{Editor’s note: We have had near incessant rain here lately, which always has me thinking of sunnier locales to take my family. Whenever I travel, the last thing I want is for someone to get sick – just ask my husband about our honeymoon! The guest poster today has lots of great traveling tips to keep you and your family whenever you might travel next.]

5 Tips to Stay Healthy and Avoid Illness While on the Road

If there’s one time in life when getting sick just isn’t an option, it’s when you’re on vacation. After making all of those plans and looking forward to a nice, relaxing break for months, coming down with a cold or flu can be extremely disheartening. While there’s no surefire way to completely ward off illnesses while you’re traveling, there are things you can do to minimize your risk by a significant degree.

The best part of all is that none of these strategies cost substantially extra money or involve a lot of time or effort. They are simple and practical, and they can save you from a lot of aggravation while you’re on the road. Five of the simplest and easiest tips are outlined below.

1. Water is Your Friend

   Perhaps the most surefire way of avoiding illness is staying hydrated at all times. In fact, most common sicknesses like the cold, stomach ache, etc, are best avoided (or if you do fall sick, treated) by drinking as much water as possible. At the same time, however, clean and potable water is not necessarily readily available in many countries. If you think you will be traveling to a destination where the drinking water could present a health hazard, and you want to avoid the wastefulness of bottled water, be sure to bring with you a water filter, heater, and/or water purification tablets. For more information on purifying water while traveling, check out this excellent resource from Everyday Health

2. Take Natural Vitamins

   Whether you take vitamins regularly or not, you should be especially vigilant about taking them while you are on the road. It’s not easy to get proper nutrition when you’re traveling. Even if you take pains to avoid greasy fast food, it’s not always possible to find truly healthy fare. Furthermore, it never hurts to take a little extra vitamin C when you’ll be coming into contact with scores of different people. Your immune system will be pummeled by all kinds of foreign germs, and it can use all the help it can get. By taking your vitamins, you’ll give it the boost that it needs to keep sickness at bay. If you don’t normally take vitamins, be sure to purchase natural vitamins, instead of their synthetic counterparts you typically see at your average grocery store. For more information on natural versus synthetic vitamins, check out this Global Healing Center article.

3. Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

   It’s easy to forgo fresh fruits and vegetables while you’re on the road. After all, it’s not like you’ll be stopping in at the local grocery store on a regular basis while you’re out of town. However, it’s possible to get your hands on fresh veggies and fruits virtually anywhere. Don’t cross them off your list just because you’re not on your home turf. If you’re not sure where to find them, ask the hotel staff, a cab driver or another local. Carry a backpack and keep a few fruits and veggies in it at all times. When hunger strikes, you can nosh on something healthy, which will curb your hunger and boost your immune system.

4. Keep it Sanitary

   Everyone knows the importance of regular hand washing, and it’s even more important when you’re out and about in the world. However, in the mad dash to find your way from point A to point B, you may fall off the hand-washing wagon. Keep with you hand-washing soap in case you encounter bathrooms without any. Eco-friendly hand sanitizing sprays, like those offered by CleanWell, are also available if you must travel long periods of time without being able to wash your hands in traditional bathroom setting.

5. Get Plenty of Shuteye

   One thing that can seriously increase your risk of becoming ill while you’re on the road is a lack of sleep. It’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep when you’re out of town, but there are things you can do to make it easier. Invest in a good pair of earplugs. Buy a comfortable sleep mask in case you end up in a room that’s flooded with light at night. If you have a smartphone or an iPhone, download a white noise app and use it to lull yourself to sleep. The goal here is to wake up as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as possible.

At the end of the day, you need to be conscientious about not overextending yourself while you’re on the road. By taking care of yourself, you should be able to avoid most illnesses. It’s well worth it to put the preceding tips into action whenever you are away from home. Whether you’re going away for business or pleasure, they will help to keep your immune system as strong and robust as possible, and you’ll be able to get through your travels without any serious colds other illnesses.

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Sara Reynold’s passion for art, reading, and travel has allowed her to pursue a career in writing. At this time, she is currently a staff writer for a travel insurance site.