Travel for business or pleasure can bring to the fore several health concerns. The most common ailments people experience while on a trip are hypertension, colds, and diarrhea. In order to build up resistance to fight diseases you must adopt a healthy lifestyle. Get adequate rest, adopt a good exercise program, eat balanced meals, avoid fast foods, and food full of saturated fats, and take vitamins and any other medication prescribed by the doctor. One of the simplest rules to stay healthy while traveling is never eat uncooked foods and do not drink water that is suspect.

To protect yourself pack a small medicine kit as well as your medical records and insurance card. To maintain your health be sure to follow an exercise regime while traveling. You must walk, jog, swim, or use the hotel gym. Or you could play an exercise tape on your lap top and do your exercises in the hotel room. The secret to staying healthy is to stick to a routine and eat balanced meals at regular times.

Here are a few tips:

•For every time zone you cross, take a day’s rest to allow your body clock to reset itself.

•Avoid alcohol but drink plenty of fluids. The crucial thing is to avoid dehydration.

•While on the plane try and rest as much as possible and exercise by getting up and moving down the aisles.

•Eat low fat meals on the plane, eat lightly, avoid salty, rich, and fatty foods.

•The CDC recommends that you drink only bottled water and that too the carbonated kind. The water bottles must be sealed and opened by you only. Do not use ice cubes under any circumstances and drink out of a straw.

•Use bottled water for brushing your teeth and for gargling. Wash you toothbrush in bottled water. Try and avoid using tap water.

•Eat and drink anything that is at boiling point or deep fried. Eat freshly cooked food. Avoid meat and seafood if you are traveling in interior areas where the meat is unlikely to be fresh and freezers and refrigerators are not dependable.

•While in flight you should do a few stretching exercises to avoid cramped muscles. Yawn frequently or chew gum to de-pressurize your ears. Avoid drinking coffee before and during a flight. Wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing. Include plenty of greens and carbohydrates in your pre-flight meals. Relax as much as possible and take a few deep breaths before boarding a flight.

•If you suffer from hypertension, motion sickness, an overactive bladder, weak digestion, or allergies consult your doctor before undertaking an extended trip.

Be sure to pack in your carry on bag a bottle of water, a few snacks especially if you are diabetic, as well as your first aid kit. Pack a light jacket or sweater to wear in case there are great variations in temperature.