Traveling can be a big process, especially when you’re flying. It can be hard to relax, stay healthy, and feel safe. This applies whether you’re flying for work or for pleasure. Below are some tips on how to make your air travel healthier and happier.

Path to improved health

Before your flight

One key to air travel is to prepare ahead of time and pack smart. The first thing you should do is check travel advisories and restrictions. This will warn you of any disease outbreaks or extra safety precautions you should take. In some instances, these reports may notify you to reconsider or cancel your travel plans.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, you may want to wear a facial mask in the airport and on the plane. Wearing a facial mask can help keep you and others from getting sick. If you are or think you may be sick, it is best to see your doctor beforehand or avoid flying. You do not want to spread germs knowingly or arrive at your destination and feel worse.

If you are traveling with a carry-on bag, make sure it is easy to reach and has everything you will need onboard. This includes all medicine, required forms of ID and travel documents, and any snacks and drinks. Travel with an empty water bottle so you can stay hydrated. A lot of airports now have bottle-friendly water stations to fill up. Pack healthy snacks, like fresh or dried fruit, veggies, trail mix, or granola bars.

Other helpful carry-on items include:

• Disinfectant wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Facial tissues
• Cough drops
• Gum
• Earplugs or earphones
• Blanket, pillow, or eye mask

Pack enough medicine in your carry-on bag to last your whole trip. This prepares you in case your checked baggage gets lost. It also is smart to take extra medicine with you in case your return trip gets delayed. Remember to bring along the names and dosages of all your medicines. Ask your doctor if your dosages need to change if the eating and sleeping times will change at your destination.

If you have diabetes or epilepsy, you should travel with your ID card. For instance, the American Diabetes Association provides medical alert cards. Carry your doctor’s name and phone number with you in case of an emergency. If you have a severe food allergy, travel with proper safety measures in case of exposure. It’s also a good idea to take a copy of your basic medical history. You can ask your doctor to print you a copy of your medical history. This will help if you end up needing to see someone while you are on your trip.

Whether you travel a lot or haven’t flown recently, you should plan to get a flu shot. You also may consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine. These can boost your immune system and help prevent illness on the plane and at your destination. Some companies sell vitamin supplements that claim to make you less likely to get sick when you travel. These claims have not proven to be true. There is some evidence that taking vitamin C can shorten the duration of your cold symptoms. There is no evidence that vitamin C (or any other vitamin) makes you less likely to catch a virus.

Try to get plenty of rest before you fly. It’s also important to eat a healthy meal and hydrate. Nutritious food at an airport can be tough to find and flights may be long or delayed. Finally, don’t forget to use the restroom before takeoff. There’s nothing worse than needing to go when you can’t.

On your flight

Before you sit down and buckle up, use a disinfectant wipe. Clean your seat, seat belt, arm rest, and tray table, all of which contain germs. If you need to adjust your overhead light or air vent, use hand sanitizer afterward. The same applies if you touch anything in your seat back pocket. If you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth and nose with your elbow to prevent spreading any germs.

The air pressure in the plane can change throughout the flight. It is strongest during takeoff and landing. Some people find that chewing gum helps to ease pressure on your ears. You also can wear earplugs or drink water. If you have ongoing ear problems, talk to your doctor before flying to make sure it’s safe. He or she might suggest taking a decongestant medicine in advance to help. If you are traveling with an infant, try feeding them or using a pacifier to promote swallowing and help release pressure.

Certain people are at higher risk of getting blood clots, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This includes people who smoke, are pregnant, are obese, had surgery recently, or have heart disease, cancer, or a history of DVT. Talk to your doctor about the symptoms of DVT and the precautions you should take. Suggestions often include wearing loose, comfortable clothing as well as compression socks. Get up once an hour to walk or relax your muscles if you can. If that is not an option, you can engage your muscles while seated. Tap your feet, flex your ankles, stretch your calf muscles, and try not to cross your legs. Ask your doctor if you should take aspirin or an anticoagulant (blood thinner) before you fly.

Flying at high altitudes with reduced oxygen and humidity in the air creates a very dry setting on planes. You can stay hydrated with the water you brought along. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol, which can dehydrate you. You can use the tissues or cough drops you’ve packed to help treat any dry symptoms.

After your flight

Now that you’ve flown, it’s important to remain healthy. Below are some tips to help prevent or manage jet lag.

• Adjust to a new time zone by following the local sleep and meal schedules as soon as possible.
• Listen to your body and rest when needed.
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol.
• Eat well-balanced meals and avoid overeating.
• Exercise as much as you can.
• Use sleep medicine like melatonin, if needed, but not long-term.

Things to consider

Talk to your doctor in advance if you are pregnant, sick, or have a chronic health condition. You might need other protection, like vaccines or medicines. Your doctor also may recommend avoiding air travel with certain medical conditions.

If you need to take oxygen when you travel, you’ll need to tell the airline in advance. Federal air regulations don’t allow you to carry your own oxygen unit on a plane. Most airlines can provide you with oxygen for a fee. You also can make plans ahead of time to get oxygen for layovers between flights and at your destination. If you are handicapped, you can arrange for wheelchair assistance.

Keep in mind, it can be dangerous to fly after certain activities. One example is scuba diving. You need to wait 12 to 24 hours after diving before you can fly. Ask your diving teacher or a doctor for more information.

Anytime you fly, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. Do not watch baggage for a stranger or pick up something that isn’t yours. Keep all of your items with you and accounted for.

Questions to ask your doctor

• How much water should I drink when I fly?
• Are there any vaccines I should get or medicines I should take before I fly?
• What medicines can I take if I’m scared or anxious about flying?
• I’m pregnant. Is it safe for me to fly?
• Should I do anything special when I travel if I have a chronic health condition?

If you have high blood pressure, follow these expert tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable travel experience. Learn how to manage your condition, stay hydrated, eat healthily, and reduce stress while on the go.

Traveling can be an exhilarating and enriching experience, but for individuals with high blood pressure, it requires some extra precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common health condition that requires careful management, especially when embarking on a trip. Prioritizing regular monitoring, medication management, healthy habits, and stress reduction will help ensure a memorable and health-conscious journey. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your travel plans or medication regimen. With proper preparation and precautions, individuals with high blood pressure can explore the world with confidence and peace of mind.

Here are seven essential tips that people with high blood pressure should follow while traveling:

1. Consult Your Doctor

Before setting off on your journey, consult your doctor to ensure that you are medically fit to travel. They can provide valuable advice on how to manage your blood pressure during your trip, recommend any necessary adjustments to your medications, and offer tips for preventing complications.

2. Monitor Your Blood Pressure

Bring a portable blood pressure monitor with you to keep track of your readings. Regular monitoring will help you stay aware of any changes and allow you to take necessary actions if your blood pressure rises unexpectedly.

3. Pack Medications

Ensure you have an adequate supply of your prescribed medications for the duration of your trip. Pack them in their original containers, along with a copy of your prescription. Keep them in your carry-on bag to ensure they are accessible during the journey.

4. Healthy Eating

Choose heart-healthy, low-sodium foods whenever possible. Opt for fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid fast food and high-sodium snacks that can exacerbate high blood pressure.

5. Stress Management

Traveling can be stressful, which can impact blood pressure. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness to keep stress levels in check. Engaging in activities you enjoy, like reading or listening to soothing music, can also help alleviate stress.

6. Plan Rest Stops

If you’re driving, plan regular rest stops to take a break, stretch, and walk around. This will help improve circulation and prevent blood pressure spikes.

7. Adjust Travel Plans

If you’re planning to travel to high-altitude destinations, consult your doctor first. High altitudes can affect blood pressure and oxygen levels, so it’s essential to understand the potential risks and take necessary precautions.

Whether you’re planning a trip to the serene hills or to beautiful beaches, your itinerary must include taking care of your skin and hair while travelling. Here are some skincare and hair care tips when travelling.

Holiday = travel = fun times! Whether the distance is short or long or the destination is hills or beach or just an adventure trek, travelling is always exciting. Travelling, even if it is for work sometimes, is a beautiful experience. But if you become very laidback about your hair and skin care during travel, you may end up spoiling it!

The new location, new climate, disrupted eating routines and the stress of travel can impact the skin and hair negatively. It could result in dull hair days, breakouts, acne flare ups, dry lips, tan lines and more problems. However, you need not worry because skin and hair during travelling are not a tough task.

Hair care and skin care tips for travelling

Here are some tips to make sure your skin and hair remain healthy during your sojourns.

1. Research the weather

When going to a new place, don’t guess about the weather and climate. Read about it and make a note of it. Your choice of moisturiser, face wash, shampoo and sunscreen and even the makeup that you will carry depends on whether the weather is cold, rainy or dry. For example, you would require a pore cleansing and hydrating skincare in humid weather whereas you would require creamy moisturiser in cold weather.

2. Follow your regular skincare routine in holidays too

Skin and hair cells never go on a break and therefore there should be no break in your skincare routine too. A consistent routine is the key to happy hair and skin days. Carry your regular skin care products in travel-size bottles to avoid spilling and baggage weight.

3. Essentials are all you need

You don’t need to bring your dresser everywhere you go. Carry key ingredients that you use in your normal routine as well like cleanser, toner, moisturiser, night cream and sunscreen. Also, don’t forget to carry disposable makeup wipes to remove the makeup.

4. Keep the moisturiser in your purse

Hydrate your skin with a moisturiser before you board the flight or before driving with the air conditioner. Keep reapplying it to keep the skin hydrated. You can even carry some hydrating sheet masks for a quick skin revival. Products with rich hyaluronic acid and vitamin C content should be your preferred choice.

5. Carry a toner

Toner is good to mattify greasy skin and re-energising travel skin. However, if you don’t have a toner, use a blotting paper. It will help soak the oil right up and prevent dirt build-up. They also work well on sensitive skin.

6. Stay hydrated

Make sure you have a water bottle with you at all times. Keep sipping water at regular intervals. Many people avoid drinking water when travelling but this is not a good idea. Lack of water can affect your skin and hair in a bad way. Not drinking water robs the skin of its radiance and the hair of its shine. Always drink water.

7. There is no way around sunscreen

You can leave everything at home, but not the sunscreen. You need to apply it before you step out of the house and keep reapplying every 3-4 hours. Yes, even on your flight and in the taxi! Sunscreen helps in preventing tanning, skin damage, pigmentation and premature ageing. Use a gel-based sunscreen during summers and cream based one in cold weather. Use an SPF of more than 30.

8. Cover your hair with a scarf or hat

Protect your hair from dirt and pollution and the harsh sun by covering it. This also prevents scalp ageing and makes sure your hair stays younger and darker longer.

9. Keep the hair tied up

We know it is tempting to let the hair flow in the wind and get those celebrity-like selfies and photos but they are may not be doing good for your hair. Continuous exposure to heavy wind can damage your hair. The wind carries with it dirt and particles that cause greasy scalp, clogged pores and tangled hair that become prone to breakage. Keep the hair tied into a bun or a braid to prevent hair damage.

10. Keep the makeup basic

Too much makeup runs a risk of running down and dirt gets stuck in it. Also, if you are not able to remove it, it can cause breakouts, skin pigmentation, dry skin and even fine lines. You don’t want that. So, keep the makeup to the bare minimum.

11. Avoid using hotel toiletries

Your skin is unique and needs specific products and unknown toiletries are not going to help your skin and hair. They are not often the top quality and are made for general use. Your skin or the scalp can react to the product adversely. Hence, don’t use these products unless necessary. Or read the ingredients carefully before use.

Travelling should be fun and not spent worrying about skin and hair. Follow the given tips, and you won’t have to worry about anything. Keep good skin and hair products handy and customised for travelling.

Travel photography is about capturing memories and sharing this big wide world with others. It’s one of the best ways to educate people about countries, people, and their cultures. It covers food, lifestyles, religion, architecture, natural beauty and everything in between. That’s what makes it so important. Here are some of my top travel photography tips for you to try on your next adventure.

You may travel somewhere several times in your lifetime. However, you may never get the chance to capture one particular moment ever again. You have to be prepared to find the angle, capture the color, and even use photography to convey movement in a still image.

Planning and Research

These days, you will rarely find a true hidden gem of a location. The rise of Instagram means that many of the beautiful locations you see are either staged or come with hour-long queues.

You could use these locations anyway, and put your own personal spin on them. Show them in a new light, angle, or even perspective. Although, it’s always worth researching to find the still unknown locations. This way, you can make your photos stand out and remain a genuine reflection of the country you are shooting in.

Not only will you need to research locations, but also plan the time of day and how to get there. There’s nothing worse than being unprepared, missing the perfect lighting, or taking the risk of never getting there. You should always be prepared to adapt. There are many things you can’t control when travelling so roll with it, because that’s sometimes when the best shots show themselves.

Don’t Underestimate Sunrise and Sunset

The benefits of shooting at these times are twofold. First, it is optimal lighting. The soft glow of sunrise, also known as the golden hour, gives beautiful shadows and warm tones. Meanwhile, the blue hour of sunset gives off another mood altogether.

It’s also worth researching where the sun will rise or fall at your location so you can plan your shot before you arrive. The second benefit of shooting at these times is avoiding crowds. If you’re looking to take a photograph of a landmark without hoards of people, the earlier you go, the better chance you have.

Be Respectful

The most important of our travel photography tips is to be respectful. One of the most special things about travel photography is photographing cultures and people. Just make sure you ask permission before you take a photo of a local, their house, or their belongings.

Learn to say “Please, can I take your photo?” in their language. If they are selling souvenirs, be sure to purchase one as a thank you. If you see signs asking you not to take photos — or if the best shot is from a spot behind a fenced-off area — put your camera away and take a moment to be present in the country and culture.

Don’t Take Snapshots

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and take a hurried snap because you are too busy in an activity, moving between locations or for any other reason.

Make time for your photography. The best shots come from taking the time to find the perfect composition, adjusting your camera settings, and even waiting for people and cars to pass by. Taking snapshots doesn’t give you time to evaluate your work. You could be out of focus, cutting someone’s head off, or you might spot a photo bomber in the background once you are back at your hotel.

Invest in Equipment and Protection

Invest in good — and ideally lightweight — equipment and excellent insurance. You never know where your travels will take you, so lightweight equipment is a must. There’s no point investing in an expensive camera or tripod and then never taking it with you because it’s too heavy.

Buy a durable hard drive and be sure to back up your photos as soon as you are able to. Make sure you have comprehensive insurance that will cover you if you leave your equipment somewhere or it gets stolen.

Enhance Your Editing Skills

Teach yourself everything you can about post-production. Sometimes, try as you might, you simply can’t capture the depth of the colors or the rays of sunlight through the lens — and that’s okay!

Post production can transform images that may not have come out as you’d planned, especially if you’re new to photography. With that in mind, if you do plan on editing your photos, make sure they are saved as RAW files, not JPEG. This will make editing far easier.

Practice Makes Perfect

The final of our travel photography tips is: practice, practice, practice.

You don’t have to be on a beach, mountain, or a city break to practice. Where you live is a location in itself. So go out, explore, and spend time getting to know your camera, style, and develop your skills. You’ll probably find beauty where you’ve never noticed it before and discover places close to home that you’ve never heard of.

Practicing in your own time around your own home means you’re less likely to make mistakes when it matters. You could even take some photography courses.