Staying healthy is one of the most important things while traveling because you only get so many vacation days and who wants to spend a vacation from a hotel room?

Here are some of our best tips on how to stay healthy and not sick while traveling!

Wash Your Hands

All you need is soap, water, and 20 seconds. Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies like in between your fingers, under your nails, and the back of your hand.

If using a hand sanitizer, make sure it’s over 60% alcohol and that you’re rubbing it for at least 20 seconds.

We touch a lot of contaminated surfaces all day long and then, without cleaning our hands, we touch our faces or eat food, allowing the germs a way into our bodies. Stay healthy by keeping your hands clean!

Drink Bottled Water

Along with staying hydrated, drinking clean water is an absolute must when traveling to stay healthy. In most modern first world countries you can drink straight from the tap but otherwise, I’d stick with bottled store bought water.

In countries where water bottle scams are prevalent, you can stay safe by only drinking carbonated water/soda.

What’s a water bottle scam? Have you seen Slumdog Millionaire where the boys are filling empty water bottles with dirty tap water and super glueing the caps back on to make them look new? Yeah, that kind of stuff.

Smart Food Consumption

When traveling to new countries, I absolutely adore trying out all the new food and delicious cuisine of the place I’m visiting. As a result, I’ve had more than my fair share of gastrointestinal distress during my travels! :)

Getting a case of Delhi Belly might make for a good story, but it might take you out for the rest of your trip since you might be marooned in your hotel room for days on end.

It’s best to have some basic food safety practices when in new countries.

When eating street food for example, you should check if the country is known for giving travelers trouble with their stomach.

For example, street food in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam is generally safe due to the hygiene practices followed by the cultures there.

On the other hand, street food in India is not advisable to foreigners as the hygiene practiced there is likely to make you sick.

In countries with questionable hygiene practices, always follow these rules:

Only drink store bought bottled water or carbonated drinks
Don’t eat salads that have been washed with tap water
Don’t eat fruit unless you can peel the skin off yourself
Don’t consume any kind of room temperature food

The universal rule though is: always wash your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer before eating.

Bug Spray

Mosquitos in certain parts of the world can transmit Malaria, Dengue, and other sorts of diseases. Make sure you bring proper bug spray to prevent bug bites.

Recommended:

14-25 percent DEET Spray
Picardin Spray (less toxic than DEET)

You can use natural bug sprays, but I find them to be less effective.

Disinfect Airplane Surroundings

One thing I always bring on a plane? Lysol or Clorox disinfectant wipes! Why?

Some of the dirtiest and germ filled areas on our travels will be the place where we spend a prolonged amount of time - the airplane. In a 2015 study done by Travelmath, the dirtiest places on an airplane are the bathroom flush button, tray table, seatbelt buckle, and overhead air vent. The seatback pocket is also a germ pit since most air crews never get a chance to clean it properly.

So make sure to bring a travel size Lysol/Clorox disinfectant wipe pack to wipe all those things down the moment you sit down in your seat.

Sit At Window Seat

Avoid an aisle seat, which is the closest to the aisle and all the traffic going back and forth. Studies have shown that the window seat has the least amount of exposure to germs from other passengers.

Get Proper Rest

Getting enough rest will keep your body’s immune system in peak condition. It’s definitely hard with jet lag and time zone changes throwing off your circadian rhythm.

A great way to adjust to the time zone change is to get plenty of sunshine and sleep at the right time. Getting some form of exercise also helps your body reset.

An app that has helped acclimate to a new time zone quickly is Timeshifter. Based on your sleep patterns and where you’re going - it’ll automatically suggest when to drink coffee, when to nap, when to get sunlight, and when to take melatonin.

Light blocking eye mask Ear Plugs White Noise mp3 Noise Canceling Headphones

Boost Your Immune System

Make sure to drink lots of water, get lots of activity, eat a balanced diet, and sleep enough so your immune system is at peak performance.

If you want, you can bring a pack of multivitamins, magnesium, and vitamin D to supplement your daily diet.

Sun Protection

Make sure you’re properly protected with some kind of sunscreen because the last thing you want is a bad sunburn on your travels.

Get Proper Vaccinations

Before you leave, check to see if there are any recommended vaccinations. Some require 4-6 weeks before your trip to become effective, so plan ahead.

Medical Kit

Immodium
Tylenol (Ibuprofen)
Advil (Acetaminophen)
NyQuil (godsend when sick)
Anti Nausea
Band Aids
Sleep Aid
Zithromax (general antibiotic)
Ciproflaxin (for food poisoning)

Travel Health Insurance

Having Travel Health Insurance is a must so you can have a worry free trip, knowing that everything will be ok.

World Nomads has been my go to for travel insurance. The service and price has always been great - luckily I haven’t had to use them for anything major but I’ve had enough friends who’ve needed to use their services while overseas.

How To Not Get Sick When Traveling