Tips to avoid getting sick when travelling

Before you leave

Whether you’ll be spending a week at an all-inclusive resort, or crossing the desert or a mountain range, your eating habits are often disrupted when you travel. Unfortunately, this means that you may end up with digestive issues. This is often due to the fact that the food you eat when travelling is different from what you usually eat at home. Take probiotics to reduce the negative impacts that an exotic diet could have on your stomach and reinforce your intestinal flora.

Travelling alone? Bringing your children and grandparents on a family trip? Planning a trip for two at a romantic getaway? Regardless of the destination and your travel companions’ clumsiness, always bring a first-aid kit. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. It will help you avoid the headache of trying to find a pharmacy or a clinic.

Make sure you pack the essentials:

• Antacids to relieve indigestion and heartburn
• Medication for travel sickness (nausea and vomiting)
• Medication to stop diarrhea
• Anti-inflammatories to fight pain and fever
• Antihistamines to treat allergic reactions

You can also go to a walk-in travel health clinic and meet with a nurse, who will be able to determine whether your vaccines are up-to-date or if you need to be immunized against illnesses specific to your destination.

Obviously, in places like Cayo Coco or Riviera Maya, small cuts and scratches are sometimes inevitable. To be ready for the unexpected, make sure to get travel insurance before you leave. You’ll be covered for mishaps like a trip to the hospital, lost baggage or a cancelled trip. Don’t underestimate the importance of this type of insurance – it can help you avoid unpleasant situations. According to the Société internationale de télécommunications aéronautiques (SITA), air carriers around the world lose approximately 80,000 bags every day, affecting approximately 1% of travellers.

When travelling

Discovering a country and its culture obviously includes trying local dishes. Before eating out in a restaurant, check out the online comments to see what kind of experiences previous patrons had. These comments can help you avoid culinary catastrophes and discover gastronomical marvels.

Also, beware of street food vendors. Although the food may be delicious, food served on the street is often subject to substandard health standards, like the presence of insects or inadequate storage conditions. It would be a shame to have to cut short a day out because you’re tied to the bathroom.

Be careful of the water you drink and the ice cubes in your drinks. The germs in the water can vary from one region to another. Your body, which may not be used to them, may react strongly to this foreign microbacterial flora. Drink bottled water whenever possible. If bottle water is not an option, use water purification tablets or water filters.

Bon voyage abroad!

The Well-being section has tons of tips to help you travel with peace of mind. Check it out for tips on packing the perfect bag or for travel essentials.