How to stay well during a trip overseas?

[gordiej]

47 minutes ago, opa&oma said:

I frequently get a bad cough on a cruise.  This summer I was on a month long cruise and I took 2 Airborne gummies every day and I had not a cough or sneeze!  That's my remedy from now on.

I used to get sick a lot on long (overseas) flights, and Airborne definitely seems to help frequently.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

I agree with the posters who said they clean stuff on the plane...but you have to be thorough. The tray table, the edges of the seat pocket, the arm rests, the seat belt attachments, both of them, the window shade edges where you raise and lower it, and the air vent and light buttons above your head. 

 

Also agree with those who clean hands AFTER handing over the menu to the waiter. Menus are never cleaned and just think of all the hands that touch them!  Ick!  

 

I was a teacher and I learned to use the edge of my skirt or shirt to open doors with the handle. The year I first taught kindergarten was the year of my life that I spent the most time sick. That taught me!  

 

You can buy antiseptic hand hand wipes on Amazon. I buy them once a year.,,a case, and never leave home without them. 

[Lastdance]

I find the best way to stay healthy is to make sure my immune system is reved up before a trip...good workouts, going to bed earlier and using pre and probiotics.  In addition, I try to stay away from sugary foods too, but not on a cruise.  Anything that depresses you immune system leaves you more vulnerable...that includes being over stressed.  For some reason, I always bring an antibiotic, and have only become ill once when my feet got cols(sandals)and I was sitting in the back of a van on tour with eight other people.  We were in Slovenia and the weather was rainy and cold in Lake Bled. That was 6 or so years ago; yes, I had my antibiotics!  Furthermore, when I eat in the MDR, I am always one of the very first people...and yes, i am a fanatic of hand washing too!  You do not have to book all 8 and 9 hour tours, as 4 hours is a great time frame...

Edited November 9, 2019 by Lastdance

[villauk]

16 minutes ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

I was a teacher

 

I was going to say, work in a school and you’ll soon build up your immune system; there are so many germs and poor hygiene habits on a daily basis that you’re exposed to.

 

Many working folk become ill when they are on vacation because they relax and slow down and their bodies aren’t used to it, and they overindulge. Now all the retired folks on cruises - that’s probably got more to do with age (more susceptible the older we become). I wonder how many who have posted on here are still in employment where they are in direct contact or in close proximity to large groups of children/the general public/hospitals & care homes etc., where you are exposed to those germs/bugs on a regular basis? From experience, the kids with the poorest hygiene tend to be the ones that are actually ill the least.

 

On one of our Asia visits, I remember our guide in Bangkok telling us that she’d married a European guy and he’d been in and out of hospital for the first six months of their relationship as the different foods had totally upset his digestive system and he had caught everything and anything. 

 

So take all the sensible precautions mentioned, but when it comes down to the crunch,  it’s still the luck of the draw.

[clo]

9 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Sadly #2 is still the old favorite, the buffet...

We're going to be sailing on Oceania soon and their buffets don't allow pax to help themselves.  You tell them what you want and how much and it gets served to you.  And there's a glass partition to help keep the grubby hands away.  But, hey, crew get these things also.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Lastdance said:

I had my antibiotics!

But a cold is a virus.  One of the big bugaboos these days is doctors over-prescribing antibiotics and that causes bacteria to become resistant.

[clo]

1 hour ago, villauk said:

Many working folk become ill when they are on vacation because they relax and slow down and their bodies aren’t used to it, and they overindulge.

Huh? Could you provide a citation that supports that?

[Lastdance]

1 hour ago, clo said:

But a cold is a virus.  One of the big bugaboos these days is doctors over-prescribing antibiotics and that causes bacteria to become resistant.

 

Exactly, but I do not get colds...I only get sinus infections, and not very often at all.  Never would I overdo antibiotics, as I just carry them on long vacations overseas just in case.  I have used them twice in ten years.  As for the flu, I have not had that in a long time; I do get the flu shot, which seems to work just fine.  I may get the sniffles, but it only lasts a day or two.  My father never had the flu in his lifetime; he had a very strong immune system and even though he contacted MERSA in the hospital, it did not affect him like so many older senior citizens.  My doctor belongs to MDVIP, and I have been a patient of his for many years, so he knows that I hate taking any kind of meds.  Hopefully, I am not jinxing myself by saying all of this!  My next european cruise is not untin next May...

Edited November 10, 2019 by Lastdance

[navybankerteacher]

When you travel, especially in crowded enclosed conditions (like airplanes), you expose yourself to vectors (people carrying - and transmitting - all sorts of infections).  The odds are simply greater that you will come down with something while travelling than while you are staying at home.

 

That said, there are simple steps - wash hands frequently, stay hydrated, get enough rest, avoid any avoidable contacts with things other people touch. Use knuckles to press elevator buttons, if you use handrails - rest the back of your hand - not your fingers on them, wash your hands again. - and then again- and as much as possible keep your hands away from your face - that is where all the holes into your body are located.

 

You cannot guarantee keeping yourself healthy - but with just a few careful approaches you can easily cut the chances of picking up someone else’s infections by a lot more than 50% - pretty good odds.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

Hopefully, I am not jinxing myself by saying all of this!  

Knock wood 🙂  Thanks for elaborating.

[clo]

12 minutes ago, Lastdance said:

 

I just saw that you're in Tahoe.  We sold our house there about a year and a half ago (North Shore, Cedar Flat) and now live in Reno.  Glad to meet you 🙂

[Shmoo here]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

if you use handrails - rest the back of your hand - not your fingers on them,

Sadly, that isn't really an option for those of use who really need to hold onto the handrails for support when using the stairs (especially going down stairs).

 

 

[SRF]

15 hours ago, Merly said:

is it not the same air that is circulated whether first class or not.

 

Yes it is.

 

In the past, aircraft used single pass systems.  But now days, a good bit of the air is recirculated.  And yes, first class breathes the same air as the other classes do.

 

[SRF]

6 hours ago, clo said:

I just saw that you're in Tahoe.  We sold our house there about a year and a half ago (North Shore, Cedar Flat) and now live in Reno.  Glad to meet you 🙂

 

A good buddy lives and works in Reno.

 

When I get out to visit him, we should meet.

[SRF]

I travel a lot internationally.

 

Get rest.  I am not a fan of melatonin.  I use Ambien the first few nights to get my sleep cycle aligned.  But try to get a normal, or even more sleep, than at home.  You are very active during the day, so may need a bit more sleep.

 

Hydrate.  Where in Europe did you do where there were not public restrooms?  I also carry some Sqwincher Quick Sticks (from Amazon) for electrolyte replacement, plus it makes the water taste better so you drink more.  One or two a day is PLENTY.  DO NOT drink electrolyte replacement all the time.

 

Do not drink the local water in most places (Europe is OK).  And if you won't drink the water, do not get ANY drink with ice.  The ice is the same water as you won't drink.

 

I am not a fan of excessive use of sanitizers.  Wash your hands frequently and before eating.

 

Vaccinations.  Get your flu vaccine.  Also, for older, suggest the pneumococcal vaccine.  I had one of the older ones, but will be getting the Prevnar 13 version shortly.

 

Watch what you eat.  Not only from the safe foods (in much of the world no salads, basic rule, cooked or peeled).  But also amount of food.  Overeating can make you sleep less well.  Also, new to you foods may cause other issues.

[Nic6318]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Yes it is.

 

In the past, aircraft used single pass systems.  But now days, a good bit of the air is recirculated.  And yes, first class breathes the same air as the other classes do.

 

 

Hi

 

Yes. When I walk through that first class section I make sure to linger and breath as much of that first class air as possible before I have to walk to the back of the plane. It seems to have worked for me so far. 😃

[clo]

6 hours ago, SRF said:

 

A good buddy lives and works in Reno.

 

When I get out to visit him, we should meet.

That would be super.

[dogs4fun]

16 hours ago, Lastdance said:

I find the best way to stay healthy is to make sure my immune system is reved up before a trip...good workouts, going to bed earlier and using pre and probiotics.  In addition, I try to stay away from sugary foods too, but not on a cruise.  Anything that depresses you immune system leaves you more vulnerable...that includes being over stressed. 

Agree and would add alcoholic beverages to the list of things to avoid during flight . We also use airborne when flying or using the metro in European cities and take hand sanitizer - we also wipe the trays seat belt buckles and arm rests on the plane with sanitized wipes. We make sure to eat well and get as much rest as possible (not really a viable option for us during long flights).

[clo]

6 hours ago, SRF said:

I use Ambien the first few nights to get my sleep cycle aligned.

I do that at both ends of a trip.  Helps me a lot.  I have a #90 rx that has lasted me 2-1/2 years.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Nic6318 said:

first class air

Maybe it's the free booze that kills germs!

[dogs4fun]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

I do that at both ends of a trip.  Helps me a lot.  I have a #90 rx that has lasted me 2-1/2 years.

It is still effective after 2-1/2 years? I discard any unused meds (including Ambien) by their expiration date listed on the bottle. I realize that one can extend usage beyond the expiration date but 2-1/2 years seems like a lot.

[clo]

1 minute ago, dogs4fun said:

It is still effective after 2-1/2 years? I discard any unused meds (including Ambien) by their expiration date listed on the bottle. I realize that one can extend usage beyond the expiration date but 2-1/2 years seems like a lot.

They lose potency so you wouldn't want to keep things like antibiotics around.  But for something like Ambien it hasn't seemed to matter.  I've gotten 90 because it was the same price as 30.  I've heard that some controlled drugs now have a smaller limit.

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, clo said:

They lose potency so you wouldn't want to keep things like antibiotics around.  But for something like Ambien it hasn't seemed to matter.  I've gotten 90 because it was the same price as 30.  I've heard that some controlled drugs now have a smaller limit.

I still get 90 at a time. So, would you would say that your Ambien has lost some of its potency but still puts you to sleep? Just curious as maybe I won't be quite so quick to discard unused Ambien in the future (although I won't keep it around for more than 6 months past its expiration date).

[donaldsc]

I looked at several of the responses and realized that I practiced almost none of them.  Yet I have managed to do a lot of cruises and have never been sick either on board or after the cruise.  Perhaps it is because I am lucky to have a good immune system.  Perhaps it is because I routinely ignore all the precautions that people practice to keep themselves healthy so I have built up my immune system.  My point is that my life style should ensure that I get sick occasionally but I don't.

 

I realize that the germophobes out there will ignore my comments and will continue to take pills and will constantly wipe things down.  Doing that maybe can't hurt you although I am not sure about that and if it makes you happy, continue to do it.

 

DON

[dogs4fun]

39 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

I looked at several of the responses and realized that I practiced almost none of them.  Yet I have managed to do a lot of cruises and have never been sick either on board or after the cruise.  Perhaps it is because I am lucky to have a good immune system.  Perhaps it is because I routinely ignore all the precautions that people practice to keep themselves healthy so I have built up my immune system.  My point is that my life style should ensure that I get sick occasionally but I don't.

 

I realize that the germophobes out there will ignore my comments and will continue to take pills and will constantly wipe things down.  Doing that maybe can't hurt you although I am not sure about that and if it makes you happy, continue to do it.

 

DON

You are a fortunate man, Don.

I certainly don't consider myself a germaphobe - I'm simply attempting to employ best practices in avoiding illness when flying. I did become quite ill before I began my regimen of attempting to diminish my chances of contracting illness on airplanes and mass transportation - the cold turned into a particularly virulent case of walking pneumonia & ruined a good portion of my 3 month stay in Europe. Lesson learned!

Airlines are of particular concern to me as they fly in the range of 36,000 feet (across the Atlantic) where humidity typically runs at about 10%. Our mucociliary clearance system (our natural protective system and first line of defense against bacteria and germs) is crippled at such low humidity levels (in other words, the mucus in our nose and throat dries up) thus creating a much more tolerant environment for infection by colds, flu and the like. 

Edited November 10, 2019 by dogs4fun