Healthy travel
by Jennifer Russo
Going on a trip? It's hard to know just what you need to take from your medicine cabinet to make sure that bad health won't hamper your fun. Your destination often determines what you should take and it's important to bring along certain medications and supplies just in case.
When travelling to highly developed regions - such as Western Europe, USA, Japan, and Australia, you should follow the same basic health precautions that you would while travelling in the UK. But, other more remote or less developed destinations - including South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle and Far East - may require treatments or vaccines administered well in advance of your departure. A visit to your doctor is necessary to determine what measures you need to take in order to have a safe, and healthy, trip.
Pack for good health
Since traveller's diarrhoea is the most common illness to affect tourists - often caused by food or water contaminated by viruses, bacteria, or parasites - it's a good idea to bring along over-the-counter anti-diarrhoea medicine. You should also pack insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), iodine tablets and water filters to purify water in more rural areas where bottled water may not be not available. Don't forget your sunblock and sunglasses.
Travellers should also bring some cold remedies, including cough drops and tissues. You might also consider packing pain and fever medications, such as aspirin or acetaminophen. If you are prone to motion sickness, you should carry an over-the-counter or prescription medication with you on the plane, train, boat, or in the car. When planning a visit to countries where insect-borne illnesses are common it's key to pack a mosquito net impregnated with an insecticide to prevent as many bug bites as possible.
If you're visiting places where there is a risk of malaria infection, you should contact your doctor in good time before your departure in order to make sure that you start on a course of anti-malarial tablets well before you leave. According to the World Health Organization, such tablets may need to be taken one week before travel or the day before travel, taken with regularity for the entire length of your stay, and continued for four weeks following your departure.
No matter where you go, make sure you have a large enough supply of any prescription medications you need to last throughout your vacation. You may also want to bring a copy of the prescription just in case you lose or run out of the medication you brought.
Keep Kids Healthy
Travelling with children requires some extra precautions, and careful packing. It's important to bring along over-the-counter medications specifically designed for children, such as children's acetaminophen. Packing some minor first-aid supplies, including plasters and alcohol wipes, is also a good idea.
It is essential that your children are up-to-date on all of their vaccinations and shots before leaving home. It might also be wise to take immune globulin for protection against hepatitis A for children under age two travelling to areas of the world with intermediate or high rates of hepatitis A. Breast-feeding offers infants some protection from typhoid fever or cholera infection, but according to medics, infants who aren't breast-fed will stay healthy as long as their formula and food are carefully prepared using only uncontaminated water and food.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
To stay in the best health possible, wash your hands often with soap and water, avoid eating unpasteurised dairy products and eggs, and never eat uncooked ground beef or poultry. Remember, in most places you'll be able to buy the over-the-counter medications you may need, such as aspirin or cough drops, but be careful if you're buying products with which you are not familiar.
Hopefully, most of the precautionary items you bring will never have to leave your suitcase, but just having them will offer comfort that will add to your holiday enjoyment. Bon voyage!
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