It’s the end of the year, your annual leave has been accepted and you’re about to travel with your family over the Christmas and New Year break on your long-awaited holiday. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget to properly prepare for your time away or to stop looking after yourself effectively whilst you’re gone. We’ve compiled some suggestions below of some of the measures that you can take that will allow you to make the most of your happy and healthy holiday.
Get adequate sleep + rest
Physically traveling, crossing time zones, carrying luggage, and walking all day takes a toll on the body and often the hype and excitement of being on vacation means we can easily forget to properly rest. Make sure that when you’re away you’re mindful to pace yourself, take plenty of breaks and don’t forget to rest and relax.
Bring along a survival pack
During your time away you may be taking a lot of public transport, flying on planes or sailing via boats which leaves you subject to the dreaded motion sickness. To avoid being travel sick, keep a packet of Travacalm in your handy survival pack, preferably alongside some first aid items so that your family is prepared for any situation.
Slip, Slop, Slap
Nothing dampens your holiday enthusiasm like a red, hot sunburn from the beach leaving you stinging, sore, unable to sleep and subject to heat stroke. As they say ‘prevention is easier than a cure’ so ensuring you’re well protected when you venture out into the sun with a wide brimmed hat, shielding clothing, available shade and a high SPF sunscreen can make all the difference. Choose a sunscreen option that’s ideally water resistant and sweat resistant, such as Cancer Council Sport Sunscreen, and don’t forget to reapply when necessary.
Eat Nutritious Foods
Although it’s tempting to completely overthrow your diet on your trip, there are many ways to stay on track whilst you’re eating out at restaurants. When you arrive at your destination ask the reception deck for recommendations of healthy restaurants nearby and what kind of foods they offer, or better yet Google some suggestions in advance and create a list you can keep referring to. Another great tip is to pack some superfood powders such as Acai, Spirulina, Super Greens or Cacao and add them to your smoothies, water and juices for a nutritional, daily health boost.
Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
Before you leave, consider instances that can be resolved or aided with products from the pharmacy such as swimmers’ ear that may occur after spending a lot of time in the pool or beach when the ears are exposed to water. It’s also always a great idea to pack insect repellent to avoid and receive protection from buzzing and biting bugs, including pesky mosquitos who thrive in warm evening temperatures.