Here are some tips for how to stay healthy while traveling around Europe.
Plenty of travelers will undertake a trip of a lifetime to Europe this year, spending weeks or months on the continent, hopping between countries and cities. Long trips can take their toll on mental and physical health but there are some precautions you can take and items you can pack to keep you feeling at the top of your vacation game. “The demands of constantly navigating different time zones, climates and destinations require us to be proactive in caring for our health and wellbeing while traveling,” says Jessica Sepel, founder of Australian wellness brand JSHealth Vitamins. Here are some tips for how to stay healthy while traveling around Europe.
Invest In A Refillable Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is key to feeling energetic and keeping your immune system healthy. It is also vital to avoid heatstroke when you’re spending hours under the hot sun sightseeing and can help combat jetlag. In Europe, tap water is generally safe to drink (although always double-check first) while many cities have public drinking fountains. This means it is convenient, eco-friendly and money-saving to invest in a refillable water bottle and bring it around with you instead of buying dozens of plastic single-use bottles. Sepel also warns travelers to be aware of alcohol intake on the plane. “Be sure to drink more water if you do choose to sip on a bubbly while in the skies,” she says,
Bring Nutritional Supplements
If you’re moving around a lot and sampling myriad cuisines, it’s natural for your dietary habits to go out the window. To avoid feeling sluggish or under the weather, bring a few key health supplements. Sepel recommends JSHealth’s Greens + Collagen as a convenient way to keep up nutrient intake when traveling as diets may look a little different with less home cooking. It contains green superfoods along with hydrolysed Marine Collagen. She adds a formula with a B vitamin complex for energy, stamina and recovery (it also helps with jetlag) and zinc to keep immunity strong. “If you experience bloating, a supplement with fennel seed is a great addition,” Sepel says. “I always have the Detox + Debloat tablets on hand when I travel to help relieve abdominal bloating while also supporting natural detoxification processes.”
Buy A Travel Pillow, Headphones And Eye Mask
If you are moving between locations in Europe, take advantage of flights and trains for some shuteye. Whether it’s a plump travel pillow, noise-cancelling headphones or velvet eye mask, bring whatever helps you drift off while on the move. A pair of earplugs isn’t a bad idea either and might come in handy in a thin-walled hotel room too. The help reset a sleep schedule disrupted by moving between time zones, Sepel recommends napping for about 3 hours on arrival, then trying to get up and carry on in the current time zone. “If you can then plan to go to bed at 7 pm, you should acclimate more easily and are then on track for the rest of your trip,” she says. Try taking a quality magnesium supplement at night to allow your nervous system to relax and wake up energised and refreshed.”
Pack A Medicine Bag
Traipsing around pharmacies is no way to spend a day on holiday, especially if a language barrier means struggling to find the medicine you need. Prior to your trip, pack a little bag of useful remedies including painkillers, anti-diarrhoea medication, antihistamines, plasters, decongestants, insect bite cream and motion sickness pills.