12 Tips To Stay Healthy On Holiday
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12 Tips To Stay Healthy On Holiday

It’s sods law you’ll go on holiday and get ill. But according to Dr Clare Morrison, GP and Medical Advisor at MedExpress it’s no coincidence. She explains that going from overdrive to relaxation mode puts stress on your body, making you more susceptible to illness. Here, we find out her key tips on how to prevent sickness while you’re abroad…

Spritz Away On The Plane 

Use a saline nose spray when you’re on the plane to deter viruses from entering the body. And make sure you wash your hands regularly while travelling. 

Avoid Ice In Your Drinks 

The most common cause of traveller's diarrhoea is local drinking water. Although many people are aware they shouldn't drink it, they often forget that putting ice in their drinks could also cause them to become ill while on holiday.  Adopt a strict no ice policy while you're away. 

Be Sun Savvy 

Sunscreen is a holiday essential that can often be applied lazily or just the once a day as opposed to several times. To avoid heatstroke, try and stay indoors during the hottest hours of day – that's usually between 12-2pm. If you insist on soaking up the rays, re-apply your sunscreen and avoid exercising until the cooler times of the day.

Remove Contact Lenses

Do not swim in your contact lenses as there is a high risk of catching an infection in swimming pools while the salt in the sea can cause abrasion to your lenses. And always wash your hands with non-cosmetic soap before handling contact lenses, never use tap water to rinse your lenses, and never put them in your mouth. 

Stay Splash Resistant

Summer holidays wouldn't be complete without a dip in the pool or a swim in the sea. For most, a little water in their ears won't be a problem or cause too much discomfort but for those that are susceptible to ear infections or 'swimmer's ear', it’s worth wearing ear plugs while you splash around in water. 

Bottle It Up 

Hand sanitisers are a must for every traveller. Public toilets soap dispensers can be the breeding ground for germs. Think of all those hands that have touched it before you!

Become Repellent

Being repellent isn’t usually considered a good thing. But if you’re travelling in certain parts of the world you should take the time every day and night to spray alcohol-free DEET repellents on the exposed parts of your body to fend off those horrible mozzies. And cover arms and legs in the evenings and in bed too. 

Look After Your Tummy

Whether it’s ‘Delhi belly’ in India, ‘Montezuma's revenge’ in Mexico, travellers' diarrhoea is a sure-fire way to ruin a holiday. There’s no guaranteed way to keep the food poisoning at bay, but probiotics usually decrease the duration of an upset tummy. 

Be Street Food Smart

Tasting the local cuisine from street food connoisseurs can be a highlight of a trip. Be mindful that street food can be harmful on your tummy when prepared poorly and left out in the heat of the day. So, if you are going to eat the street food – make sure that you watch your food being prepared so that you know it’s fresh and safe to eat. 

Reduce the Booze

It’s tempting to give yourself a free pass while on holiday. Just be aware that alcohol is a diuretic and causes dehydration, fast.

Carry Water With You

If there’s a single golden rule for avoiding holiday sickness it’s to stay hydrated. It can prevent headaches and nausea, help tackle jet lag, and reduce the chance of overheating in hot climates. To find out whether the tap water is safe to drink, simply ask Google. 

Get Vaccinated

Prompt yourself to schedule your immunisations as soon as you book your holiday destination. Being in the know and up-to-date with your shots is crucial to prevent and control diseases spreading to you and others. 
 
For more health tips, go to MedExpress.co.uk

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