When I got transferred to the airport I wondered what kind of regulars we would get. For paramedics there is a go-to emergency in every community. For some communities it‘s asthma, others intoxication. Heck, some specialize in major vehicle collisions. For us at the airport, it‘s the sick person on the airplane.
To save you the trouble of having to listen to me tell one of my famous bad jokes during the assessment, simply follow these five easy tips to stay healthy on your next flight.
1. Drink more water.
The humidity on board the aircraft will cause you to dry out much quicker than on land. Grab a big water bottle the day before your flight and bring it to the airport empty. Drink that though, don‘t just dump it out.
TSA doesn‘t allow fluids to pass through security, but airports now have water bottle filling stations on the secure side for you to refill at. It‘s filtered and cold, so fill it up before you board.
Skip the energy drinks and sports drinks. You’re not looking to replace lost electrolytes, so don’t make your body have to filter a ton of sugar. Simple water is all you need.
Plan on 8 ounces per hour in the air and sip it slowly. No chugging. Speaking of chugging.
2. Drink alcohol in moderation when you fly.
I know it‘s exciting to get on a giant box that let‘s you sit in the sky, but simply not having to drive anywhere doesn‘t give you a green light to down three $12 beers at the bar (add a shot for $4?). The combination of the humidity, the fact you‘re not drinking enough water and the high likelihood that you‘re not a kind drunk, means that drinking too much won‘t end well for you when you reach your destination. And on top of all that, you probably skipped lunch.
3. Plan time to eat.
Although that 35-minute layover seems like a perfect way to get to your destination more quickly, you need to remember to plan time to eat. Peanuts and pretzels are few and far between these days and if you‘re on a flight long enough to be fed you‘re lucky. OK, not real lucky, but you know what I mean.
Give enough time to hit the restaurant at the layover airport and at least get something to eat on the next flight. You don‘t need to sit down and take in a five course meal, but many airports are offering more and more healthy meals these days, some from vendors you already know.
Or, make sure you eat before you go. And while you’re on the road, pack snacks you actually want to eat. That means not just that bag of jalapeno potato chips you‘ll eat while the guy in the middle seat keeps asking for some. Besides, the absolute last thing you want to do is lick your fingers.
4. Wash your hands.
Any public space is crawling with bacteria, viruses and other microscopic critters just hanging out on escalator hand rails, door handles, seat cushions and floors. While airports like mine are constantly disinfecting, cleaning and re-cleaning everything on site, it’ll never be 100 percent germ-free with tens of thousands of people coming and going all the time.
Hand washing is the best way to keep yourself healthy both in the airport and at home. When traveling, our bodies are stressed. We‘re dehydrated, drinking too much alcohol, and eating too little. These are all things that can lower our body‘s ability to fight off an infection or nasty critter. We don‘t need to be using hand rails, grabbing bags and trays at security, then dipping our fingers into a plate of fries or a bag of chips.
5. Go for a walk.
When the seat belt sign turns off, get up and stretch. Moving your joints can go a long way to avoiding fatigue, especially on long flights. In flights over two hours, you should walk the aisles at least once.
Heck, with all the water we‘re drinking, you just may need to head towards that restroom (and wash your hands when finished). And when you are sitting enjoying a meal, book or movie, be sure to move your feet, ankles, arms and neck often. This movement can keep you from developing and releasing blood clots, a potentially life threatening condition for some people with other medical problems.
These may seem like simple steps to take, but they can be hard to remember with the excitement of the trip. Suddenly you‘re at your destination at 3:00 p.m., haven‘t had lunch or even breakfast, and you’ve been drinking nothing but gin and tonics for the last six hours. And now you’re beginning to feel a sore throat coming on.
Your vacation is going to suck. Just don‘t touch anything after sneezing in your hand.
