Top 10 travel health mistakes - ranked by Howard Hillman

Top 10 travel
health mistakes

advice you can trust

Unaware of airplane cabin health issues
Playing culinary "Russian roulette"
Lacking sufficient medical insurance
Not packing a first-aid kit
Not minimizing jet lag
Not bringing extra prescription pills
Skipping needed vaccinations and pills
Using inadequate skin protection
Wearing the wrong clothes
Overestimating your physical abilities

My advice on
travel health mistake #1

Unaware of airplane cabin health issues

Germs left by previous
passengers on surfaces
could make you sick

I don't mean to alarm you, but airplane cabin pathogens are real and abundant. Here are a few tips to consider:

Bring and use antibacterial hand wipes to sanitize the surfaces you will touch. Consider using them on your seat-belt connector table tray food-service tray armrests remote control seat-recline button window shade. And use one to wipe your skin after you've handled a magazine in the seat-back storage pocket.

Also use the wipes on lavatory fixtures including knobs and buttons. Use a tissue to lift the toilet seat.

Remember that antibacterial hand wipes kill germs, not viruses. So wash your hands with soap thoroughly and often.

During the flight, avoid touching your face - especially your mouth, nose, and eyes.

Be sure that your pillow and blanket come in freshly packed bags to ensure they have been cleaned. And your head-rest cloth should be unsoiled and unwrinkled.

Cramped economy section
leg room can cause health-
related problems

At its worst, you risk Deep Vein Thrombosis, a blood-clotting condition that is potentially fatal.

Do these exercises on long flights: Walk about the cabin once every hour. While sitting, raise and lower your toes then your heels off the floor in a rocking motion (without causing excessive muscle strain). Repeat this sequence about ten times. And do it again every half hour or so.

Cabin air is dry

The low humidity dehydrates your body. So drink plenty of water and go light on dehydrating liquids like alcohol and sugary beverages.

Cabin ventilation

The closer you sit to the front of the plane, the better the ventilation. The last rows of the plane have the poorest ventilation.

The stranger in the adjoining seat

If he shows symptoms of having a bad cold, flu or other illness, don't hesitate in asking the flight attendant to switch you to another seat. Explain the reason why.

Click
for travel mistakes #2, 3, and 4