Q. My wife and I are taking our first trip abroad. Do you have any advice about how to stay healthy during this vacation?

First, see your doctor and your dentist to make sure you are starting the voyage in good condition.

You may need vaccinations. The vaccines you got when you were a child also may need to be updated.

Some vaccines don’t reach their peak levels of protection until about six weeks after you get shots, so plan your doctor visit accordingly.

Vaccines you may need include: Covid, hepatitis, flu, Japanese encephalitis, measles-mumps-rubella, meningococcal meningitis, pneumococcal, polio, rabies, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, typhoid fever, chickenpox and yellow fever.

Here are more tips:

* Guard against infection by washing your hands often, especially after you’ve been on a plane, train or bus.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizing gels are better than soap-and-water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease. You should use only sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.

Antibacterial soaps are no better at killing germs than regular soap. The combination of scrubbing your hands with soap, antibacterial or not, and rinsing them with water loosens and removes bacteria from your hands.

* Pack medicine in their original containers in your carry-on bag.

* Bring prescriptions for your regular medicine and eyewear.

* Pack a first-aid kit with medicine for diarrhea, indigestion, body aches and pains, colds, allergies, wounds, sun exposure and motion sickness.

Include adhesive bandages, scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, pocket knife, thermometer, mirror and alcohol-based hand gels.

* Check your health insurance coverage for every country you plan to visit.

* If you are in a country where traveler’s diarrhea is common, avoid street vendors, uncooked food, unpasteurized dairy products, tap water and ice.

* Use bed-netting and insect repellents in countries that present a risk of disease carried by mosquitoes.

* To battle jet lag, drink a lot of water on your flight. Dehydration contributes to the discomforts of jet lag. Avoid caffeine, which causes the body to eliminate water.

* Some flyers experience pain in their ears during takeoffs and landings. These travelers should chew gum and swallow often when planes are going up or down.

* Protect yourself against deep-vein thrombosis, which occurs when blood clots form in the veins (usually in the legs) and block blood flow. Sitting for a long time on an airplane or train can contribute to DVT. Wearing compression stockings can help prevent this dangerous condition.

* If you suffer from motion sickness, make sure your eyes are seeing the same motion that your body senses.

In a car, sit in the front seat and look out the windshield; don’t stare at passing scenery outside the passenger window.

On a boat, go up on deck and watch the horizon.

On an airplane, sit by the window and look outside.

On a train, take a seat near the front and next to a window.

Have a question? Email: fred@healthygeezer.com. Order “How To Be A Healthy Geezer,” 218-page compilation of columns: healthygeezer.com

All Rights Reserved &Copy; 2024 Fred Cicetti

The Times News, Inc. and affiliates (Lehigh Valley Press) do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the columnist and column do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Lehigh Valley Press. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health-care provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.