If you try to live a healthy lifestyle, traveling can present a bit of a dilemma. Should you stick to your usual healthy routine or should you allow yourself to indulge a little? The truth is that you don't really need to pick one or the other. You can find ways to stay healthy while still letting yourself live a little and have some fun. You don't have to rigorously stick to your usual routine, especially because it's often hard to do that when you're not at home. But you can still make healthy choices and do what you can to look after your health.
Here are some of the things you can do to protect your health while traveling that won't prevent you from having fun.
Get Vaccinations
Before you leave for any trip, check any recommended vaccinations that you should have. This is most important if you're traveling to another country, but can also be something you should do if you're traveling to a different territory of your current country. Many vaccinations are just strongly recommended but others can be required as a condition of entry to the country. However, even if a vaccine isn't legally required, it's still important to consider the benefits of it and how it can affect you.
Image from Pixabay - CC0 License
Eat Safely
Eating safely is something that should be a key concern when you're traveling. In some places, this is fairly easy to do because food safety standards are high. However, there are some locations where you need to be more careful about where you choose to eat and what you eat. Even places that have generally high food hygiene standards can still have places that are less hygienic and could give you food poisoning. There are a few ways you might be able to find safe places to eat, including looking at reviews and recommendations. Some people will advise against eating street food in some locations too.
Protect Your Skin
Taking good care of your skin is something that everyone should do when traveling. Whether you're visiting somewhere with a hot climate or going somewhere colder, you can be at risk of your skin getting burnt or damaged from the sun. Sunburn is never pleasant, but too much sun exposure could also increase your risk of skin cancer. There are different types of skin cancer, some of which can be easier to treat, especially if caught early. However, having to deal with skin cancer, no matter how treatable, is not something that you want to have to do, particularly because it can come back.
When you're traveling, you can take multiple steps to protect your skin. Covering up as much as possible is a good start. Wearing loose and breathable clothes can help you to feel cooler than wearing as little as possible. Additionally, you should be sure to use sunscreen to protect your skin where it's exposed. Staying in the shade when you can also protects your skin and helps to protect you from other effects of the sun's rays too.
Image from Pixabay - CC0 License
Stay Hydrated
It's always important to drink plenty of water, which is something that you can neglect to do when you're traveling. You're busy doing lots of things or you might not plan very well, so you end up drinking less than you should. Drinking enough can become more difficult when you're traveling too, as you might be in a location where you have to buy bottled water. This isn't a big deal if you usually drink bottled water anyway, but it can be annoying if you're used to tap water being safe to drink. Make sure that you're always prepared when you're going out for the day. Carry enough water with you or check that you will be able to buy some at some point.
Another issue relating to water is how it might be used in food and drinks. Sometimes you need to be careful of foods such as fruits, vegetables, and salads that might have been washed in water that is unsafe to drink. Ice cubes made from unsafe water can also pose a problem.
Think About Hygiene
Keeping up good levels of hygiene is very important when you're traveling, especially if there's a higher risk of getting ill. One of the simplest but most important things you can do is wash your hands frequently. This will help to prevent you from getting ill and keep you healthy. You can't always access facilities for washing your hands when you're traveling, so it's a good idea to take some backups, such as antibacterial gel or wipes. This can allow you to safely wash your hands wherever you are.
Be Active
Many people love to relax when they're traveling, but you don't have to become completely sedentary when you're on your vacation. In fact, it's a great time to be even more active than you usually are. If you usually spend most of your time sitting down, you can switch things up by spending more time on your feet. Exploring somewhere new can involve a lot of walking, which is a great way to keep fit and take everything in, instead of speeding past it. You could also look for various activities that allow you to be active while you're traveling, whether it's hiking or surfing.
Find Time to Relax
It doesn't have to be all go, go, go when you're traveling. You can find time to relax too. In fact, it's a good idea if you take some time to unwind and get away from all the hustle and bustle. Everyone needs time to relax and perhaps be on their own for a little while. You might want to go to the gym, do some yoga on the beach, or just spend some time sipping on a coffee in a cafe or lounging by the pool. It's good to take a break, even when you're traveling.
Traveling doesn't have to prevent you from being healthy, and being healthy doesn't have to prevent you from having fun when you travel.
