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?

Resources

American Academy of Family Pediatrics: Deep Vein Thrombosis

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Blood Clots and Travel

CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel

U.S. Department of State, Travel Advisories

World Health Organization (WHO): Air Travel Advice

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Is your child overweight? It may be hard to tell. As children grow and develop, weight changes are normal. If you’re concerned about your child’s weight, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will use a chart to determine your child’s ideal weight. If your child is heavier than 95% of other children the same age and height, they are considered obese. If your child is heavier than 85% of other children the same age and height, they are considered overweight.

The good news is that you can teach your child life-long healthy habits. The earlier the better. Not all children who are overweight have weight problems as adults. However, as a child gets older, their risk for remaining overweight increases. The risk is even higher if one or both parents are overweight.

Path to improved health

There are things you can do to teach your child to eat healthy and exercise at a young age:

• Provide a healthy diet for your child. Determine how many calories your child should eat, and read the Nutrition Facts Label when eating packaged food. Provide plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If you are unsure of what to serve, talk to your doctor or a dietician.
• Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, such as fruit juices, fruit drinks, regular-calorie soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened or flavored milk, or sweetened iced tea. Have your child drink water as much as possible. Whole fruits are better than fruit juices. Juices contain added sugar.
• Make healthy eating and exercise a family affair. Eat meals and snacks together as a family.
• Don’t let your child eat in front of the TV, or while playing video games or on the computer. Insist that they sit at the kitchen table. Limit screen time to 2 hours per day.
• Teach your child to eat slowly and to stop when they feel full.
• Avoid fast food.
• Spend time with your child being active. Go on walks or ride bikes together. Find a local pool and swim together. Encourage your child to join sports teams. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) encourages all children and adolescents to get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity every day.
• Be a good role model. If you are eating healthy and exercising, your child will too.
• Praise your child for their strengths to build self-esteem.

For younger children who are overweight but getting taller, the healthiest goal is to have them “grow into” the weight. This is better than trying to lose weight. Talk to your doctor about realistic goals. Be patient. It may take some time.

Things to consider

Being overweight can lead to chronic diseases as an adult. This includes high blood pressure and diabetes. Provide positive support for a healthy life. Avoid a negative approach:

• Don’t force your child to eat when they aren’t hungry.
• Don’t force your child to “clean their plate.”
• Don’t use food as comfort or a reward.
• Don’t offer dessert as a reward for finishing a meal. This places more importance on sweets over healthy choices.
• Don’t limit how much food your child can eat while they are in a growth spurt. Simply offer healthy choices.
• Don’t put too much emphasis on losing weight.
• Never give your child diet medicines.

A hormone imbalance is probably not the reason your child struggles with weight. Children who have a hormone imbalance grow slower than other children and they often have other symptoms. These include fatigue, constipation, or dry skin. If your child has these symptoms, talk with your doctor.

Questions to ask your doctor

• How can I control the types of food my teenager buys for school lunches?
• What should I do if my child has poor self-esteem at a young age because of his or her weight?
• What if my child doesn’t like to be physically active or can’t be active?

Resources

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Helping Your Child Who is Overweight

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A drug-food interaction occurs when your food and medicine interfere with one another. Interactions can happen with both prescription and over-the-counter medicines. These include antacids, vitamins, and iron pills.

Not all medicines are affected by food. Some, though, are affected by what you eat or when you eat it. Taking a medicine at the same time you eat can cause your body not to absorb the medicine. Certain foods may delay or decrease the absorption of the drug. For example, you should not combine dairy and antibiotics. This is why some medicines should be taken on an empty stomach (1 hour before eating or 2 hours after eating).

Some medicines cannot be taken with certain types of food. The food can cause a reaction that changes the effect of the medicine. It also can create or heighten side effects. An example of this is having grapefruit or grapefruit juice with cholesterol drugs. If you take an ACE inhibitor, you should avoid foods high in potassium, such as bananas.

On the other hand, some medicines are easier to handle when taken with food. If you don’t take them with food, you may feel nauseous or dizzy. This is often the case with some antibiotics.

Path to safety

Always talk to your doctor or a pharmacist before taking a new medicine. They can tell you about possible drug-food interactions. Below are more important tips to follow.

• Read the prescription label on the container. If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• Read all directions, warnings, and interaction precautions. Even over-the-counter medicines can cause problems.
• Take all medicine with a full glass of water unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
• Do not stir medicine into your food or take capsules apart unless your doctor tells you to. This can change the way the drug works.
• Do not mix medicine into hot drinks. Heat may keep the drug from working.
• Do not take vitamins at the same time you take other medicine. Vitamins and minerals can cause problems if taken with some drugs.
• Never take medicine with alcohol.

Things to consider

Taking a new medicine can be hard, especially if there is a risk for interactions. Create a routine for taking one or all of your medicines. Things that may help are:

• Keeping a calendar for what day and time to take each one
• Setting an alarm to remind you to take each one
• Using a pill box to manage your medicines

When to see the doctor

Contact your doctor if:

• You have any questions about drug-food interactions
• You have side effects when taking a medicine
• You don’t feel better or start to feel worse after starting a new medicine

Questions to ask your doctor

• Is there a certain time of day I should take my medicine?
• Should I take my medicine with food or on an empty stomach?
• Do I need to avoid certain foods with my medicine?
• What happens if I eat certain foods with my medicine?
• Are there any other substances I need to avoid?

Resources

Drugs.com: Drug Interactions Checker

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