Ten Top Rules for Healthy International Travel

1. Get your vaccinations.  Vaccinations are probably the top rule for international travel; some countries won’t let you in without up to date immunizations.  Check with the State Department to see which vaccinations are required for your destination.  While you’re at it, make sure your regular vaccinations are current, too.  You should have had a tetanus shot within the past five years.  Get a flu shot and vaccination for pneumonia, too.

2. Make sure you have adequate health insurance.  Check your current health insurance policy and make sure it covers you wherever you are going.  If it doesn’t, purchase travel health insurance.

3. Take enough prescription medications.  Make sure you have enough of all of your prescription medications to last through your trip.  Another top rule is to take enough medication so that if you get delayed in a foreign country you won’t run out.  Also, it’s a top rule to keep all of your medications in their original, well-labeled containers.  If you take any narcotic pain medications, barbiturates or similar controlled substances, take a letter from your doctor saying why you need that medication.  

If you wear contacts or glasses, make sure you have an extra pair of glasses, too.

4. Take your own drugstore.  You do not know what over the counter medications will be available in a foreign country, so take your own.  Again, keep them in their original containers—sealed, unopened containers are best.  Here are some items you should consider taking with you:
• Medication for nausea and motion sickness
• Allergy medication
• Laxatives
• Antacids
• Ibuprofen, acetaminophen or other medication for fever and pain
• Bandaids
• Medication for diarrhea
• Sunscreen
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antifungal cream
• Anti-itch cream
• Kleenex
• Decongestants and/or antihistamines
• Antiseptic

5. If you have chronic health problems, take a copy of your medical history.  You don’t have to copy your entire chart, but it is important to make a list of all your health issues, any serious illnesses or surgeries you have had, and all the medications you take.  Include the telephone numbers of all of your health care providers, too.

6. Only drink boiled or bottled water.  Use it for all cooking, tooth-brushing and mouth-rinsing, too.  Don’t drink local milk or fruit juices unless they have been pasteurized.

7. Cook or peel all vegetables before eating them.  Only eat well-cooked meats and eggs, too.

8. Avoid poultry farms, poultry processing plants, aviaries or other places where birds are concentrated in an area.  These are the areas where you could catch bird flu.

9. If you are traveling to an area where malaria exists, take malaria prevention medication with you.  Check with your physician or a travel clinic to see when you should start taking anti-malarial medication and to get a prescription for it.

10. If you are traveling to anyplace with mosquitoes take and use an insect repellant with at least 30-50% DEET.  DEET is the best insect repellant for mosquitoes and is not as toxic to humans as most others.  Mosquitoes carry many serious illnesses, including malaria, West Nile virus and several forms of encephalitis.