10 steps to a healthy holiday

10 steps to a healthy holiday

Avoid food poisoning, travel sickness and a host of other common holiday ailments with our ten tips for a healthy holiday.

Stay safe these holidays

A well-planned diet and a first aid kit of supplements won't necessarily spare you from holiday health upsets - but they will reduce your risk of some common complaints. Have a look at your holiday itinerary, and consider adding the relevant items to you shopping list.

1. Take supplements

One in four people travelling abroad will suffer from traveller's diarrhoea, so if you are prone to it you might want to start taking a probiotic supplement such as DTECTA Travla or sip a probiotic yogurt drink three weeks before you travel.

2. Go ginger

Oat and ginger cookies Travel sickness isn't much fun, so avoid heavy meals for at least two hours before travelling or eat dry snacks such as crackers or ginger biscuits like these Bumper oat cookies - studies show ginger root may reduce motion sickness. Avoid dairy products, salad and fruit, which can be acidic. Ginger capsules are sold in Boots.

Avoid heavy meals before travelling, or if you have to eat, choose dry snacks like crackers or ginger biscuits.

3. Drink water

If you're flying, remember that the air that you breathe on the plane is drier than normal, so it will increase your risk of dehydration, which in turn will make jet lag worse. Drink plenty of water, at least 200ml for every hour you're in the air. It's probably best to stick with still water rather than fizzy, which can leave you feeling bloated.

4. Prevent deep vein thrombosis

Avoiding dehydration on a flight also reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If you don't eat oil-rich fish such as mackerel regularly, take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for several weeks before travelling. Other supplements that may be beneficial are pycnogenol or ginkgo biloba. For more info go to MASTA or DOH.

4. Don't drink and fly

If you have problems sleeping on a long-haul flight, avoid the temptation to use a few drinks as a nightcap. You'll feel the effect of alcohol faster and you're more likely to get a hangover. Pack a few herbal teabags in your hand luggage in case you can't get decaffeinated tea or coffee onboard.

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