Are You a frequent traveler? Then, here are my 7 tips to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas. Since I love traveling, I always make it a point to keep myself safe. Hitting the road can be fun but getting sick when you are on the road would be the worst possible case one could go through. So how can one avoid getting sick while traveling? This article is on 7 Ways to avoid getting sick while on traveling overseas.
7 Ways to Avoid Getting Sick While Traveling Overseas
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Anybody can get sick, getting sick is a normal part of life, unlike sitting at home while you travel, your body is exposed to a much higher level of parasites, bugs, and various different kinds of environmental conditions.
So it’s more likely that you pick up something while you are traveling. So the best thing you can do is prevention. Before you plan your trip take the necessary steps to combat all the risk factors, here are 7 ways to avoid getting sick while on traveling overseas.
1. Wash Your Hands
We usually wash hands before and after a meal, but when we travel we sometimes forget this. Hand could carry a lot of germs and the last thing you need it for all that to enter your body.the simple act of washing your hands has a huge impact on controlling infection. Ond of the most common causes of diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning, gastroenteritis, flu, norovirus, MRSA, or even hepatitis A, come from not washing hand properly.
It’s always recommended to wash your hand whenever possible and to carry along a bottle of hand sanitizer in your handbag, which by the ways is not keeping there to be used once or twice by the very time you touch something with your hands. Though not as good as good old soap and water, sanitizer is the second best you can get to protect yourself.
2. Use Nasal Saline Spray
This little product goes a long way. Using a little amount of nasal spray before you board any public transport will ensure that you are protected from any air born diseases from entering your system. If your journey is a lengthy one, repeat this a few hours later depending on the total length of your journey.
Also if you have other issues while traveling such as throat congestion etc, just spray some before going to bed. The spray will run down your throat and kill any germs that may give you a cold.
3. Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites
This would be one of the most important points in my list of 7 Ways to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas. Mosquitoes are tricky, not only are the bites irritating and itchy but this can sometimes turn into the worst thing a traveler can go through. The little annoying bugs can transmit a whole variety of diseases, such as yellow fever, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, malaria. and chikungunya, which in some cases can become life-threatening.
The best thing you can do to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas, even if you are in a low- to a no-risk area, it is still a good idea to prevent mosquitoes from biting you in the first place. You can use repellent creams, sprays or even nets while you sleep if you are camping out. Also ensure that while you travel you wear well covered up clothes, especially when you are in the red area- near bodies of water or at twilight or after dark- the best environment for malaria-carrying mosquitos. So beware, do not underestimate those tiny mosquitos as anything.
4. Antimalarials
Antimalarials are mostly misunderstood by people, but like all medicines, these too can have side effects in some people, so if you are visiting an area of high risk talk to your doctor and get some prescribed for you.
Below are the cases when you definitely need antivirals to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas.
- The risk level at your travel destination
- The time of the year you plan to travel
- If there are any reported cases if flue outbreaks.
- The time period of your stay in that particular place
- The kind of activities you plan on doing
- Personal medical history
5. Talk to a Travel Health Professional
Before you plan to put on an adventurous trip or any tip for that instance do talk to travel health professional. This is something you should do in the initial stage of our planning and not leave it from the last. The recommended time to consult with a travel profession is not a week before your date of travel by 6 to 8 weeks before your big day. Some professionals might suggest you take a vaccine before you head out, this would again depend on the nature of your travel and the place you are going to.
6. Drink Bottled Water
Another best thing to prevent getting sick while traveling overseas is to take care of the water you drink. Do not by any chance drink open water. Always carry bottled water with you and if you are going somewhere that wouldn’t be available, then make sure you stock up. Especially if you are traveling in areas where sanitation is not that great. What most of us do is – we observe the area locals and drink the same water they drink- here is the catch they live it the place and is immune to the bacterias in the water by the same may not work well for you.
Also, try to stay away from local areas and other cool drinks and juices. Last by not the least even while you purchase bottled water, ensure that the seal on the bottle in intact. If none of this works for you, the get a traveling bottle which has an inbuilt filter- this can help you save money as well as the environment.
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7. Food Contamination
Be careful when and where you have your food to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas. Food contamination is one of the biggest causes of traveler’s diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems. This could ruin your entire trip. Diarrhea, E. coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Cryptosporidia, Cyclospora, cholera, Giardia, Entamoeba Histolytica, Campylobacter, etc are some of the nasty things you could be exposing yourself too.
Always make sure that the food you eat is fresh, cooked thoroughly, and served piping hot. If you are going to a remote place were such food wouldn’t be available, the make sure that you pack your own food and carry it with you.
Few More Words To Say
I hope this article on 7 Ways to avoid getting sick while traveling overseas will help you have a happy trip and healthy. Also, do let us know your experiences and suggestions in our comment box. Happy Journey!
