• Comprehensive travel health guide covering pre-trip prep, packing essentials, and staying well on the road
• Practical advice on hydration, jet lag management, food safety, and immune system protection while traveling
• Includes specific product recommendations and medical kit essentials for common travel health issues

On my way to Greece this summer I used a product called Astepro for the first time. It’s an over-the-counter nasal spray for allergies that may help prevent COVID. I used it diligently before I got on the plane, during the flight to Athens, and on the way home. I still ended up getting a cold, which I think I caught from one of the other women on the trip. But I didn’t get COVID!

Since I travel for a living and my job requires peak performance on the road, I’m always looking for ways to hack my health while away from home. Here’s what works for me, and maybe it will work for you, too.

Before You Even Pack Your Bag

Let’s start with the obvious. If you’re on any kind of medication or have any sort of medical condition, you might want to see your doctor or nurse practitioner before any major trip. I’m not just talking about getting your vaccines updated (though yes, do that). Have a conversation about your specific health concerns. If you’re on medications, make sure you have enough for your entire trip plus a few extra days. Murphy’s Law applies double when you’re traveling.

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, immersive trips across the country and around the world. Learn more here.

NextTribe Founder Jeannie Ralston has a wellness regime she follows before she ever takes off. She doses up with Kick-Ass Immune Activator spray before and during her flight. Then she has a store of Airborne with her at all times, and if there is even a niggle of a scratchy throat she goes heavy on Airborne and her Kick-Ass spray.

I keep a travel health kit in a packing cube that I always replenish before a new trip. Mine includes: prescription meds in their original bottles (if I’m taking anything), a basic first aid kit, hand sanitizer (the good stuff—Purell Advanced), antacids, anti-diarrheal medication (Imodium or Lomotil, but I can always find local meds that work, too), antihistamines for unexpected allergies, pain relievers, bandages, antibiotic ointment, anti-itch ointment and motion sickness tablets. I also throw in electrolyte packets like Liquid I.V. because dehydration is no bueno.

If you’re flying internationally, be sure to bring compression socks in your carryon and put them on after takeoff. Wear them the whole flight and get up and stretch from time to time. But for heaven’s sake wear shoes with them when you head to the lav in the plane. Eww. 

Hydration Is Everything

I cannot stress this enough: drink water. Lots of it. Air travel alone can dehydrate you faster than you’d think. The humidity in airplane cabins is typically around 10 to 20 percent, which is drier than most deserts. And limit alcohol on the plane or in the airport. It dehydrates you, too. 

But hydration doesn’t stop when you touch down. Between walking more than usual, different climates, and sometimes higher altitudes, your body needs more water than it does at home. I use a refillable water bottle—my water bottle keeps water cold for hours—and I set reminders on my phone to actually drink from it. Yes, you’ll have to pee more. That’s a small price to pay. And it’s great for your skin!

Here’s how to brush your teeth without getting tap water in your mouth.

Of course, make sure the water you’re drinking isn’t going to cause the problems. Most hotels provide bottles of water or jugs of water that you can use to refill your bottle. At restaurants in developing countries, ask for bottled water and make sure you see them unseal the top. Any restaurant you visit with NextTribe has proven to be reliable with pure water and purified ice.

The situation that may cause issues is brushing your teeth. Many people forget where they are and out of habit drink from the tap or rinse their toothbrush in the tap water. Jeannie Ralston stresses to her groups in developing countries to keep bottled water near the sink. Take a swig of water from the bottle, but don’t spit it out immediately. Rinse your toothbrush in the water you’re holding in your mouth. Just stick it in and slosh it around. You might not get it all the way rinsed, but it won’t hurt if some extra toothpaste stays on the bristles. Better than risking a germ infusion.

The Food Situation

Here’s where travel gets tricky. You want to enjoy local cuisine (you should!), but you also don’t want to spend your vacation doubled over in a hotel bathroom. My rule: eat adventurously but strategically. 

Another guideline: Know your own stomach. Some people have guts of steel; others can’t handle spinach a day after its “Use By” Date.

Start your day with local yogurt,  protein and fiber. Hotel breakfasts can be carb-heavy, but eggs, nuts, and fruit will keep your energy steady. BTW I only eat hard-boiled eggs when I travel. I don’t want any runny yolks. A friend of mine got so sick from a high end hotel omelet in India she was hospitalized for months! Probably the eggs weren’t well cooked.

I often pack protein bars (RXBAR is my favorite, Kind Bars upset my tummy) for when healthy options are scarce.

For the rest of your meals, there are several schools of thought, which depend on your destination. Jeannie Ralston learned from her National Geographic photographer husband this one: Don’t eat fruits and vegetables in a developing country unless they’re peeled or cooked.

I only eat hard-boiled eggs when I travel. I don’t want any runny yolks

If you’re traveling with NextTribe to a developing country, we or our logistics team on the ground have vetted the restaurants, so you can salad away.

In any country, look for busy restaurants; those with high turnover are generally safer since food isn’t sitting around. Plus, if people–especially tourists–are getting sick, that restaurant’s business will suffer.

Be cautious with street food in countries where sanitation standards differ from what you’re used to. As a rule, Jeannie Ralston won’t eat street food in any developing country. When she lived in Mexico for four years, she rarely strayed–even when tempted by a roasted ear of corn, spread with mayo, cheese and spices (called “elote.”) This is a case of knowing her stomach.

I also practice the 80/20 rule: make healthy choices 80 percent of the time, indulge 20 percent of the time. Want that croissant in Paris or gelato in Rome? Absolutely have it. Just not more than one (at a time!)

Keep Moving

Travel often means long periods of sitting—in planes, cars, trains, at restaurants. Find ways to get those steps in. Walk instead of taking taxis when it’s safe and reasonable. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Do a quick morning stretch routine in your hotel room. My friend Lee Holden has some great Qi Gong exercises on Instagram, and I try to do 10 minutes of these, or the 5 Tibetans, before breakfast whenever I can. 

If you’re staying somewhere with a gym or pool, use it. Even 20 minutes of movement keeps the blood flowing and helps ward off illness.

Sleep Matters 

Jet lag is real, and lack of sleep can mess with your immune system. Here’s my jet lag strategy: start adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before departure. If you’re traveling east, go to bed earlier. Traveling west? Stay up later.

On the plane, set your watch to your destination’s time zone immediately and sleep (or stay awake) accordingly. I swear by a good eye mask—I like the Mizoo but there are many other options—and earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.

Morning light helps reset your circadian rhythm going east, afternoon sun going west. 

Once you arrive, go outside and get sunlight at the right times. Morning light helps reset your circadian rhythm going east, afternoon sun going west. And try to resist the temptation to nap for three hours when you arrive. A 20-minute power nap is fine; anything more will make jet lag worse. Been there. It’s tempting, but no. 

Melatonin helps some people, but use it wisely. Take 1 to 3 mg about 30 minutes before normal bedtime at the destination. Don’t overdo it—more isn’t better with melatonin. I sometimes take four of the Olly Kids Sleep Gummies. 

Jeannie Ralston’s sleep regimen for an overnight flight is to take a prescription sleeping pill on the flight. She recommends Lunesta (but not Ambien). When she gets to her destination, she may take a power nap, but that first night she takes another sleeping pill to get her through that first night. She may take another sleeping pill on the second night, but usually two nights of sleeping through the night at her destination is enough to get your internal clock in gear.

Protect Your Immune System

Airports, planes, buses, and tourist attractions are basically germ conventions. No need for paranoia, just prudence.

Wash your hands often, or use hand sanitizer. I keep a small bottle in my bag. On planes, I don’t wipe down my tray table, armrests, and seatbelt buckle with sanitizing wipes but I probably should! Do as I say, not as I do. 🙂

Consider taking a daily probiotic starting a week before your trip.

Don’t touch your face. This is harder than it sounds, but it’s how most germs enter your system. If you must touch your face, wash your hands first. We learned this during the pandemic, but some of us (like me) need to be reminded.

Consider taking a daily probiotic starting a week before your trip. Some research suggests it can help prevent traveler’s diarrhea. I use Align, and I think they’re the best.

Manage Stress

Travel can be stressful, even when it’s supposed to be relaxing. Missed connections, language barriers, getting lost—it all adds up. Stress weakens your immune system and ruins your mood.

Don’t feel like you have to pack every minute of every day. Give yourself time to rest, especially in the first few days of a time-zone-skipping trip. I also practice box breathing when I feel stressed on a trip—four counts in, hold for four, four counts out. Simple, and it works.

Download a meditation app like Calm or Headspace before you leave. Even five minutes of guided meditation can bring you back to equilibrium.

The Bottom Line

Staying healthy while traveling shouldn’t get in the way of your good time. You just have to give your body what it needs so you can fully enjoy your time on the road. Just get some sleep, plenty of water, healthy food (and not too much of it), fitness and wash or Purell those hands!

When you take care of the basics, your body can better handle indulgences and changes in routine.

Will you sometimes stay up too late, drink an extra glass of wine, or eat that questionable street food? Sure. That’s part of the adventure. But when you take care of the basics, your body can better handle those indulgences and keep you healthy..

Travel such is a privilege and a joy.  Do these things, and you’ll come home with incredible memories instead of a nasty cold and regrets!