Tropical getaways provide prime opportunities to shrug off the winter blues, and with a few simple precautions travellers can focus on what matters most: relaxation, adventure, delight and making the best kind of memories. Whether it’s protecting yourself from diarrhea during travel and mosquito-borne diseases, or simply being mindful of hygiene and personal safety, staying healthy while travelling 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.

One of the keys to avoiding diarrhea during travel, Haggerty says, is being mindful of what you eat and drink. “Stick to bottled water, avoid ice made from tap water, and be cautious with raw or undercooked foods.”

For extra protection, she adds, there’s an easy-to-take oral vaccine that can help to prevent diarrhea caused by a particular strain of bacteria producing a heat-sensitive toxin (called heat-labile toxin-producing enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli [or LT-producing ETEC]) as well as cholera, another bacterial infection of the digestive tract.

Don’t Ignore Influenza

Given its prevalence in Canada, it’s easy to forget that the flu can still be a concern in paradise. Flu viruses are highly contagious and affect less than 10 percent of the global population annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since flu season peaks during the colder months, it’s important to remember that you might be exposed to the virus before you even arrive at your destination.

The best precautions, Haggerty says, involve “getting your flu shot before you travel, practising good hand hygiene, especially in airports and during flights, and looking after yourself before your trip. If you’re exhausted and run down before your vacation, your immune system suffers and you can pick up germs more easily.”