Travel Health

You're finally kicking back on that beach in Goa. You've got the world at your feet - and an unfamiliar rumble in your guts. Getting sick is no fun at the best of times, but when you're travelling and away from the comfort and familiarity of home, it sucks big time.

Travel health is a vast and important topic, ricocheting from basic medical concerns to malaria, cholera, typhoid and all those other diseases that sound so mythical and antiquated but are very much alive and kicking. It would be impossible to cover everything you need to know in one natty page, but here are some basic rules to stick to.

Before You Go

Go to your nearest travel clinic six to eight weeks before you leave and find out which vaccinations you need. Don't leave this to the last minute - sometimes a course of vaccinations is required over a period of weeks or you might need to wait a week or two after a shot before it kicks in and you are fully protected. Get a check up at the dentist too - toothache on the road is sheer hell.

Take a record of your immunisations when you go travelling, especially your yellow fever certificate. It's also a good idea to carry a record of your blood group, home doctor, nearest embassy and copies of any prescriptions (including ones for glasses) you use regularly.

Pack It!

You could fill a small packing crate with medical supplies if you wanted, but these essentials should be right in your pack along with the clean undies and the iPod charger:

• Scissors, Band-Aids, tweezers, gauze swabs, tape, bandages, safety pins, non-adhesive dressings
• Antiseptic wipes, chewing gum, multi-vitamins, sunscreen and lip balm with sunblock
• Anti-diarrhoeals, paracetamol and oral hydration sachets
• DEET-based insect repellent and water purifying tablets
• Sterile kit including needles, syringes, suture kit and cannula for giving a drip

On The Road

Here are a few tips to keep you feeling a million bucks while you're on the road:

• Allow yourself time to adjust physically and mentally to a new place and recover from jet lag.
• Avoid sunburn. The sun is fierce the world over so use a hat and sunblock.
• Carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser and some wet-wipes for when access to soap and water is difficult.
• Keep hydrated. If hygiene's an issue, stick to major brands of bottled water and make sure the seal's not broken. If this is not practical or available, have more than one mean of purifying water in case one method fails (eg iodine and a pump-action purifier). Ditch the ice cubes too.
• Know the health risks specific to your destination. That includes risks associated with food preparation and eating out.
• Say no to malaria! To avoid getting bitten, cover up, get a decent protective net - preferably one soaked in DEET - and use insect repellent. Anti-malarials don't stop you getting malaria - they just suppress it.
• If you do get sick, ask your hotel to recommend a local clinic. Make sure you're properly insured and declare this before you see a doctor.