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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
The Healthy Traveler Managing Your Health When You're Away 
Fortunately, there are plenty of places to turn for help...from airline amenity kits with soothing balms, mists and emollients, to hotels with blackout curtains and soundproofing, to providers of "distance medicine" services to international travelers. This special section will cover the many important ways of protecting and managing your health when you're away from home. Preventive Techniques Plenty of frequent travelers stay healthy and productive on the road. What's their secret? Here are some road warrior tips, both preventive and palliative: • Keep hydrated. Drinking lots of fluids when you fly is essential to good health; the symptoms of dehydration can include everything from headache and lightheadedness to nausea. Besides advising drinking 8-12 ounces of nonalcoholic, caffeine-free fluid for every hour you're aloft, experts suggest using petroleum jelly or mineral oil to coat the inside of your nostrils; to keep your lips moist with lip balm; to suck on lozenges or chew gum to keep your mouth wet, and to be liberal with saline nasal spray. "Bacteria essentially slide off wetness," says Dr. Herbert Patrick, a respiratory specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Many travelers swear by personal air purifiers, the kind worn around the neck. Others never leave home without antibacterial hand lotion.
On the Ground Several hotel companies have made significant investments in health club facilities in their city and airport properties to make it easier for guests far from home and their fitness routines, to fit in a workout. At Hilton, the health clubs at Boston/ Logan, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, O'Hare and LAX all have substantial facilities. "The health clubs at airport hotels are doing gangbusters," said Jeanne Datz, a spokesperson for Hilton Hotels Corporation. "Transit passengers can pay a modest day rate and take advantage of the pool -- some properties even have lap pools -- plus weight rooms and saunas." At O'Hare, the Hilton is actually in the terminal; at others it's just a matter of jumping on a complimentary airport shuttle. At Renaissance Hotels, many of the properties have fitness centers that rival the kind found at resorts. In Toronto, where the Renaissance hotel is connected to the Skydome, the health club facilities include five squash courts and nine holes of golf. In Walnut Creek, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, the new Renaissance has a "concept" health club called Renaissance Club Sport, with a 12,500 square foot fitness center, an aquatics center, an NCAA regulation basketball court, racquetball, handball and squash courts; plus classes in step, cycling, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, kickboxing, aerobics, stretching, and strengthening. There's also a full menu of health and wellness services provided, including testing, personal training, nutrition counseling, cardiac rehab, sport-specific training, etc. Eat properly and get enough sleep. A survey of 1,000 business travelers sponsored by Hilton found that travelers tend to eat more than usual on business trips, and many road warriors drink more alcohol than they do at home -- habits that interfere with getting a good night's sleep. "Convenience usually comes before health when you're running yourself ragged on a business trip," said Pam Smith, registered dietician, noted nutritionist, and author of "The Energy Edge," and a consultant for Hyatt Hotels' heart-healthy Cuisine Naturelle program. "The goal was to provide great-tasting dishes that the frequent traveler can indulge in, while being kind to their bodies." Hilton has a similar program of low-fat meals on its menus, as do Four Seasons and Sheraton. But when a healthy meal is simply not available, or you're rushing out of your hotel room, eating a balanced meal may be impossible. For those times, nutritionist Smith offers the following suggestions: • Pack healthy, easy-to-grab snacks -- low-fat breakfast bars, whole-grain crackers, fruit and sunflower seeds. • Instant oatmeal is a quick, healthy, hearty breakfast (or snack) choice that can be prepared easily in your hotel room. • Order what you like, and only eat half. Be especially vigilant when traveling to a foreign country. It's wise to be concerned about contaminated water and food. In some places, you must also worry about malaria, and deadly strains of hepatitis. US Assist, a global medical and legal assistance service provider, has the following recommendations for international business travelers: Before you go: • Have all necessary vaccinations and take all recommended medications. • Get the name and address of an English-speaking physician at your destination. • Take a medical kit containing a variety of over-the-counter preparations for headache, queasy stomach, sunburn, etc. • Pack an extra pair of prescription glasses or contact lenses. • Bring a copy of the prescription for any medication you're taking. You may need a refill, or, since drug names differ from country to country, it's a way for a doctor to know exactly what you're taking. While abroad: • Avoid tap water, ice cubes and raw fruits and vegetables. • Don't rely solely on embassies for emergency assistance. Not all are prepared to help you in a crisis. • Hire a cab or driver. Road accidents are the leading cause of death for travelers. Coping with Jet Lag It's an irritating fact of life for travelers: the quid pro quo for the ability to dash across multiple time zones faster than your body clock can reset itself. Most travelers, as many as 90 percent, suffer from the jet lag syndrome -- some acutely. Symptoms can include intense fatigue, headaches, irritability, digestive problems, insomnia, sleepiness, dizziness and a foggy head. While none of these are terribly threatening, any can make the first few days of a business trip a misery. Research suggests that cognitive function may also be impaired by jet lag, which is why many companies advise their traveling executives to wait a day before planning high-level meetings. Sadly, there's no real cure, but there are plenty of ways to speed up your body's ability to "phase adjust" to a new time zone: • Take nonstop flights whenever possible. You'll spend less time getting there, and have more time to adjust once you are there. • As soon as you board the plane, set your watch to the time zone at your destination. Then, whenever possible, do on board what you would do if you were at your destination. If it's dinnertime, have a light meal. If it's bedtime, try to take a nap. Bring whatever you need to help you sleep on board: eyeshades, earplugs, travel-pillows, neck rests. • Stay away from alcohol. Besides its diuretic effect, it also disrupts natural sleep rhythms. • As soon as you can, get out in the sunshine. Natural light stimulates the pineal gland, which helps regulate circadian rhythms. • Get some exercise. A light workout will make you feel better and may help you readjust faster. • Limit a daytime nap to no more than three hours. • Take it easy when you first arrive. Researchers say it takes your body one day per time zone crossed to adjust. If you're flying to Australia, it can take more than a week to adjust. • Don't believe the hype about quick cures. The "Jet Lag Diet" has been thoroughly debunked by sleep researchers. A controlled study by the U.S. Army actually found that the practitioners had a harder time adjusting than the non-dieters. • Be wary of over-the-counter medications. Some people think Melatonin is great, but it isn't FDA approved, and safety and efficacy studies haven't been completed. Researchers are still determining proper dosages -- how much to take at what time of the day, in all age groups by both sexes. Writer: Jill Molyneaux is a business travel specialist and former editor-in-chief of Corporate Travel magazine. Print Design: Sundberg & Associates Inc. Produced by: MeigsMedia, Ltd., Millbrook, NY E-mail: jon@meigsmedia.com www.meigsmedia.com |
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