Travel & Wellness: De-stress your next flight
Last time I wrote about my co-workers’ dream destinations—mine being Japan. Over the weekend I read the book, Nefertiti by Michelle Moran. Japan has been bumped by Egypt, at least for now…
In other news, I have been reading the most outlandish stuff about various airlines. I mean who wouldn’t read something with this title: Flying ‘salad dodgers’ create new meaning for ‘wide body’? I can’t wait to see both sides of this debate in which airlines are considering requiring obese passengers to book a second seat if they are unable to put the arm rests down on their seat. Or how about this one, Oh no, the pee fee is back, which reports that Ryanair, the Dublin-based discount airline, will begin charging for bathroom use to destinations of one hour or less.
All this focus on air got me thinking of how we can stay healthy in the sky:
Keep a Well-Stocked Carry-On
- Medication
- Moisturizer
- Facial tissues
- Granola/energy bars
Drink Plenty of Water
- Airplane air tends to be very dry. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages while flying since they contribute to dehydration.
Take Care of Your Feet
- On long haul flights, pack thick socks in your carry-on so your feet will stay warm when you shed your shoes. A word of caution: your feet may swell in flight making it difficult to put your shoes back on. Might want to carry on flip flops, too.
Wash and Sanitize Often
- Although the media hype surrounding the Swine Flu has died down, it’s always important to take healthy precautions when flying to stem the risk of contracting any type of virus.
- Wash your hands more often than you normally would with soap and water by lathering for at least 30 seconds.
- Carry travel-sized hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes.
- Bring your own pillow or blanket.
In-flight Exercise
- For the self-confident traveler, there are some exercises that the American Physical Therapy Association recommends—everything from ankle circles to overhead stretches. I’m curious if anyone out there tries these? Might be difficult if you’re seated next to a ‘wide body.’
posted by Melissa McKee
Collette Vacations
Tags: Travel Tips, Traveling Well
