Tropical Travel Girl
10 Tips to Stay Healthy on Vacation
You’ve waited weeks, even months to go on vacation, and you want to enjoy it to the fullest! Here are 10 tips to stay healthy while traveling:
Water, not wine. Drink plenty of water during your flights to stay hydrated, and wait until you reach your destination to have that glass of wine, or your favorite island cocktail. You’ll enjoy it even more once you are in the islands!- Stretch and wiggle. Make sure you get up and walk around the cabin once the seatbelt light has been turned off. Take off your shoes or loosen your shoelaces, so you can wiggle your toes and stretch your feet. Remaining in your seat too long can increase the possibility of developing a blood clot. (I wear compression stockings on long flights.)
Protect yourself from germs. Some people swear by herbal supplements like Airborne or Cold-Eeze, designed to boost your immune system and keep cold germs at bay, and/or Vitamin C drops. Put a few cough drops in your purse, too, to hand to a coughing passenger nearby. You will help the airborne particles from spreading throughout the plane.- Wash your hands. Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent colds, so
remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly (for at least 20 seconds with special attention paid to the backs of the hands, wrists, between the fingers and under the fingernails, as recommended by the CDC). Carry travel-sized hand sanitizer, to cleanse hands when soap and water isn’t available, or individually packaged sanitizing wipes. These are also good for wiping down surfaces on your armrest and tray table on the plane. 
Wear sunscreen. Make sure you apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher before you go out into the sun. A broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB radiation is recommended. Don’t skimp on the amount you apply. UV reflection from sand and water doubles the amount of UV exposure so reapply often. Sunscreen is your first best defense against developing skin cancer. If you plan to spend time in the ocean, choose a reef safe sunscreen. (Let Consumer Reports help you: Shop Smarter for Sunscreen)- Wear protective clothing, headgear, and sunglasses. Don’t forget to pack your visors and hats! Put on a
t-shirt or cover-up to provide an additional layer of protection from the sun. You may wish to also choose clothing with a designated Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), which has been designed for sun protection, similar to the SPF rating system used for sunscreen products. Sunglasses with U/V protection are also a must to protect your eyes from sun damage. 
Don’t overdo it! Although it’s fun to engage in new activities on vacation, they can end up being more strenuous than you are used to. Sore or strained muscles, blisters, or other minor injuries can be the result. Pace yourself, and don’t try to pack more into a day that you should. (A well-timed spa visit for a relaxing massage may be a good idea to help you rejuvenate!)- Don’t overindulge! Drinking more alcohol than you normally would in “real life”
can drain your energy for the next day’s activities, dehydrate you, and make you more prone to stomach upset, heartburn, and headache. Switch to club soda, water or fruit juice early in the evening; you’ll be glad the next morning! 
Maintain your routine. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you should shirk your regular routine. If you take vitamins, fiber supplements, and other medications at home, continue to take them on vacation without fail. If you have problems with constipation while traveling, be sure to drink plenty of water and eat high-fiber foods (apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries = 3-4 grams fiber; tropical fruits have even more: mango and papaya = 5 grams).- Pay attention to symptoms. If you do experience symptoms of illness, seek medical attention right
away. Most resorts have a doctor on call or can direct you to one. All major cruise lines will have at least one doctor and two nurses on board. Ignoring symptoms can sometimes be dangerous, and, if medication is needed, the sooner you start on it, the better.
Handy tips! I love Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) clothing as it also protects against mosquito bites as it seems to repel them pretty effectively.
That’s a good point…and the 50 UPF factor that most of these clothing items have is much more than wearing a regular cotton t-shirt, which has a UPF factor of about 5.
I started to read “no wine” and since I’m in Italy, I started to worry but you immediately qualified it by saying until you reach your destination!:-)
I know “no wine during the flight” is a difficult thing to adhere to, but it’s all about staying hydrated. It’s recommended to drink about 8 oz. of water for every hour you are flying. (Maybe one glass won’t hurt?) 😉
Such helpful hints – for vacations in more than just tropical places! Thanks!
Thanks, Anne! You’re right; these tips aren’t destination dependent. Glad you found them helpful!
Great tips, Debbie. I think that if we all follow these tips we will stay healthier while travelling and spread fewer germs. Nothing bugs me more than being on a plane where someone right beside me is coughing continually and not covering their mouth.
Thanks, Doreen! That is one reason I always make sure I have a few cough drops with me…to give to a passenger who may be coughing in the next seat!
Great tips! I’d also add that you should make sure your vaccinations are up to date and, if you’re traveling to a country with diseases like malaria, bring the appropriate preventive medications and take them as instructed. For developing countries it’s also good to bring a water filtration bottle so you can stay hydrated safely.
Helpful additions, Rachel! I’ve not traveled to a country yet that required vaccinations but this is an important point. I found a great link with info from the CDC to help travelers regarding this: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel Another good one re: vaccines: https://www.vaccines.gov/who_and_when/travel/index.html
Great suggestions, all! It never hurts to be reminded.
Handy tips and ones to follow for sure. I’ve just arrived in England and the best thing I had on the plane this time were my dettol travel wipes – which I carried in my hand luggage rather than the gel hand sanitiser so that I didn’t have to declare liquids at security. Shared on SM and found you on Boomer Travel Bloggers 🙂
We are so glad we happened across this wonderful article. It offers some sage advice about staying healthy on vacation. We hope you have tons of future adventures. Travel safely!
Right on the money. Where we live, ocean and beaches, we see tourists ignoring these all the time. Keeping our hands clean is at the top of the list🤲
All good points. Especially moving around on the plane on long flights and taking it easy on the alcohol. I’ve almost quit drinking alcohol altogether these days. Especially on planes. Altitude and alcohol just don’t mix.
Such smart travel tips Debbra. Washing your hands and taking care to keep up your routine are just so darn important.
These are clever tips. I must say that I always get up and walk around the cabin once the seatbelt light has been turned off. Sometimes I might strike up a conversation with a fellow paasenger.
I’m going try taking off my shoes or loosen my shoelaces, to help me stretch. Good advice on drinking water in flight, it also helps get rid of headaches.
I agree, Bola. It really helps to get up and walk around. I often walk the aisles after using the restroom; no hurry to get back to my seat! I take off my shoes, too, and put on my “travel” socks.