Holidays and vacations are well-deserved breaks from routine. Food and alcohol play a large part in many vacations while other travelers dedicate their free time to sports and hiking. Vacations are a time to relax and discover new cities and cultures. Some of those adventures could end in injuries and illness if you don't plan ahead. And sampling tasty cuisine in restaurants day after day can pack on a few extra pounds in a short time! Avoid injuries, infections and weight gain by using common sense during your trip.
Follow these 10 tips to stay healthy on vacation.
1. Plan in Advance
Staying healthy on vacation is a lot easier when you plan in advance.
Do research on the restaurants in the city you're visiting. Check guidebooks, travel articles and forums, and ask friends for advice. Most restaurants have an online menu, so you'll be able to check out healthy options before you even arrive at your destination.
Eat a big meal before heading out to the airport. You'll be less tempted to eat at the food court or buy snacks, which will save you money as well as calories.
2. Take a First Aid Kit
Pack a first aid kit before you leave on your trip. Include Neosporin, band-aids and gauze for cuts and scrapes, aspirin or Ibuprofen, Imodium for diarrhea and Benadryl for allergies (and as a sleep aid), tweezers, antiseptic towelettes and sunscreen. It's a good idea to pack extra prescription medication in case your return home is delayed. Many factors contribute to the items you'll need in your kit. A vacation backpacking in India requires more items than a kit for taking in Broadway shows in New York City. Resist the urge to skip a DIY first aid kit. Buying these items when/if you need them may be expensive – especially if you buy them at the hotel gift shop.
3. Stay Healthy on Vacation by Supplementing Your Insurance
If you're traveling abroad, check your medical insurance before you leave. If you suffer a major injury or illness, treatment in a foreign hospital could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Ask your health insurance company if you need to buy a supplemental policy. Many companies provide insurance for people traveling overseas. Travel.state.gov offers information about securing insurance for U.S. and foreign destinations as well as medical evacuation.
4. Stay Healthy on Vacation by Preparing for Your Cruise
Cruises have been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Outbreaks of norovirus, measles, rubella and other diseases have plagued some cruises. Avoid measles, mumps, rubella and similar diseases by making sure your vaccinations are up to date. Some destinations may require certain vaccinations and other health paperwork. Check the CDC's website for details.
Avoid the nausea, diarrhea and vomiting caused by norovirus by washing your hands with soap and water. Wash up after eating, holding doorknobs, railings or items other people have touched, using the bathroom or changing diapers. If soap and water isn't available, use hand sanitizer. (There are hand sanitizer dispensers throughout major cruise ships.)
If you have a chronic illness, bring extra medication with you and check with your doctor before your trip regarding any health precautions you should take. It's also a good idea to get a flu shot before taking a cruise. Respiratory illnesses spread quickly on cruise ships.
When visiting ports of call, eat only cooked food and drink from sealed container. Eat fruit you've washed and peeled yourself and avoid using ice.
5. Hydrate
How much water you drink influences your overall health and energy and your digestion. Drink the same amount of water while traveling as you do at home. If you don't hydrate, you'll become sluggish and constipated. It's unpleasant enough to be constipated at home, but traveling makes it even worse. Drink water on the plane instead of alcohol, which dehydrates you. (If you do drink alcohol, consume one glass of water for each alcoholic beverage.) Carry bottled water with you while in transit.
6. Get Enough Fiber in Your Diet
Maintaining proper digestion can be difficult at home if you don't exercise or eat right. If you don't take precautions, irregularity will become a bigger problem when you travel. Sitting on long flights or train rides, driving for hours at a stretch and eating leisurely, exotic meals slow down your metabolism and your digestive system.
Order fruit or a side salad with meals and eat it before the main course. This will ensure you get some fiber with each meal. Eating fruit, salad, nuts, seeds and whole grains will help you stay healthy on vacation. Carry a bag of sunflower seeds or trail mix with you on hikes or long days sightseeing.
7. Get Up and Move Around!
Most vacations end to be sedentary – you sit on a tour bus, in restaurants, at a plays or concerts – and you may not get enough exercise. A short session on the treadmill in the hotel gym won't be enough to fulfill your daily activity quotient, so walk whenever you can. Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator, and don't sit for long periods. You can set your cell phone to vibrate every 30 minutes as an exercise reminder.
Stay Healthy on Vacation with These Exercise Tips
- Engage in fun physical activities with family and friends instead of taking formal tours and sitting on a bus for hours. Walk or bike through the city or take a “hop on, hop off” tour. These tours combine a formal seated bus tour with several stops that allow tourists to explore on their own and then return to the bus at a scheduled time. Better yet, take a walking tour, and be sure to bring bottled water or healthy snacks with you.
- Spend more time in the sunshine! Sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D, the happiness vitamin. If your vacation involves late nights, casinos, museums, restaurants and mostly indoor activities, schedule a few hours every day to go outdoors, weather permitting. The sunshine and fresh air will boost your mood and give you more energy.
- Pack resistance bands, a jump rope, a foot roller, yoga mat or other light exercise equipment. You'll be more inclined to exercise if you bring some of your own equipment from home. You may even bring roller blades, a bike or skateboard, depending on where ( and how) you're traveling.
8. Eat Smaller Portions and Be Mindful of What You Eat
While you want to be mindful of the food you eat on vacation, don't go overboard asking about ingredients or calorie count. If you're traveling abroad, declining certain foods may be considered rude! When you eat alone, order healthy foods and eat small portions, but when you're out with friends or family, it's fine to indulge. After all, you're on vacation! Balance your food intake by sticking close to your at-home diet 80% of the time, and enjoying unusual local food 20% of the time. A few high-calorie meals or treats won't harm your health or make you gain weight if you eat sensibly most of your vacation.
Vacation Tips for Healthy Eating
- Use a small plate when eating at a buffet. You won't be tempted to pile on as much food. If you can't resist sampling cheesecake, pasta or fried chicken, share the goodies with a friend.
- When eating in restaurants, limit high-fat items. These dishes are described as being creamy or creamed, fried, buttery, breaded or crispy. Choose low-calorie entrées that are roasted, grilled, charbroiled, stir-fried or poached.
- If you're driving to your destinations, plan pit stops around sit-down restaurants or Mom and Pop diners instead of fast food chains. If this isn't possible, stick to salads (without dressing), veggie burgers, turkey burgers or grilled fast food items. Fast-food franchises list calorie totals of all menu items on their websites and in restaurants. Be safe and check calorie totals on the internet before you leave for your trip.
9. Avoid the Bar and the Mini-Bar
Beware of long nights at the bar. This is a lot easier said than done if you're on vacation in Las Vegas, but pace yourself if you're drinking with friends. Set a limit and stick to it. Avoid mixed drinks - they're high in calories (a Long Island Iced Tea has 780 calories; a Pina Colada 644). Opt instead for red wine, a half-pint of beer or a mojito (without sugar syrup). If you prefer hard liquor straight, a shot of tequila is only 65 calories, and malt whisky is only 75 calories a serving. Drink water before going out to the bar to fill up so you drink less alcohol. Lock up the mini-bar if there's one in your hotel room and stock up on bottled water instead.
10. Rent a Room with a Kitchenette and Explore Local Markets
Stay healthy on vacation by sampling local markets in your vacation destination. You'll save money and learn about local culture. Farmer's markets have fresh fruits, vegetables, juices and even spices.
Book a room with a kitchenette to cook foods from local markets. It's a great way to save money and bond with your travel companions. Keep trail mix, fruit, bottled water and leftovers from the meals you've cooked in your mini-fridge instead of ordering room service.
Stay Healthy on Vacation with Wheatgrass!
You can take a wheatgrass supplement to get all the nutrients you need, stay regular and burn fat while on vacation. Wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is sometime called nature's sunshine – it's the pigment that makes plants green!
Chlorophyll gives wheatgrass its high value nutrients, which include calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, zinc, potassium, selenium and B-complex vitamins. Some wheatgrass supplement tablets contain extra B-complex vitamins, to give you even more energy and boost your mood before, during and after your vacation. Wheatgrass also has digestive enzymes to help you stay regular and all essential amino acids.
You can pack your wheatgrass supplements in their original bottles or a plastic baggie. Wheatgrass tablets are solid, so they aren't included in the Liquid, Gel or Aerosol (LAG) limits. Liquid-filled soft gel capsules are forbidden under the LAG limits. Carrying a few hard supplement tablets in a plastic baggie in your carry-on luggage should pose no problem. Here's an article (http://seniorliving.about.com/od/travelsmart/a/medicationsecur.htm ) about carrying prescription medicine, over the counter medication and supplements through airport security.
Zeal O2, REVV and Happy Girl Wheatgrass Supplements Help You Stay Healthy on Vacation
Stay healthy on vacation or anytime by taking one of Wheatgrass Love's wheatgrass supplements. If you're new to wheatgrass tablets, we recommend taking them for a few weeks before traveling to get your body acclimated to them and to flush any toxins built up in your system.
Zeal O2 Natural Weight Loss Supplement helps flush toxins out of your body and prevents it from absorbing more. It skyrockets your energy and helps you focus by increasing blood and oxygen flow. It keeps your digestive system working efficiently so you avoid travel-related constipation. Zeal O2 has a proprietary blend to further enhance the health benefits of wheatgrass. We've added extra B-complex vitamins to the amount already in wheatgrass to keep your energy steady and battle the effects of jet lag. Our herbal blend contains cayenne pepper, green tea extract, ginger, gingko biloba and several other herbs to fight inflammation and give you more energy. Ginger is also great for the respiratory system, offering more protection from illness if you're taking a cruise. Citrus Aurantium (bitter orange) increases your fat-burning capacity safely so you can maintain your weight on vacation without raising your blood pressure or heart rate. Order Zeal O2 here: http://wheatgrasslove.com/products/zeal-buy-now
REVV Natural Energy Supplement gives you energy for sightseeing, hiking and other vacation activities. We take the power of high-grade wheatgrass and brain-boosting periwinkle herb and combine it with cocoa, caffeine, and L-taurine to make tasty chocolate mint wafers. Take REVV wafers as needed to boost your energy and mood on vacation or at home. Order REVV Energy Supplement here: http://wheatgrasslove.com/products/revv-buy-now
Stay healthy on vacation with REVV, Zeal O2 and HappyGirl!
HappyGirl Natural Mood Enhancing Supplement uses the same high-grade wheatgrass as REVV and Zeal O2 to provide overall health benefits and skyrocket your energy. The additional B-complex vitamins help neutralize mood swings and keep you sharp and focused. That's important while you're traveling, especially if you have to stand in long security lines or rush to make connecting flights. HappyGirl's herbal blend includes green tea extract, ginger, cayenne pepper, fo-ti, gotu kola and ginseng to boost emotional and mental health and increase physical endurance. Order HappyGirl here: http://wheatgrasslove.com/products/happygirl-buy-now
To place an order or ask any questions about REVV, Zeal O2 or HappyGirl, call us at 877-303-1717. We're so confident you'll like Wheatgrass Love products, we offer a 365-day, complete satisfaction guarantee. If you're not happy with our product, return it for a full refund.
