Nothing ruins a holiday more than getting sick. While some illnesses are largely unpreventable, being aware of the risks and taking a few precautions before you go can make all the difference. Here are a few basic tips for staying healthy on the road.
Photo by: Gustey.com
Before you go
Research your destination. Are you traveling to a yellow fever zone? Is there a high risk of an infectious disease? Will you be at risk of altitude sickness? The best source of information on traveler’s health is the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. If you are still not sure, visit your local doctor. Make sure you do your research several weeks before your leave date as you may require a course of vaccinations. Also, if you’ve been putting off that trip to the dentist, now may be a good time to go!
Packing
A basic first-aid kit is a must. Essentials include band-aids, antiseptic wipes, iodine/antiseptic cream, painkillers, insect repellent, sun cream and any prescription drugs you may be using. You may also want to consider bandages, water purifying tablets, anti-malarials, anti-diarrheal, vitamins and oral hydration sachets. The more health risks your destination and activities pose, the bigger your first aid kit should be!
On the Road
Get lots of rest!
Before you freak out, cancel your plane ticket and refuse to leave the house, take heart, there are a few easy ways of staying healthy while you’re away.
- Plan your itinerary to give yourself time to adjust to a new place and recover from jet lag. This particularly applies if you are traveling to a high altitude!
- Be aware of how a change in climate may affect your particular health condition and plan accordingly
- Make sure you have enough of your own prescription medication to last your trip and pack it in your hand luggage. Keep it in its original packaging to avoid delays at the airport
- Pack as lightly as possible and be careful when lifting your luggage
- Be aware of the dangers of the sun – take a hat and high-factor sun cream
- Stay hydrated. If local water poses a risk, drink bottled water and don’t have drinks with ice
- Trust your instinct when eating at stalls or restaurants – if they look dodgy they probably are. It may be prudent to avoid meat and rice if eating at dodgy restaurant is unavoidable!
- Strengthen your immune system: eat healthily, get enough sleep and exercise
- Clean cuts well
- Wash your hands when possible
- Avoid mosquito prone areas if you can. Cover up, use repellent and a mosquito net when sleeping
- If bitten by an animal, wash wound well with soap and water and seek medical advice immediately.
- Take a rain jacket
- Practice safe sex
- Get health insurance!
Hope these tips help you stay safe and healthy on your next trip!
- Emma McMahon
"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν.""We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."Heraclitus the Riddler
travel
adj
having a calm appearance or nature
[from Latin placidus peaceful; related to placēre to please]
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Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern boundaries respectively.
The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders, explorers and settlers who formed an autonomous government in Oregon Country in 1843; the Oregon Territory was created in 1848, and Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859. Salem is the state's capital and third-most-populous city; Portland is the most populous. Portland is the 30th-largest U.S. city, with a population of 582,130 (2009 estimate) and a metro population of 2,241,841 (2009 estimate), the 23rd-largest U.S. metro area.
The valley of the Willamette River in western Oregon is the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of the state, and is home to eight of the ten most populous cities. Oregon's 2000 population was about 3.5 million, a 20.3% increase over 1990; it is estimated to have reached 3.8 million by 2008. Oregon's largest for-profit private employer is Intel, located in the Silicon Forest area on Portland's west side.
The state has 199 public school districts, with Portland Public Schools as the largest. There are 17 community colleges, and seven publicly financed colleges in the Oregon University System. Oregon State University in Corvallis and the University of Oregon in Eugene are the two flagship universities of the state, while Portland State University has the largest enrollment.
Major highways include Interstate 5 which runs the entire north-south length of the state, Interstate 84 that runs east-west, U.S. Route 97 that crosses the middle of the state, U.S. Route 101 that travels the entire coastline, and U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 26 that run east-west, among many other highways. Portland International Airport is the busiest commercial airport in the state and is operated as part of the Port of Portland, the state's busiest port. Rail service includes Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway freight service, Amtrak passenger service, as well as light rail and street car routes in the Portland metro area.
Oregon enjoys a diverse landscape including a scenic and windswept Pacific coastline, the volcanoes of a rugged and glaciated Cascade Mountain Range, dense evergreen forests, and high desert across much of the eastern portion of the state. The towering Douglas firs and redwoods along the rainy Western Oregon coast provide a dramatic contrast with the lower density and fire prone pine tree and juniper forests covering portions of the Eastern half of the state. The eastern portion of the state also includes semi-arid scrublands, prairies, deserts, and meadows. These drier areas stretch east from Central Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest point in the state at 11,249 feet (3,429 m). Crater Lake National Park is the only national park in Oregon. Oregon is the United States' leader in forest fires[citation needed]; in 2007 the state had more than 1,000 of them.
more @: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon