Your travel ailments

Something I get, and so does everyone else, is blisters. I find that Bag Balm (stuff in the green square can that has a cow on it, lol) helps immensely. It toughens the skin, stops pain and redness, prevents infection, and pretty much takes care of it. I put some in a smaller tin, like an empty burts bees lip balm tin. Put it on as soon as you can, a bandage if possible, then rub it in at night after a good shower. For me its almost healed by the time I wake up.

Does anyone have any tips for upper respiratory/sinus/allergy problems? I have lost lots of time both during and after a trip with this. I got bronchitis once in Amsterdam, and after a trip to Oz was very sick for three months, loosing my voice for six weeks and taking three rounds of antibiotics. :/ I was fine when I got on the flight home, just allergies, and by the time I landed I had a full on hard core sinus infection from hell. Ah, that clean cabin air!! Reply to this

When dehydrated you sweat because your body is trying to cool itself down. You should get REALLY concerned when you stop sweating because, like when you stop shivering during hypothermia, your body has given up trying to regulate itself. The best thing for dehydration is Gatorade when it's available if not, then orange/apple juice (for sugar) mixed with salt and water. I know it sounds gross and tastes horrific but it works and takes the least amount of time to recover.

Secondly. I'm prone to sinus colds etc. so I take Tylenol sinus and it clears it right up and I can get on with my day. I take a bottle whenever I go on trips because I'm bound to get sick either on my way there or returning. Reply to this

Melanie, I am with you on the sunscreen!! I live in Texas, and I have worn sunscreen on my face and neck every day since I was 22 (when it dawned on me you aren't young forever). It must help, since I just turned 37, and someone at my new job felt it necessary to inquire if I was over 21. LOL. I just said "yeah" and left it at that. 😊 I take it when I travel, as being a lifeguard for six years I know you get burned from the direct sun, but you are getting the bad damaging rays even (or especially) on overcast days. I got a third degree sunburn in Panama as a kid, and never forgot it. I used to use Aveeno (I'm have developed a sensitivity to chemical sunscreen--that's irony for you!!) but just started on Burt's Bees (available in the US and Canada) No Chemical sunscreen. Its non greasy, smells great, doesn't make me break out, and if you put it on just washed skin it doesn't 'pill up'.

Ashley, I get sinus headaches, bad, almost all the time. I almost didn't know what one was, even though I grew up in the Allergy Capitol of the World (Austin). I moved to Houston, and discovered a level of pollution, mold, and toxic fumes I scarcely knew existed, and literally had a sinus headache for the about 98% of the 11 years I lived there. I guess I found out what *I'm* allergic to!! I also got major sneezing, sore thoat, sleepy headachy allergies in Australia, and tend to get some kind of upper respiratory/nasal ailment when traveling (though thankfully its the only thing I ever get). I think I get a random allergy that annoys my sinus tissues, and it lets in bad stuff like Bronchitis that I would normally never catch. BUT. I discovered something recently that has helped tremendously. People told me about it for years, but I just now did it. Have you ever heard of a Neti Pot? It is a small ceramic pot, maybe the size of a baseball, that you put warm sea salt water into, and though it sounds nasty (but isn't when you do it) "rinse" out your sinuses? There are videos on youtube about exactly what goes down. I am back in Austin, and have had to use a fraction of the Sudafed (I try not to use the pain releiver/sinus headache stuff, I realized I'd end up on dialysis if I didn't slow down) I used to take. I did it maybe twice a day at first, then now twice a week or so. Its quick and painless, and practically free once you buy the pot, and my headaches went from frequency level 8 and pain level 10 to frequency 3 and pain level 3. Try it!! I need to figure out a way to travel with this thing without breaking it.

Melanie, also the diarrhea thing is something my family deals with with very frequent trips to Mexico (lovely place and people, easy to get Montezuma's Revenge). They take an anti-bacterial pill called Bactrim, which kills all the buggies in your stomach. When you get home, eat a few yogurts, and you have nothing but good buggies. I went there all my life and never got sick once. I know people (including my brother) who had become so ill they almost died. My step-Mom has switched to something homeopathic, but I can't recall it. I'll have to ask.....I think with fruit, "fresh" is the key word. If its fresh, you are ok, if it is not less than a few hours after being cut, you are taking a chance. Also something people don't think of is rancid fry grease, very prevalent in developing countries. Of course, the worst thing is tap water. My mother contracted an amoeba from tap water (given to her in Mexico City because she was choking on something) and it very nearly killed her. She was ill for years. They do have good yogurt in latin america and Mexico, better flavors as well! Reply to this

Ooh! Snow burns, yikes. Water reflection burns are similar, and something you get working at a pool. Its why LG wear zinc under their eyes and on their noses. Yeah, I have sun-damage freckles on my nose and shoulders. I am very fair skinned, and of Scots-Irish descent, but for some reason tan like the girl from Ipanema. But, I found that a combo of a really good micro dermabrasion face scrub and Garnier Skin Renew took care of about 90% of the sun damage. That and daily sunscreen to prevent the year round small dose exposure (which add up). Reply to this