday spot, stick to eating health-conscious foods rather than lots of fast food meals. Keep in mind that the longer you eat an inadequate diet, the more your body’s immune system will dive and allow illness to hit. Instead, fresh, organic, and local produce is always the best option. 
 

If you really want to be sure of what you’re eating, then consider booking accommodation where you can cook for yourself. Head to local markets or other suppliers of fresh food, and whip up some of your favorite dishes for your daily meals. If you’re not sure if markets, supermarkets, or health-conscious eateries will be easy to find where you’re traveling to, then spend a little bit of time before you leave researching options and you won’t get stuck when you arrive.
 

While it can be easy to forget about exercise or to lack motivation when you’re on holidays and distracted by cool city sights or beautiful beaches, it is important to keep your body moving. Take breaks to stretch and walk about when you’re in transit to your destination, and then keep up the momentum when you arrive.
 

Exercise is very helpful when it comes to combating jet lag (it aids circulation, helps to regulate the body clock, and provides fresh air for the body), plus it has other benefits. Fitting in some time to go for a brisk walk or jog, a swim, a yoga session, a bike ride, or a gym workout, for example, can help to boost your immune system and your all-round health.