When it comes to staying healthy while travelling, prevention is always better than cure. The first stage of keeping healthy during your trip is making an appointment at a travel clinic or at your GPs to check what kind of vaccinations you will need (if any) for your destinations. A really good resource for finding out more about this is fit for travel. The NHS maintains the website so you can trust the information it contains
One of the biggest concerns for travellers is preventing the diseases carried by mosquitoes. Remember though, anti-malarials and vaccinations are not 100% reliable. The only 100% reliable way to avoid malaria is to not be bitten by a mosquito. Using insect repellents and wearing the right kind of clothing is a great start towards this. Dengue fever tends to be present in places where malaria is a threat and there is no vaccination or tablet that you can take to prevent dengue fever.
Image: Gregg O'Connell
Diarrhoea is probably the most common ailment experienced by travellers, often caused by food poisoning. Like many things, common sense precautions can reduce your risk of illness. When eating, look out for places where you see the locals eating and be particularly careful with ice in drinks, one of the biggest causes of food poisoning. Another big threat is sunburn, which should be countered by wearing the right clothing and sun block. This is a particular threat to children.
