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How to Stay Healthy on a Plane
An estimated 768 million passengers will
travel aboard U.S. airliners this year, often enduring
delays and increasingly crowded planes—and perhaps
even a seat next to someone who is a sneezer or cougher.
So, what can travelers do to stay well? Plenty, say experts.
Here are some tips:
The Problem: Dry Cabin Air
The low humidity in airplane cabins tends to dry out the
sensitive mucus membranes in the upper airways where viruses
and bacteria can take hold.
What To Do:
Keep drinking. Ideally, have 8 ounces of water or fruit
juice for each hour of your trip.
Stick to bottled or canned water and juices,
and limit alcohol or caffeinated drinks, which can be dehydrating.
Consider skipping drinks that may be made
from airline tap water, such as coffee or tea. Also, ask
for your drinks without ice when traveling from countries
where water safety is questionable.
The Problem: Blood Clots
Blood clots (deep venous thrombosis, or
DVT) can develop in the deep veins of the legs, especially
on long flights. They can lead to a potentially deadly
embolism, sometimes days after the trip. At particular
risk: individuals who have had recent orthopedic surgery
in their lower limbs, those with vascular or circulatory
problems, some cancer patients, the severely obese, smokers,
pregnant women and those on hormone replacement medication
or contraception pills, and those with a family history
of blood clots, says Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, a consultant
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What To Do:
· Stretch and walk around,
if you can, every hour or so.
· Do in-seat ankle extensions
and flexes, wiggle your toes, move your arms and legs around.
· If possible, get your legs
above your heart—easiest if you are in a first-class
sleeper, but also possible in a bulkhead economy-class
seat, where you can put your feet up on the wall in front
of you.
· Avoid sitting with your legs
crossed or sleeping for long periods of time.
· Ask your doctor about prescribing
medical graduated compression socks if you are at risk
for blood clots.
Those who experience the symptoms of DVT—swelling,
warmth, redness in the leg, or pain that is noticeable
or worse when standing or walking— should notify
a flight attendant. (And do not massage the leg, which
could be dangerous.)
The Problem: Germs in Close Quarters
The Federal Aviation Administration reports
that 75% of commercial airliners now use air filters that
can intercept almost all of the harmful bacteria, viruses
and other contaminants in the cabin. Still, that may not
be enough to protect you from the germs of the sneezer
sitting next to you.
What To Do:
Bring your own lightweight microfiber travel
blanket and pillow cover for long flights, because you
can never be sure that supplies onboard are clean. (Airline
cleaning schedules vary.)
Wash, wash, wash your hands after touching
potentially germy surfaces—door handles, toilet seats
and handles, lavatory sink spigots, magazines or other
people’s hands. Also, use clean hands when touching
your mouth, eyes, nose or any food. “The most common
way of contracting an infection onboard is by contact with
an infected surface—not by breathing infected air,” says
Jolanda Janczewski, an occupational health and safety consultant.
If you can’t get to soap and water,
use an antibacterial gel cleaner. Choose one that is at
least 60% alcohol, recommends Dr. Christie Reed, a travel-health
official at the CDC. Small, 2- to 3-ounce samplers that
comply with stricter airport carry-on rules for liquids
and gels are available at most convenience stores and drugstores.
Use bottled water—not tap—for
brushing your teeth.
The Problem: Blocked Ears
Traveling at 35,000 feet can cause painful
and potentially dangerous changes in ear pressure when
the plane is ascending or descending. Passengers traveling
with head congestion are particularly susceptible.
What To Do:
Chew gum, suck on candy and keep swallowing. Says
Dr. Reed, “Swallowing helps to equalize pressure.
Sips of bottled water also help.”
Consider depressurizing ear inserts (available
in adult and children’s sizes at most drugstores),
which also can help to equalize air pressure.
Have a cold? Ask your doctor if decongestant
medication would help. (Check security rules for packing
nasal spray.) And don’t hold your nose and blow
hard, which can do more harm than good by potentially
damaging your eardrum.
HOW
TO CHOOSE RIGHT BAGGAGE FOR TRAVEL
It’s sometimes
what your luggage looks, not what you look, that matters
a business traveler. The luggage reflects the personality
of the traveler to a great extent.
The luggage matters
a lot when you are on a business trip. The fact that
you are alone to carry the entire stuff for the days
ahead makes you a little worried about the size of
the baggage. Therefore, to be on the safer side, always
look for baggage that suits your different tour plans,
such as the long tour and the short tour.
Trolley cases are
ideal for a long business tour, especially that involves
air travels. On the other hand, travel backpacks will
suffice the needs of a one-day tour. Some of the backpacks
are convertible to hand-held bag, and their straps
can be hidden without getting noticed. This kind of
travel bags are a boon for a highly mobile professional,
but not suitable for senior executives, especially
if they are on a high-end business tour.
For a business tour that
lasts a day or two, a carry-on size duffel, a travel
backpack or a wheeled luggage of the size of 3,200 cu.in.
will be sufficient. For a week’s trip, it is better
to opt for a bigger travel backpack or a trolley case
that is about 4,000 cu.in.
For a month-long trip, choose the best-wheeled luggage
of about 5,000 cu.in.
size or a travel backpack of about 5,500 cu.in.
or a wheeled duffel of about 8,000 cu.in.
Next, the comfort. It is both the quality
of the material and the design of the luggage that add
comfort. Choose the fine quality leather, nylon, or plastic
bags that suit your hands and shoulders, and also your
pocket. The comfort level is added by the compact nature
of the bag.
The right traveling gear for
a business trip
The most important
traveling gear for a business traveler traveling abroad
will be a voltage adapter. This is important because
the power supply in different countries have different
voltage levels. While in the USA and a few other countries,
it is 110-120 range, in most of the other countries,
it is between 220 and 240 volts. Before shopping around
for these accessories, verify it and check the specifications
of your gadgets, such as the laptop, iPods, etc.
Travel gears such
as the sunglasses, raincoats, etc., are essentials
that you have to add while organizing your trip. Consider
the possible changes in the climatic conditions and
carry a water-proof jacket or an umbrella if necessary.
Opting for a money
belt is always the best option for any kind of travel.
It avoids the risks of getting your pockets opened
and also ensures safety at the best place. The concealed
compact money belts are ideal, as they do not get noticed
easily. Travel locks are another imperative travel
gear that you should shop before every travel. Look
for a different style and color. You can easily notice
them on the carousel.
Leave some empty
space in your baggage so that you don’t have
to stuff it with the things you carry from the tour.
How to find the right Laptop bag for
you.
The primary purpose
of the laptop bag is to protect your laptop. However,
it should ensure safety and comfort for your travel.
To choose a laptop bag that meets all the criteria
is not difficult provided you spend a little time planning
it.
Take care of the
following features while shopping for a laptop bag.
Degree of protection:
You are commuting to your office by your car; therefore,
you are not bothered about a bag that has thick safety
pads. This is a wrong decision. At any time, you may
get a chance to travel abroad, or you may have to rush
yourself in a crowded public transport. These are likely
situations, and so be prepared with a laptop bag with
hard exterior and padded interior to protect your laptop
from all sorts of damage.
Convenience:
There are laptop cases available that can be carried
in different ways. They are provided with handles to
hold by hand, wheels to roll, and also straps to hang
them around your shoulder. You can pull them along
a platform, carry them while climbing or hang them
around your shoulder while on a crowded platform or
bus.
Comfort:
Though the laptops are not very heavy, you will feel
them thrashing you when you carry them for an hour
or more. Opt for a bag that does not strain your neck.
Backpacks outweigh the messenger-style cases in this
regard, as the later does not distribute the weight
on the body evenly.
Extra Space:
The laptop carrier can function as your accessory bag.
To avoid carrying multiple bags, many people opt for
laptop cases that have expandable utility pockets that
can hold your organizers, pens, letter pads, mobile
phone charger, etc.
Quality Always
opt for bags that are from reputed brands and those
who offer warranty. Some of the bags are not sturdy
enough to protect themselves from moisture, heat, chemicals,
etc. Always make sure that your laptop case is waterproof
and is made of good quality material such as leather
or ballistic nylon. Cases that have heavy gauge zippers
are better than the normal fasteners.
Weight:
Of course, lightweight carriers are the best, especially
for a mobile professional. However, don’t compromise
the safety of the laptop while picking the lightest
bag for it.
Last, but the most
important, the accessories that you carry reveal your
identity. The laptop carrier, the most visible accessory,
is capable of giving a first impression about you.
Make sure that the quality of the laptop matches your
profile and it is maintained well. Untidy/torn bags
have to be avoided totally. Avoid unnecessary stuffing
in it to avoid the bulky appearance.
It is easy to choose a laptop case if
your mode of travel is same throughout the year. But
if you are a business traveler or those who travel to
multiple places in multiple transport modes, finding
a suitable laptop carrier would be a difficult task.
For the later kind of travels, the safety of the laptop
has to be given the priority over the other factors.
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