Staying well on holiday: travel health tips & supplements

In theory it’s an ideal opportunity to totally relax, forget about work, enjoy physical activities, sleep soundly and catch a few rays. But whilst we all love a summer break, it doesn’t always work like that does it? Most of us know from bitter experience that not everything remains within our control and unforeseen events can occur when we are far away from home.

Travelling can be challenging, especially with young children when delays at airports, uncomfortable journeys or jetlag upset our regular routines and cause irritability and exhaustion. The food we eat will be different too, exotic even, but over-indulging excessively and suffering from food poisoning is miserable and not uncommon.

Sunbathing often compounded by too many sangrias, beers or gin and tonics, lovely though it is, may easily lead to dehydration or sunburn.

Now I don’t want to sound like a killjoy. I enjoy a trip away as much as the next person, but as a doctor, I do see a lot of people returning from abroad with sad and sobering stories to tell. If you are taken ill away from home, it can be scary. There may be no NHS to pick up the pieces, no English speaking doctor on hand and treatment may not be free of charge. Don’t forget your Global health insurance card (GHIC) which entitles you to the same medical treatment that locals can access on the state and always take out private medical insurance to cover eventualities like repatriation should that ever be necessary. Just to be clear the GHIC card covers you for temporary stays in EU countries not worldwide despite the name.

Once you have arrived at your destination try to stay on top of your health and prevent problems that might easily detract from your well-being and fun.

Digestive health

Digestive disorders like diarrhoea, vomiting and indigestion are two a penny. Different foods, oils and spices can easily interfere with the usual friendly-bacteria which line your gut and do so much to support your immune system. You really do not want your intestinal microbiome to become upset. Probiotics, digestive enzymes or Super20 Pro can save a lot of discomfort and inconvenience.

Energy and tiredness

For travel fatigue and tiredness resulting from long days on the go, trekking, swimming, touring city streets on foot, that sort of thing, Magnesium Glycinate or Vitamin B Complex can refresh and sustain you.

Sleep and jet lag

If jetlag or anxiety is preventing sleep, Valerian SleepAid or Nighttime 5-HTP can calm you and provide a natural and welcome wind down.

Immune system

The air conditioning in cramped aeroplanes does not agree with everybody and nobody wants to have picked up a bug from a fellow airline passenger or for that matter to develop an infection of any kind. So try to be kind to your immune system. Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 or Healthspan’s Immunity Plus are all useful here.

Bladder support

Many people worry about toilet facilities and unscheduled loo breaks. You only have to think about the queue for the aeroplane toilet and the horrors of finding out that you cannot use it at all when you need it most because of turbulence and you’re not allowed to get out of your seat! So think Bladder Support supplementation for confidence and check out any usable loo facilities that are closest.

Joint support

If you know you’re going to be more active and wonder if your joints will play up why not think about taking something like Opti-Turmeric, Glucosamine and Chondroitin? But take it well in advance to allow it to get into your system.

Skin and sun

And finally you know you want to return home with everyone saying “WOW! don’t you look well.” So look after your skin. Sunscreen is really important. Not just because sunburn is painful but because skin cancer caused by excess exposure to the sun is very much on the rise yet 87% preventable. Use an SPF factor of at least 30 and more if you have a very pale skin type and a 4–5 star UVA rating. Make sure the product is in date and apply it regularly.

You want your skin to stay hydrated, never reddened but healthy and glowing. Super Strength Marine Collagen is great for that.

As with many things in life preparation and prevention is key. In the words of Madonna with her famous song Holiday… “If we took a holiday….., it would be so nice” And she is right. So pack those travel supplements in your hand luggage and make sure it is.