Page 55 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2025

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E R E P O R T
How to Stay Healthy on a Tropical Escape
BY ADAM BISBY
PHOTOS: DARREN LAWRENCE/PEXELS
winter blues, and with a few simple precautions travellers can
Tropical getaways provide prime opportunities to shrug off the
focus on what matters most: relaxation, adventure, delight and
making the best kind of memories. Whether it’s protecting your-
self from diarrhea during travel and mosquito-borne diseases, or simply
being mindful of hygiene and personal safety, staying healthy while trav-
elling is easier than you might think. Keep reading to explore what you
need to know.
Avoiding Diarrhea
Nobody wants to deal with stomach troubles while on vacation.
Thankfully, a few simple precautions make it easy to avoid diarrhea
during travel, an illness that affects between 20 and 50 percent of
international travellers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). “Destinations like Mexico and the Dominican
Republic, while beautiful and deservedly popular among Canadians, are
higher-risk locations for food- and water-borne illnesses, even in
resorts,” says pharmacist Kelly Haggerty, who runs a travel clinic out of
the Bright’s Grove Family Pharmacy she owns near Sarnia, Ontario.
A LOCAL TRIP BEFORE
YOUR BIG JOURNEY
Visiting a pharmacy or a travel clinic 4–6
weeks before travel will provide you with
all the information you need to stay
healthy. Travel clinics specialize in
destination-specific advice, including
vaccines and health risks unique to the
country you’re visiting. “Even if you can’t
make it to a travel clinic, checking in with
your family doctor or pharmacist is a great
way to cover many of your bases,”
Haggerty says. “By getting the right
advice ahead of time, you’ll feel confident
and prepared, and being prepared brings
peace of mind.”
WINTER/SPRING 2025 DREAMSCAPES 55