health + wellness - Explore Big Sky
health + wellness - Explore Big Sky
health + wellness - Explore Big Sky
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noun: wild or rough terrain<br />
adjacent to a developed area<br />
origin: shortened form of<br />
“back 40 acres”<br />
staYing <strong>health</strong>Y<br />
while traveling<br />
story and photo by FeliCia ennis<br />
Each year roughly 45 million Americans travel abroad. Studies have shown the<br />
most common travel related illnesses are traveler’s diarrhea and upper respiratory<br />
infection. Either rich or poor, no one can afford to get sick while traveling.<br />
Despite the upcoming warnings, “There is nothing like travel to change your<br />
perspective.” Take a few preliminary precautions, stay alert, travel with purpose,<br />
step out into the world and you will be rewarded, refreshed, invigorated.<br />
“The most common travel illnesses<br />
are food, water, and insect borne. Take<br />
precautions, consult a travel medicine<br />
provider prior to departure, and drink<br />
only purified and/or filtered water,”<br />
according to Stephanie Murphy,<br />
Human Services Director, at Gallatin<br />
County Health Department.<br />
“Never eat food from street vendors<br />
and if you do make sure it is fully<br />
cooked. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables<br />
on the street as well. In other<br />
words, ‘cook it, boil it, peel it, or<br />
forget it’,” Murphy adds. Malaria, a<br />
disease transferred by mosquitoes,<br />
kills more people than any other disease<br />
in the world.<br />
Here are a select few of the many<br />
<strong>health</strong> related travel tips to consider<br />
whether you travel locally or internationally:<br />
“don’t get bit, don’t get<br />
hit, don’t get lit, don’t do it,<br />
and don’t eat shit”<br />
Hydrate –The most overlooked<br />
pitfall while traveling is dehydration.<br />
Drink lots of water and say “no,<br />
thank you” to ice in your Coke. It’s<br />
likely the ice was made with tap water.<br />
Check purchased water bottles to<br />
confirm that the lid is actually sealed<br />
and therefore not just tap water in a<br />
reused bottle.<br />
Vaccinate and immunize – Find out<br />
what types of vaccinations you will<br />
need to enter the country and get the<br />
vaccinations four to six weeks prior<br />
to departure in case you have a reaction<br />
to one of them and need a little<br />
recovery time. Be sure your immunizations<br />
such as Tetanus, Thyphoid,<br />
Hepatitis A and B are current. Also<br />
check with the U.S. Centers for Disease<br />
Control and Prevention for other<br />
recommendations before traveling.<br />
Carry a copy of your immunizations<br />
For the big sky weekly, the back 40 is a resource: a<br />
place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts<br />
to share their knowledge. topics include regional<br />
history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and<br />
avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or<br />
outdoor skills, and science.<br />
in case you need to confirm what shots<br />
you have had.<br />
First aid – Bring your own first aid<br />
kit. These are modest essentials:<br />
Ibuprofen<br />
Pepto-Bismol<br />
Anti-motility agent<br />
Aspirin<br />
Cough drops<br />
Cloth tape<br />
Gauze<br />
Band Aids<br />
Hand sanitizer<br />
Alcohol prep pads<br />
Neosporin<br />
EpiPen<br />
Keep medications close – Always<br />
carry personal prescription medicines<br />
in your carry-on luggage, and leave it<br />
in checked baggage. It’s a trip disaster<br />
to be separated from critical medications.<br />
travel insurance: Verify that your<br />
personal insurance covers foreign<br />
destinations and medical evacuation.<br />
If it doesn’t you can purchase these<br />
from a travel insurance company.<br />
Travel insurance will cover medical<br />
expenses, financial default of travel<br />
explorebigsky.com<br />
big sky weekly<br />
street vendor in ecuador<br />
suppliers, and other losses incurred<br />
while traveling, internationally and<br />
locally.<br />
avoid one-night stands: Traveling<br />
can be exhausting. Two or more<br />
nights in one place provide a chance<br />
to rest and relax. When well rested<br />
you’re less likely to get ill.<br />
Pack light – If you can, limit yourself<br />
to 20 pounds in a carry-on–size<br />
bag. No one ever wishes they’d<br />
traveled with a heavier suitcase.<br />
Often the measure of a good traveler<br />
is how light he or she travels.<br />
This also depends on the nature of<br />
your trip.<br />
Wash your hands – Frequent hand<br />
washing helps avoid illness. Keep<br />
your hands away from your eyes<br />
and mouth.<br />
Montana native Felicia Ennis lives<br />
in Livingston. Through her travel<br />
company, Bella Treks, she designs<br />
customized travel plans to Antarctica,<br />
Alaska, the Arctic, Argentina,<br />
Chile, the Galapagos, Morocco, Peru<br />
and around Montana.<br />
bellatreks.com<br />
July 15, 2011 31