“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Whether you are planning for a once in a lifetime vacation abroad, traveling to a different country for work or you routinely travel and visit different cultures, here are key reminders and recommendations to keep you healthy and safe during your next travel adventure abroad.
- Make sure you are aware of vaccination requirement well in advance of your travel. Some countries have required vaccines versus suggested ones.
- Plan out your prescribed medications. You want to make sure you have them in original bottles and consider carrying a letter from your physician listing your medications and the health conditions you take them for. Also make sure to plan for delays, take up to a week of extra medications just in case.
- When traveling long distance requiring hours of time on a plane, in a car or on a train make sure you are getting up and walking a little every couple hours to prevent blood clots. We have an increase in risk from blood clots when we are still for long time periods. You can also do calf stretching and pump your feet while sitting. Consider wearing compression stocking on long trips.
Prior to travel consider scheduling a Foreign Travel Visit with one of our providers at Norterra Family Medicine. During this visit we will discuss the specifics of where you are traveling and recommendations including:
- Specific guidance for your destination
- Recommended and possibly required vaccines
- Review your current health status and how travel may be impactful
- Concerns for bug bites and precautions to prevent them do to disease they may carry
- How to safely travel long distance in planes, cars, or other modes of transportation
- Safely traveling with your prescription medications
- Plan ahead for what is safe to drink and eat
It is important to plan for this Foreign Travel Visit in advance of your travel plans. Sometimes this should be initiated up to 6 months prior to travel.
We at Norterra Family Medicine would love to meet with you to learn about your travel plans and help you stay healthy so you can have the best adventure possible.
A couple helpful resources include
