[MysteryBlack]

Hey guys,

Have you travelled to different countries in a short amount of time (i.e less than a week per place), only to be completely run down with sickness or the flu or something worse by the near end of it?. This is a holiday killer and a common problem among travellers. Having done the same over the past 5 yrs while working in my 9-5 and trying to squeeze as many countries as possible in my 4 week and mini vacations, here is some advice for you which has worked well for me.

Get your daily vitamins

If you are travelling to countries where processed food is dominate, this is especially the case. A daily multi vitamin may not be sufficient enough. This list of vitamins serve as a minimum. Pack these before you go as you may not be able to get them abroad depending on where you go.

• Multivitamin - Take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening
• Vitamin D3 - Take 1 in the morning depending on the country you're staying in
• B Complex vitamins - take 1 in the morning
• Omega 3 fats - take 1 in the morning and 1 at night
• Zinc/Magnesium - take one late evening/night time
• Vitamin C - Slow release tablet - 1 in the morning and 1 at night
  

Get some turmeric in you too. Add it in your dishes where it is possible. This is a great immune system booster.

Drink 1 Gallon of water per day

It goes without saying that drinking a lot of water has proven time again to reduce the impacts of getting sick. It has also proven to be the cause of you becoming sick when not enough of it has been drank.

Get your callories up

Contrary of trying to lose weight and going on a diet, given the amount of walking and the adrenaline of travelling, you'll need as much calories as you can get. Preferably, with nutrient dense foods where possible.

Don't spend too long in your hotel/air bnb room

Get out there and walk around for 30mins. Probably assume there will be some kind of walking/exercise involved when travelling.

Go to your local doctor before travelling

Your doctor should have a list of potential diseases that may be active in that country which is not in yours. Any vaccines that are recommended should be taken in the prescribed period before travelling.

Sleep when you can

Yea I never sleep that much while travelling, but again not enough rest will lead to sickness. There are going to be nights where you stay up all night, and plenty of them . But I will say that any free time you have to kill, you should catch up on some sleep and listen to your body.

And of course....
Always try protect yourself from STDs. Don't go down on girls that look sus down there.

The list can go on. But this should be the basic checklist to minimise the impacts of getting sick so you can return home without taking a holiday from the holiday like many people do.

Peace,
-MB

[Off The Reservation]

I' d like to add one thing which has helped me. Alcohol hand wipes. Take them onboard the plane and have them available during your trip.

[CleanSlate]

One word: yogurt.

Not the sugary fruity kinds. Just the plain ol' yogurt, no sugar, with active and live cultures.

When you travel, you introduce foreign bacteria to your gut flora and some of the good ones get killed off while the bad ones increase in population. Repleneshing your good bacteria with live cultures from the yogurt keeps your immune system strong. Your gut makes up about 75% of your entire immune system.

[Off The Reservation]

Another thing to add is that when you travel outside of your normal routine locations you may be exposed to additional cold and rain that wouldn't "hurt" at home. The worst flu I ever got was in Montevideo on a 50 degree evening with a rain that wouldn't quit. My jacket was too light and thin and wasn't truly waterproof. I walked way too far in these conditions and paid dearly. I was extremely ill for over two weeks after this.

[CaptainChardonnay]

Go with WhiteKnightRises Secret Travel Sickness Avoidance Formula! Kimchi!

[Suits]

Suit's Top Travel Health Tips

1. Avoid Suspicious Bodies Of Water



Be aware of area conditions before entering any body of water.

2. Take Care In Avoiding Suspicious People



If they don't seem like the sort of people you'd trust leaving your mother with, don't take the risk!

3. Preserve Strength By Sharing Body Heat With A Complete Stranger



Protect your body from the elements by engaging in this traditional energy saving activity.

4. If you're a woman, don't bike across the Middle East



You'd have to be a stupid fucking dumb ass to do this.

[Sidney Crosby]

(07-19-2017 01:09 PM)Off The Reservation Wrote:  

I' d like to add one thing which has helped me. Alcohol hand wipes. Take them onboard the plane and have them available during your trip.

A guy I was sitting next to on the plane last time immediately wiped down his tray table upon boarding. It makes sense but I've never seen anyone else do this.

[Off The Reservation]

(07-20-2017 11:58 PM)Sidney Crosby Wrote:  

(07-19-2017 01:09 PM)Off The Reservation Wrote:  

I' d like to add one thing which has helped me. Alcohol hand wipes. Take them onboard the plane and have them available during your trip.

A guy I was sitting next to on the plane last time immediately wiped down his tray table upon boarding. It makes sense but I've never seen anyone else do this.

If that was business class out of Doha that was me.

[RatInTheWoods]

You nearly always get a stomach upset from the different bacteria etc.

[sonoran_]

Ive managed to stay away from stomach illness when going to a developing country. One should only drink bottled or boiled water. Regarding food, eat hot or prepacked foods where you feel like it has been handled properly throughout its supply chain.

Scenarios include:
1) Perishables (like dairy or meat) might not have been delivered in a truck with a fridge/freezer.
2) Washing fruits with tap water is pointless as the tap water itself can be an issue.
3) If the food is piping hot, yet the cook sprinkles garnishing on top when ready to serve with their hands ( such as herbs), take that into consideration.
4) Use logic when deciding what and where to eat.

5) Be strict with your rules. If people offer me food/ drinks where I dont feel confident in it passing all my criteria I will politely refuse it.
6) But also consider the psychology behind it. If you mentally feel like what you just ate will make you sick, then it will.

[Off The Reservation]

Another one I just remembered. You have to watch the ice in shithole countries. I was in Thailand for a few weeks many years back and was so so careful everywhere then once drank an ice tea and got amoebic dysentery. I was sick for two months and had to lie to Japanese immigration why I looked sick going back.

A doctor in Japan told me "its good you didn't go to the clinic." They usually misdiagnose amoebic dysentery as a Japanese bacterial infection and give you meds that would kill you. He said it very matter of fact.

[MysteryBlack]

(07-21-2017 08:44 PM)Off The Reservation Wrote:  

Another one I just remembered. You have to watch the ice in shithole countries. I was in Thailand for a few weeks many years back and was so so careful everywhere then once drank an ice tea and got amoebic dysentery. I was sick for two months and had to lie to Japanese immigration why I looked sick going back.

A doctor in Japan told me "its good you didn't go to the clinic." They usually misdiagnose amoebic dysentery as a Japanese bacterial infection and give you meds that would kill you. He said it very matter of fact.

Yep, Thailand was the worst for loading buckets with half ice lol.

[nomadbrah]

(07-19-2017 01:09 PM)Off The Reservation Wrote:  

I' d like to add one thing which has helped me. Alcohol hand wipes. Take them onboard the plane and have them available during your trip.

Absolutely. I used to get sick every time I took a long plane ride. I used to think it was the AC, but then I read it was the bacteria on door knobs etc. Since then I don't touch any such things and never been ill since.

Another thing, be careful which girls you stick your tongue in. Kissing a foreign girl who parties a bit too much is a surefire way to catch something due to lack of immunity.