Healthy Travel "Insider's Tips" from TRAVEL LEADERS & Spears Travel

Healthy travelers are happy travelers. 
 (Practical and creative tips offered by Travel Leaders).

Minneapolis, MN (May 4, 2010) - There is nothing better than being able to fully enjoy a long-dreamed about vacation or realizing strategic and financial success from an important business trip. A common element to a good trip is staying healthy. With that in mind, America's TRAVEL LEADERS are today offering 10 "Insider's Tips" on healthy travel.

Tip #1 - Take your medical history with you.

"Keep all of your medicines in containers with prescription labels and keep with your carry-on baggage. Have the name and phone number of your doctor and dentist with you and make sure you travel with your medical insurance card. It's also a good idea to carrying your immunization record with you." Mike Weingart (Travel Leaders, Houston, TX) 

Tip #2 - Up-to-date immunizations are important for international travel.

"For frequent international travelers, taking the regimen of Hepatitis-A and Hepatitis-B is a good idea - both last a lifetime. For some destinations, a polio vaccine is highly recommended. Since most 'Baby Boomers' haven't had a booster since elementary school, it's a good idea to check the CDC Web site for your particular destination (especially Africa). Also, typhoid immunization has a very short efficacy. There is a new 4-pill form which doubles the effectiveness. Again check with your primary care physician. Finally, I always have a current prescription for Cipro. It's a very reasonably priced antibiotic and usually one pill will alleviate most 'Travelers' Tummy' problems. " Marsha Horowitz (Travel Leaders, Durham, NC) 

Tip #3 - Soap, water and hand sanitizers are "must haves."

"To stay healthy I always wash my hands as much as possible while traveling or on a cruise. I also carry hand sanitizer wipes for use when soap and water are not available. You do not have to worry about airport security when carrying sanitizer in this form." Arvid Olson, ECCS, LCS (Travel Leaders, Palm Coast, FL) 
 "I carry hand wipes to clean the door knobs, phone, lamps, etc. as soon as I arrive at my hotel room or cruise ship stateroom. If I don't have hand wipes, I use a napkin or towel with soap on it to do the same thing. I also open doors when I am out and about, using my sweater, coat, or scarf as a 'glove.'" Sharron Knutson (Travel Leaders, Marysville, WA) 
 "Our secret to staying healthy involves how we touch places where people touch often. For example: elevator buttons; hand rails; door knobs/handles; etc. We use our knuckles or back of hand to touch these items. With handles, we use a paper towel or coat/shirt sleeve to touch the handle. Also, we wash our hands frequently and for long times with soap." Alex Kutin (Travel Leaders, Indianapolis, IN) 

Tip #4 - Worried about germs on an airplane? Try this.

"While traveling on planes, smear a bit of Neosporin in both nose nostrils. This is supposed to prevent any germs from entering through your nose while on the plane (and looks better than a mask)." Sandy Moeller (Travel Leaders, Tulsa, OK) 

Tip #5 - Plan for sunny destinations as you would if you were home.

"Bring sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen." Mike Weingart (Travel Leaders, Houston, TX) 

Tip #6 - Special diet needs are easy to handle with pre-planning.

"If you have any special dietary needs, be sure to let your travel professional know, so that they may pre-arrange with a resort or cruise ship to make sure that your needs are met. Programs are widely available, even as far as a 'culinary concierge' at a resort that I recently visited. This can come into play for any food allergies, special diets, and diabetic and other illness related special dietary needs. It's much easier to get this accomplished if it is requested ahead of time, and you will be more relaxed knowing that it is taken care." Sarah Waxler (Travel Leaders, Durham, NC) 

Tip #7 - Make sure you can see where you are going.

"Bring an extra pair of glasses and/or your prescription." Mike Weingart (Travel Leaders, Houston, TX) 

Tip #8 - Don't be shy about asking for help.

"If you are travelling when you are not in a state of optimum health, do not be embarrassed to request a wheelchair or cart for large airports. Conserve your energy for the times that you must walk, as opposed to wasting it all in the corridors of the airport on the way to your destination." Sarah Waxler (Travel Leaders, Durham, NC) 

Tip #9 - Compression sleeves may help breast cancer patients and survivors.

"If you or someone you know has had any breast cancer surgery that involves lymph nodes, consult a doctor to secure a prescription for an arm compression sleeve to prevent Lymphedema. The sleeve needs to be put on the arm 30 minutes prior to boarding the plane, leaving it on the arm for 30 minutes after arrival." Sandy Moeller (Travel Leaders, Tulsa, OK) 

Tip #10 - Travel insurance is highly recommended.

"Remember travel insurance. While we all want to travel healthy, sometimes illnesses or accidents creep up on us. That's when travel insurance comes into play. There are multiple aspects to it: emergency medical expenses, accident expenses and emergency medical transportation. In addition, there is coverage for expenses incurred when a trip has to be cancelled or it is interrupted. The best part is you are only a phone call away from experts who can assist you with your medical needs and assist with the payment whether it is at the time of need or afterwards." Mike Weingart (Travel Leaders, Houston, TX) 
 Travel Leaders experts throughout the United States are happy to offer even more healthy travel tips and/or assist travelers in creating a uniquely-tailored travel experience. When your journey includes us, you travel better. To find the Travel Leaders location nearest you, go to www.TravelLeaders.com or call 1.888.206.TRIP (8747).

Travel Leaders is transforming travel with a name that boldly embodies our commitment to our vacation and business travel clients via a progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. As one of America's top ten-ranked travel companies, Travel Leaders has assisted millions of travelers through our strong roots - the former Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates, TraveLeaders and Tzell Travel Group joined together in 2008 to form one of the industry's fastest-growing and robust networks of travel agents. Travel Leaders Franchise Group can trace its beginnings to 1984 as the franchise system "Ask Mr. Foster Travel," which itself was North America's first travel agency chain established in 1888.