One of the most important aspects of international travel is healthcare. When we’re in a foreign country, especially one that might not have universal healthcare, it’s vitally important to have some kind of plan in place in case an accident occurs, even if the chances of anything going wrong are next to impossible.
Travellers making their way around the world will want to keep the following tips and advice in mind before leaving home to ensure that all their medical bases are covered in the event of an emergency.
Getting Vaccinated
The first place to start in terms of good medical practises is by having the right vaccinations. There are a lot of countries in the world where certain disease is quite prevalent, such as Yellow Fever or Malaria, but almost all of these diseases have vaccinations that are cheap and widely available.
In fact, many countries require that visitors have certain vaccinations before they’re allowed to enter the country, so going out and getting all the vaccinations as well as a few others is an excellent way of not just being able to enter certain regions, but being safe from diseases, many of which can even be fatal.
COVID-19 vaccinations are mandatory across most of the world, so it’s important to always have the vaccination card on hand along with other important travel documentation.
Travel Insurance
Another highly advice type of insurance worth investing is travel insurance. There are usually plenty of different packages available, but having some kind of medical coverage is absolutely vital. Travel insurance can cover a wide range of different scenarios, but perhaps the most important is having access to medical care when it’s necessary.
A great example is having access to helicopter transportation from remote areas in developing countries to the nearest medical centres.
Often travel insurance can also cover the costs of having items stolen, along with documentation insurance and other great facilities, and it’s why so many travellers are advised to have decent travel insurance before setting out.
Maintain A Healthy Diet
This is something that a lot of travellers don’t really consider when it comes to their health but having a good diet and a strong immune system can make a world of difference, especially when in a new place, with new colds and other transmissible diseases to deal with. Thankfully, not only is having a good diet easy, but it’s also one of the cheaper ways of travelling, as it usually means buying local ingredients and cooking at home, which can be as simple as making a basic stew and letting it simmer while watching TV or looking at the latest Super Bowl odds.
Try and aim for lots of dark, leafy greens when possible, as well as lots of vegetables and grains, all of which tend to cost very little regardless of the country you’re staying in. Try and avoid eating fast foods as much as possible – their low asking price might be appealing, but they don’t provide the body with the minerals and nutrients that it needs.