Healthy Travel

With the recent outbreak of norovirus aboard two cruise ships, let's take a bit of a look at maintaining health during travel.  Getting out and about is great fun, and with a few bits of choice knowledge, you can make your trip safer as well.

Airplanes are one instance that presents several situations, from cramped quarters to low air pressures. So the guy next to you is sneezing like crazy the whole flight and you feel like you just walked out of the Sahara with all that dry air, you might find these recommendations helpful when jaunting around the country at 35,000 feet:

• Hydrate and chew gum. That will ease issues with the dry and pressurized cabin.
• Wash your hands often or use alcohol-based hand gel.

Then when you get to your destination and drag out the camping gear, there are local conditions to consider. We have a large country with diverse environments.  The American landscape begs to you to get out an enjoy it. And you may think that odd or strange diseases are found in more far flung regions across the globe. But we have some home grown wonders here that can knock you flat just as well as anything they have over seas.

• Check for ticks every time you come in from outside.
• Use insect repellent, long sleeves, and mosquito nets for nights spent out.

Being informed is the best defense. It is always a good idea to check for local conditions and warnings for the area you are traveling. The Centers for Disease Control offer resources to educate travelers on local situations. If you like traveling or camping or fishing and any number of adventurous activities, you may be well experienced with some of these issues. But you're also probably not going to let that get in your way getting out on the Appalachian Trail or traveling to India.  Get out there. Just wash your hands before you eat.

Photo thanks to kevindean via Flickr.