Last Updated on February 20, 2020 by Candy Wafford

You’ve planned for months and spent lots of money to go on your dream vacation. The last thing you want is to spend it on the toilet with traveler’s diarrhea or limping through that once-in-a-lifetime experience. You need to travel healthy to avoid these scenarios.

To me traveling healthy includes being prepared with medicine and first aid items, you might need. And healthy travel tips to help you stay well. With some planning and some strategic packing, you can bring the items you need to help you avoid getting ill while traveling and some that will help you feel better if you do get sick. Ready for an awesome list of things to pack for healthy travel?

As I was preparing this article, I realized my family has dealt with the following situations when traveling – sun poisoning in Greece, stomach virus later diagnosed as salmonella on a cruise ship, constipation in Paris, and an allergy attack in Finland. Each one of these less-than-pleasant experiences had us scrambling in local pharmacies to try and find some relief from our symptoms. It would have been so much easier, and less expensive, to have been better prepared.

Healthy Travel Tips – Before You Travel

• Check with the Centers for Disease Control and/or the World Health Organization to see if there are any health warnings for the country you’re visiting or any required/recommended vaccinations. The CDC website has a destinations list that provides a ton of valuable information.
• If you will be changing time zones, start acclimating to adjusting your sleep and eating schedules. Jet lag can seriously impact your physical well-being making you more susceptible to getting sick.
• Pack a comprehensive first-aid kit.

What to Pack in Your Travel First Aid Kit

• Your medications – Pack enough of your daily medications for your trip. I always pack enough for an extra day or two in case of any travel delays. You can decant to a pill organizer (which is super-helpful when your tired, jet-lagged, and just not thinking clearly.  Or you can take the original containers.  In the US, prescription liquid medications do not have to be placed in your plastic bag for liquids 3.4 ounces or less. More on TSA policies regarding traveling with medication can be found here. 

• Basic first-aid kit – It should contain bandaids, gauze, antibiotic ointment, etc. I like a small kit like the one below and add any other items I want to include.
• Pain Relief (over-the-counter) – Pack your pain relief product of choice. I like to have Tylenol for headaches and fever and Aleve or Advil for a sore back or other muscle pain.
• Antihistamine (over-the-counter) – Antihistamines are nice to have on hand should you experience an allergic reaction while traveling.
• Decongestant (over-the-counter) – I tend to get congestion around my ears from flying and an over-the-counter decongestant helps. It’s also helpful to have in case you get a cold.
• Motion sickness pills (over-the-counter) – Pack some motion sickness medication especially if you are prone to seasickness.
• Antacid – Just in case that exotic new food didn’t agree with your tummy.
• Laxative (over-the-counter) – Traveling can quickly get your digestive system out of whack. Asking for a laxative in a pharmacy in Paris is not easy and is slightly embarrassing. Bring your own and avoid this situation.
• Anti-Diarrheal medication (over-the-counter) – For when you are having the opposite problem. Pack a pill form of Immodium or Pepto-Bismal and hope you never have to use it.
• Cough Drops – I like to have some cough drops on hand to use when the dry air on airplanes causes me to cough. And no one wants to sit next to someone that sounds like they are hacking up a lung.

Feeling extra? Here are three healthy travel products I’ve used and pack as needed depending on where I’m traveling.

• Jet Lag Aid – I’ve used this on a couple of trips and it really did help reduce jet lag symptoms.
• Digestive Tract Supplement – This product is intended to stop travel-related digestive issues before they occur. And if you get sick, you can take it to reduce the severity of symptoms. I used it recently in Mexico when I was having some stomach issues and it did stop them in their tracks.
• Altitude Sickness Prevention – These chlorophyll pills are a must-pack item when I travel somewhere with high altitude. They are super effective at reducing the side effects of being in high altitude while you are acclimating.

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling on an Airplane

As I mentioned before, I’m a big proponent of doing things to help me stay healthy. And that starts when you start traveling. How not to get sick on a plane? Here are a few items and things you can do to you can bring to stay well and have a great flight.

• Compression Socks – Not the sexiest thing, but essential for long-haul flights. Getting deep vein thrombosis is a risk of sitting for long periods of time (hello overnight flight to Europe). Moving around is recommended but difficult to do on flights. Wearing compression socks is the best way to avoid DVT.
• Refillable Water Bottle – Bring a refillable water bottle to fill up after security and then make sure it’s full before you board your flight. Regardless of whether you bring your own water or drink what is offered on the flight, make sure you drink plenty of water.
• Healthy Travel Snacks – The best way to maintain healthy eating habits while travel is to be prepared. Pack fresh fruit, protein bars, nuts or whatever your favorite healthy snacks are for the flight. I love airplane cookies as much as anyone, but you’ll feel better if you eat healthy snack options.
• Earplugs – Bring earplugs or headphones (bonus if they are noise-canceling) to help you sleep on a long flight.

• Drink Lots of Water – Drinking lots of water will help counteract the dehydration that occurs on airplanes.
• Avoid Alcohol – Alcohol will further dehydrate you. A glass of wine or a cocktail is ok, just don’t overdo it.
• Wash Your Hands – Hands down (see what I did there?), washing your hands is the best way to avoid getting sick. So wash your hands, a lot. Experts say that hand sanitizer is ok if clean water for washing your hands isn’t available. To read more about hand sanitizer versus handwashing, click here.

• Move Around – On a long flight try and get up and walk around. If you’re drinking lots of water you should be making several trips to the restroom.
• Wipe Down Armrests/Tray – You can bring along some antibacterial wipes to give your seat and tray a quick wipedown. Avoid the back of the seat pouch (they rarely get cleaned) and make sure your food isn’t touching the tray. Do what they do in first class, and place a napkin on the tray before eating.
• Get Some Sleep – I pretty much sleep on flights whether they are an hour or eight hours. If you are doing a red-eye/overnight flight, you should try and get some sleep. I know it’s a near-impossible task in economy, but you will feel better if you get some sleep during the flight. Packing a neck pillow, eye mask, and earplugs will make catching a few zzz’s a little easier. I love my trtl pillow for long-haul flights!

When You Get to Your Destination

What you pack to stay healthy once at your destination will vary depending on where you are going and what activities you will be doing.

• Sunscreen/Hat – You should be wearing sunscreen regardless of where you are going. As I mentioned in my post about packing for Mexico, reef-safe sunscreen is a good choice. I’m also a huge fan of wearing a hat for sun protection. It’s also a good idea to pack some aloe vera gel in case of sunburn. It will definitely be more affordable bringing it from home.

• Wear Appropriate Footwear – If you’re going to be walking down cobblestoned streets in Europe, those cute wedges are not only going to get uncomfortable quickly, but they are also a safety risk. Pack comfortable, supportive, and appropriate footwear for the activities you’ll be doing. Click here to see some of my favorite shoes for travel.
• Time Zone Adjustment – Try and acclimate to your new time zone as quickly as possible. Whatever you do, resist the temptation to fall into bed as soon as you get to your hotel. It will take that much longer to adjust and you’ll feel like crap. The best thing to do to adjust to your new time zone is to get out and walk around and stay up until your at-home bedtime.
• Avoid Questionable Food – You’re on vacation and part of the adventure is trying new things, right? Just be cautious about unfamiliar foods and foods that you aren’t sure about the cleanliness of the operation. The digestive aid supplement suggested above is great to use before eating to potentially reduce any stomach upset.
• Only Drink Clean Water – If you are visiting a location where you’re not sure about the availability of clean water, do some research before leaving. If it’s advised not to drink the water, make sure you are drinking bottled water only or bring your own filtration system. I also suggest using bottled water when brushing your teeth.

• Insect Repellent – I traveled to South America during the height of the Zika virus and took travel-sized containers of heavy-duty insect repellent with me.  Guess what, didn’t use it and didn’t get any bug bites.  But better to have had it than not.
• Wash Your Hands!

I hope you’ve found this article on how to stay healthy while traveling helpful. Wherever you’re going, have a great time and stay healthy!

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