Tips for Healthy Long Distance Business Travel

Business travel can create stress on the body and the mind, no matter how frequently you go abroad by air. Most of you business travelers have set your own routine; but we want to share some ideas with you for future healthy travel.

Try to get plenty of regular sleep before departure day.

Try to get your boss or manager to let you travel early enough to spend the first day after a long haul to adjust (frankly it makes great business sense to me).

While on board, wear loose fitting clothing and footwear. (We have already written that you should not travel with brand new shoes, they should already be comfortable on your feet.) Some of our readers have written to us that they use compression socks, especially on long haul flights. Save your business dress for meetings and entertainment sessions!

Move about as much as you can and is possible….in the airplane cabin…in your seat and in the aisles. (Note: we have several posts for exercising in your airplane seat; see our search engine to review our older postings.)

Keep hydrated. We don’t really think that there will be any bad effects of drinking the water offered in air. Which leads us to the following tip:

Limit alcohol intake. As much as I understand the allure of cocktails to help pass time and keep your travel stress and boredom levels low, I do suggest moderation. I’ve read that the effects of alcohol in airplane flight levels increases from what we can expect while on the ground. (Disclaimer: I don’t always follow this tip myself!)

If possible, upgrade your seat from coach class (good bosses and managers can…or should…understand the value of avoiding flight fatigue).

And don’t forget about keeping current with travel and evacuation insurance (again, like so many topics that we are currently summarizing, I suggest that you search for our articles on insurance policies).

ML

Stay Outdoors for a Healthy Trip Abroad

We have just written about your planning for some physical fitness time out while you are at your lodging during your stay abroad (January 19, 2012).  In this post, we offer an alternative idea, based on our reading of a new report published in the scientific journal “Environmental Science and Technology.” 

The report concluded that well-being is not only achieved in a gym; it can be done outdoors with Mother Nature. The authors felt that even short periods of exercise outdoors can make one feel healthy. “Forget the gym,” an English daily newspaper reported; “An open-air workout can work wonders for the mind.”

Outdoor activities include walking, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-back riding and gardening. These can be undertaken in urban parks, countryside sites, woodlands, and waterside areas.

The study’s conclusion was that mood and self-esteem levels were altered after “green exercise.” The researchers found that such benefits could be measured within five minutes of such exercise, and even ten minutes of exposure produced body and mind changes for the better.

The researchers wrote that “this study confirms that the environment provides an important health service and that exercising in wilderness areas or near water tended to have the biggest impact on mental state…and that the greatest changes were seen in the young and the mentally ill.”

So, we ask you to try to find a park-like setting during your stay, perhaps even sitting outside at a sidewalk café can be beneficial. Or, find a fountain to sit near; there are so many in foreign cities. (Readers, please let us know your own anecdotal experiences.)

ML

Business Travel Fitness and Health

Travel equals stress. So, business travelers, please plan on relieving stress by exercising…even if you don’t do it at home!

Hotel: Try to book lodging in a hotel that has some sort of gym and/or pool. Obviously, this will alleviate your need to search for a site. And, you might wind up finding an interesting gym buddy (and possible future client).

Pack gym shoes and a set of workout clothes. Since you are carrying them with you, you might be reminded about engaging in some sort of exercise

Take some nutrition bars with you (you may not be able to buy a recognizable kind while abroad, nor be able to spend the time searching for some). Nuts are another healthy packable snack. 

Food selection on airplanes and foreign trains may be limited. Just watch for selections that are reasonably healthy, yet appealing to you in order to pass the time while travelling.

Plan to make time in your daily schedule for “time out” health periods. Mark time on your planner for workouts, snack times, and nap or sleep times. Hopefully, your schedule will permit the same time periods each day.

Expense accounts are great. And, since you are traveling for business, we are aware of temptations. Sure enjoy yourself, and treat business associates well, but keep in the back of your mind the motivation to stay healthy by not overdoing food and drink.

ML

Healthy Airplane Travel

Some tips for a healthy trip on a long distance air flight:

Book a non-stop flight. Then you won’t have the hassle and stress of air terminal waiting, transferring, and security inspection.

Upgrade, if you can afford to, your seat reservation…it is worth it on a very long flight.

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. For years, I dressed up to go on an airplane trip. Current practices, especially since the onset of security check points, have led me to dress very casually, with slip on shoes!

Get a good night’s sleep before your departure. Rest as much as you can during your flight. Try to take a nap or two over the period of a long flight.

While on board, drink plenty of water or juice to stay hydrated.

As you fly, do simple exercises, that we have suggested in the past; and walk around the plane as much as you can, considering that the aisle may be clogged with a food and drink cart.

Talk with an airline reservation representative, when you make your travel plans, to discuss any special needed dietary, medical or physical accommodation service.

Get a window seat, in order to watch the horizon and avoid air sickness (and also, as you near land, and you get close to the foreign destination, you will have the thrill of an unforgettable sight).

Pick a seat over the wings, as our airline expert suggested (check our search engine for air travel tips), to maximize the stability of your equilibrium.

Don’t hesitate to ask the airline stewards for any help; again a suggestion from our airline consultant.

If you may have special toilet needs, then ask for a seat near the rest rooms, and for an aisle seat.

If you travel with a service dog, then look up our tips for doing so on our search box.

Don’t carry too much luggage on board; it is difficult to lift heavy bags into the overhead bins.

Do pack any medications or snacks in your carry-on luggage, near your feet, to gain quick access.

ML

Packing for a Healthy Travel Abroad

Packing your medications:

Pack with an eye toward prevention! Put your medications and other medical supplies that you use in a carry on piece of luggage. Take more than you think you will use, as they may be hard to find in any foreign country if you run out, get delayed, or lose some. Moreover, you may encounter unfamiliar brand names while abroad, or be composed of different ingredients.

Pack your over-the-counter drugs. Remember that you may not be able to find these easily, or you don’t want to rush out in the middle of the night (as for diarrhea medication). And, pack these also in your carry-on luggage.

Take your medical records with you. We have a form for you to fill out and carry (see our search box). And check our reference links for how to find appropriate medical facilities and practitioners.

Here is an idea: Take an emergency first aid kit (see our search box for suggestions as to what to put into it.)

And another idea: Take a first aid training course sometime, and be prepared to help others in your traveling party.

Lastly, remember our theme: GO. Don’t get paranoid. Avoid stress and potential health hazard by being prepared (and reviewing our site, and ordering our e-book: Healthy Travel Abroad.

ML