After spending a few years in confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic many people have rejoiced that the world is now finally open again. So, it’s no big surprise that many people have decided to finally plan their big trips or trips that they’ve been waiting for a long time to do. As there is no time like the present if you want to travel you should do it. One concern though that stops many people from traveling is having to deal with some of their chronic illnesses or pains that they deal with daily. So, let’s take a look at how you can better manage your health while traveling and what lifestyle changes you could make to make your traveling health better.
One if not the biggest issue when it comes to traveling abroad is that it might be more difficult to get renewals on your prescription medicine. This is why if you are planning to travel for an extended period you should contact your doctor and your pharmacy to make sure that you can carry as many pills as you need for your travel. It is important to note though that if you are carrying an important amount of prescription drugs you should make sure that you have the proper documentation to present at the border security, so you don’t get your medicine seized or mistaken for contraband. While this may seem someone unlikely the reality is that because of the language barrier in certain countries, mistakes can happen and misconceptions about your character are not unlikely.
Another very real thing that comes to mind when thinking about managing your health while traveling is to make sure that you are eating properly. If you are somebody who deals with chronic illnesses, especially gastrointestinal issues you might want to learn about the cuisine of the destination you’re looking to travel to to make sure to avoid certain elements that might worsen your gastrointestinal flora. It’s not a surprise that people with diet-related gastrointestinal diseases, including heartburn and LPR (the ‘silent’ form of reflux), often have flare-ups of their diseases while traveling due to changes in their diet. To many people, this might not be a concern, but the reality is that if you are somebody who deals with chronic illnesses pretty often especially ones that aren’t lessened by medicine, making sure that you eat properly is the best way to avoid any complications or worsening of your condition.
If you’re traveling abroad always make sure to carry copies of all your documents this way you can make sure that your passport and important documentation are safe somewhere while also having all your information in case, you get into an accident. This is extremely important since without your information you might not be able to contact your traveling insurance which can help if you’re dealing with a dangerous situation or have been the victim of a grievous accident. As car accidents for example happen pretty often in general you should be sure that you’re prepared for everything just in case. This can potentially become a problem if you don’t have your insurance documentation since certain hospitals do not offer free care for foreigners depending on the type of government in place in the country you’re visiting.
While it may be tempting to live recklessly while traveling it’s important to make sure that you’re doing things safely. This means that if you’re in a tropical or Caribbean country it is still recommended to avoid ice just in case to potentially reduce the risk of hepatitis. Mind you it is very important to stay safe in your relationships with others as well. While it may be tempting to partake in sexual activities with strangers while traveling you should prioritize your sexual health by using protection to avoid potential infection. While the same goes without saying when you’re at home many people seem to throw care out the window when it comes to traveling abroad.
If you are somebody who deals with allergies, you should make sure that you ask when you’re in restaurants what the ingredients are in the meals you are looking to purchase. Potentially informing the staff of your allergy will allow them to recommend food that can keep you out of harm’s way. While this might be a reflex generally when you’re at home it can become quite difficult if you don’t speak the language in other countries. Still asking around or preparing sentences to make sure that you are well-informed is the best way to avoid getting anaphylactic shock while far away from home. This becomes extremely important when you are in countries that do not have nationalized healthcare. The last thing you need on your trip is to end the 10s of thousands of dollars in debt to a hospital in a country in which you don’t speak the language. So, always stay safe and make sure to be prepared.
