6 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling
- Drink Tea Early and Often
- Hit the Pharmacy
- Sip Water During a Flight
- Eat Preflight Protein
- Moisturize Mucous Membranes
- Pack Your Own Purifier
More Health Lists
Hit the Pharmacy
The saboteur: Acute mountain sickness
At 8,000-plus feet in elevation, reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels can induce headaches, nausea, dizziness, and in severe cases, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs).
Save your vacation: Before you leave, ask your doc for acetazolamide, a drug that helps your body metabolize more oxygen. In a study, people who took 250 milligrams twice a day after traveling from sea level to 12,000 feet relieved all symptoms. Take it a day or two before departure and continue until 48 hours after you arrive.