Top 10 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling

There are a number of practical things you can do to keep healthy when traveling, whether you are packing your bags for a quick overnight trip or a long overdue vacation. One is having a go-bag stocked with vitamin C, hand sanitizer, vitamin D3, a magnesium supplement (which may help ease your nervous system, keep digestion processes regular and improve sleep quality) and healthy snacks to keep your energy level high when you are on the go. Read on for some other tips on how to make sure you are taking care of your body and your health when you are on the go.

"Hand washing is the single most important thing anybody can do to protect their health," advises Dr. Philip Tierno, professor of Microbiology and Pathology at NYU School of Medicine and author of The Secret Life of Germs. He says you should spend 20 seconds washing, including under the nail beds.

If you can't wash your hands right away, Dr. Tierno warns against touching your face to prevent germs from entering via your eyes, nose or mouth. Additionally, Dr. Tierno and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using hand sanitizer as an alternative when you don't have access to soap and water.

Phyllis Kozarsky, MD, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Emory University, recommends visiting a travel clinic beforehand, particularly if you're traveling to a developing country. The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) provides a list of travel clinics across the world. "It's virtually impossible for even an outstanding general doctor... to keep up to date with all the things going on internationally."

She suggests visiting a travel clinic four to six weeks prior to a trip. In addition to receiving any pertinent travel inoculations, Dr. Kozarsky also advises getting up to date with routine immunizations, such as tetanus and flu shots.

Travel expert Wendy Perrin, Founder of WendyPerrin.com, suggests taking Vitamin C before boarding a long flight. "Air is recycled on planes, and there are so many germs that can spread through the air on a plane."

Emergen-C is also convenient since it comes in packets and can be added to water.