How to stay healthy on the road

YOU CAN usually tell when a close friend or relation has been travelling too much. Too-frequent flyers keep odd hours, and the bags under their eyes tell tales of jet-lag-induced woe. They grow paunchy from long flights sitting down, too much drinking, and too little exercise. They may be sick from strange food or new parasites. They can be irratable and short-tempered. Travelling is stressful, and, as Gulliver has noted before, too much of it can really damage your health. In previous posts I've urged not just awareness, but actual work to counteract the damage business travel levels on our bodies. When I wrote about a Columbia University study that proved that to much travel is unhealthy, the lead author commented that "Studies that show even 'obvious' findings are required before corporations will start to put into place programmes to address the stresses of business travel." There has yet to be much progress on the corporate front, but on the "physician, heal thyself" side, Amanda Cook of The Next Woman Business Magazine offers some useful tips for frequent travellers. She suggests drinking enough water, bringing something from home to comfort you (your music, a favourite photo, whatever), and eating a good breakfast—all pretty obvious. That's not all, though. Ms Cook also suggests bringing lavender essential oil—a suggestion your correspondent can't really speak to—and making sure to get out for some fresh air every day. That last tip may seem obvious, too, but it's hugely underrated. I find that even a short walk around the block or through a park can do a great job of clearing my head and relaxing me, even in a foreign city. Ms Cook adds that "getting some morning sunshine" can "help reset your internal clock", which may seem silly but is actually true. Open those window shades! Ms Cook left exercise off her list, but a jog or a bike ride can be a great stress reliever on the road. When travelling, it's a good idea to find out in advance whether your hotel has a gym or a vicinity suitable for an outdoor run, and whether the city has a bike-sharing programme. But even if you can't fit in a workout, a simple walk around the area near your hotel can do wonders. Try it.