Prepare Well

Wise vacationers plan ahead. They obtain travel and health documents so that these are in order when their journey begins. Inquiries about health hazards likely to be encountered help them decide what preventive medication to take.

In preparation for traveling to areas where malaria is endemic, many start to take antimalarial drugs a few days before departure. As a safeguard, though, it is often advised that they continue such medication throughout their vacation and even for four weeks afterward. This is because malaria parasites incubate in the body for that long. But other precautions are also vital.

Dr. Paul Clarke, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, advises: “Equally important are insect repellants applied to the skin or wrist, and ankle bands, bed nets and an insecticide vapouriser which runs off the electricity supply.” Equipment like this is usually best purchased before leaving for your vacation.

Travel sickness makes any journey unpleasant. What causes it? One researcher claims that motion sickness occurs when the brain is overloaded with new signals that come from being in an unfamiliar setting. If the motion of the ship, the vibration of the aircraft, or the drone of your car’s engine causes this problem, try to fix your attention on something stable, perhaps the horizon or the road ahead. Good ventilation will provide much-needed oxygen. In severe cases of motion sickness, antihistamine drugs may help alleviate the symptoms. A word of caution is in order, though: Beware of possible side effects, such as drowsiness, since under some circumstances these could jeopardize your safety.

Long air journeys have their own health hazards, such as dehydration. For some, inactivity and cramped seating for long periods can increase the risk of a blood clot in the leg. If the clot is dislodged and reaches a lung or the heart, the consequences can be especially dangerous. Therefore, on long flights some may need to exercise by walking in the aisles or by flexing hip and leg muscles while seated. And to reduce dehydration, drink plenty of nonalcoholic beverages.

According to one estimate, at least half of the several hundred million people worldwide who venture abroad each year suffer some form of illness or injury. Thus, as Dr. Richard Dawood, editor of Travellers’ Health, explains, “prevention is a strategy for health that no traveller can afford to neglect.” Since a traveler’s body needs to adjust to different strains of bacteria in the atmosphere, food, and water, it is especially important during the first few days that you be careful about what you eat.

“Food should never be assumed to be safe,” cautions Dr. Dawood, “unless it is known to have been freshly and thoroughly cooked (heat sterilized)—in the case of meat, until no red colour remains.” Yet, even hot food can be suspect. So, “satisfy yourself that today’s lunch is not yesterday’s evening meal, re-heated and re-arranged.”

Thus, if you are on vacation in an area quite different from where you live, you may not always be able to eat exactly when, where, and what you want. But this is surely a small price to pay to avoid the diarrhea that has reportedly affected two fifths of all international travelers.

As for drinks, bottled water is often safer than what is available locally. To avoid problems, though, it is wise to have bottled and canned drinks opened in your presence. It may also be wise to avoid ice. Always view it as suspect unless you know it to be safe.