Healthy Travel Essentials (9 Must-Pack Items To Stay Healthy While Traveling)

The last thing any adventure seeker wants to experience while traveling is to get sick. Not only does it stop you from doing most of the activities you had planned, it also spoils your whole vacation because you’re feeling horrible. But as the old saying goes, prevention is better than a cure, so here are the 9 must-pack travel essentials (aside from your daily vitamin intake and medicine) to keep you healthy while traveling

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9 Must-Pack Items To Stay Healthy While Traveling

Stay healthy while traveling by putting these 9 travel health essentials on your packing list. Don't travel abroad without them!

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Stay healthy while traveling by putting these 9 travel health essentials on your packing list. Don’t travel abroad without them!

1. First-Aid Kit

First aid kit to give you first level care during traveling.

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First-aid kits are always a must to ensure you stay healthy while traveling. It’s super important to bring a stocked first-aid kit because it’ll help you to give first level care to any injury you have, wherever you are. It also lessens the possibility of an injury getting worse or infected.

You first aid kit should contain plasters, sterile gauze, bandages, safety pins, alcohol, antiseptic, cleansing wipes, a thermometer, painkillers, cough and cold medicine etc. You can also include medicines that you might need like anti-histamines.

Keep in mind that tubes and liquids should be in small travel size containers and sharp objects cannot be put in your carry-on.

2. Ear Plugs

Ear plugs for swimming can be used as flight ear plugs too.

Another healthy travel essential is a set of ear plugs. Ear plugs are used during air travel to regulate pressure changes in the cabin. They help to reduce ear pain and any discomfort that the altitude changes can bring, even while driving in high mountainous regions.

3. Nasal Mist

Get rid of that cold using nasal mist.

Low humidity and the cold dry air in airplanes can decrease the flow of mucus in the nose, making it more prone to bacteria and viruses. So keeping the mucus membranes hydrated using nasal mist or spray can help you avoid catching the dreaded airplane colds and viruses.

4. Sunscreen

Protect your skin from the sun, use sunscreen.

Another crucial must-pack item to stay healthy while traveling is sunscreen. Sunscreen is not only important when you’re going to the beach, but experts advise that you should also use sunscreen whilst flying!

When you’re up 30,000 feet in the air, you’re a lot closer to the sun and its harmful UV rays, especially if you are sitting in a window seat. So using sunscreen with UVA protection will help protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays that can cause wrinkles and potentially dangerous skin damage.

5. Insect Repellent

No to insect bites.

Insect repellent not only helps you to shoo away insects carrying viruses, such as mosquitoes, but it can also protect you from being bitten by other irritating bugs like sand flies and bed bugs (note – change hotel if you come across bed bugs!).

Apply insect repellent to your skin every 4 hours to avoid picking up any nasty diseases such as malaria, dengue fever or yellow fever. Take extra precaution if you are traveling to an infected area. You can also apply repellent to your clothes for added protection.

6. Water Purifier

Always take clean water.Backpackers who spend time out in rural areas of developing countries should always bring a travel water purifier or steriliser. By using this, you can rest assured that the water you’re drinking is safe and clean and you’re not going to end up with a nasty parasite. If you cannot bring one of these, stock up on plenty of bottled water before you go. As a traveler, you should already know what harm drinking dirty infected water can do.

7. Anti-bacterial Gel and Wipes

Always disinfect your hands

Keeping healthy while traveling means traveling clean. Using an anti-bacterial gel is the easiest way to disinfect your hands from nasty germs. Anti-bacterial wipes are also great for wiping away germs and bacteria on your airplane tray table or TV remote. Anti-bacterial gel and wipes have so many uses, they’re definitely a must-pack item to keep in your day-bag. You can even use them to wash yourself when water is not available.

8. Pill Organizer

Organize your medicines.

When traveling, it’s easy to forget about keeping on track with your medication schedule, especially when you’re traveling through different time zones. So bringing a pill organizer can definitely help! Let it be your friendly medicine reminder. You don’t want any health issues cutting your vacation short, right?

9. Compression Socks

Avoid DVT, use compression socks.

Sitting on long flights is one of the main causes of deep vein thrombosis or DVT. This is a dangerous condition in which a blood clot forms within a vein, usually in the lower legs. If not treated, this clot can spread up to the lungs than can be life-threatening.

One way to prevent this is by using compression socks while traveling. Compression socks help to keep your blood circulating to and from the legs. It’s also highly important to stay hydrated, avoid caffeine and alcohol and get and up and move around regularly.

Aside from your daily dose of vitamin C, these items can help you to stay protected and healthy while traveling. Because after all, we travel to collect memories, not viruses and illnesses. So make sure that these 9 travel essentials are on your next packing list, for a healthy and memorable trip!