Keep Environmental Health in Mind When Traveling

The air you breath and the water you drink could make or break a healthy trip.

In our mobile society, we travel for business and vacations routinely. Many people travel in cars, trucks or planes as a part of their daily lives and spend many hours in hotels and motels. While traveling, we are constantly bombarded with changes in our environment that can affect our health and well-being.

Individuals can undertake many activities to protect their health while traveling. The two key words are "air" and "water."
AIR

Whether in a car, a meeting or a hotel room, moving air has both a therapeutic and medically beneficial effect. Whenever possible, an exchange of fresh air with air from inside is invaluable.

Many people complain of being tired during long meetings inside hotels, conference rooms or office buildings. Often, the tiredness is brought on by or intensified by a lack of fresh air. Many buildings are energy efficient and have "controlled" air exchange. The solution? Go outside every couple of hours. Even a quick breath of fresh air will help.

In a car, keep a window slightly open to allow fresh air to enter and stale air to dissipate. On those hot, humid, "no air moving" dog days of summer, and especially in populated areas, realize the by-products of human life -- car exhaust, industrial emissions and the like -- are not being blown away but are hovering. Move slower, plan on taking your time and avoid strenuous exertion.

When first entering a hotel or motel room, turn on the bathroom vent (if possible), open a window, chain and open the door, and turn on the fan. Hotel rooms are cleaned using sterilizing chemicals and then closed tight for the next visitor. Air out the room before you spend much time in it, and you will feel more refreshed in the morning.

WATER

Necessary for life, water sustains us. Necessary for health, water is slightly different in every community, and treatment varies. Standards are consistent, but the "taste" of water changes. The differences in drinking water may be noted in taste, but the water supply itself may have different minerals or characteristics to which your body is not accustomed.

It is common for international visitors to experience problems that relate to the water supply -- and it's not limited to U.S. visitors going abroad! The human body can adapt, over time, to a wide variety of environmental influences. But with today's quick, long-distance travel, these influences, including water, are "thrust" on the body.

Remember how much we use water -- locally manufactured beverages, ice, brushing teeth, washing cuts and scrapes, and other routine activities expose the body to drinking water. In areas where the water is not drinkable, avoid foods that are "washed" and opt instead for cooked foods and fruits you peel yourself. Remember also that foods are grown with water. Some vegetables -- such as iceberg lettuce -- have a high water content, and if they are irrigated using water that disagrees with your body, you may feel the effects.