Even the most experienced travelers are frightened by long flights of over 20 hours, frequently changing time zones, and being dropped into unfamiliar locations. The wonderful experience of traveling and spending time abroad might have an adverse effect on your health if you aren’t attentive.
When I was a kid, my name was Peter. Salisbury University exercise science student and 2019 Fall Sydney GE alumnus. Having Type 1 Diabetes for most of my life has been the driving force behind my desire to assist people in achieving their health goals, which I sincerely believe in.
Personal training, strength and conditioning, PT, chiro, diabetes education, movement coaching, and nutrition are all fields in which I’ve had the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge. Because becoming more health-conscious has had such a positive impact on my own life, I’ve developed a desire to help others do the same.
Living a healthy lifestyle, especially while traveling, is something I’ve learned the hard way through my work and travels. To help you prepare for any future travel or internship abroad, I’ve compiled a list of my top five health-related travel suggestions.
Six Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling Abroad:
1. Pay Attention to Your Diet, but Don’t Let It Control Your Trip:
In terms of nutrition, I’m a bit of a control freak. Before ordering a meal, I mentally break down the macro and micronutrients to ensure I’m getting what I need. Micronutrients may be unnoticed by the majority of the population, and that’s fine.
Eat as much fresh, local, whole food as you can while you’re overseas, and avoid processed meals as much as you can. You can take advantage of what’s in season and unique to the location you’re visiting by sampling the local cuisine. Even though it isn’t “healthy,” a calorie-dense, sugary dessert platter can be pretty delectable from time to time.
Your tight diet should not stand in the way of a lifelong adventure. It’s important to find the right amount of nutritious and junk food in your diet, but don’t overdo it!
2. Make Time to Relax and Recharge:
You can have an incredible time on a group travel excursion to another country. Traveling abroad with a group of like-minded people who are in the same situation as you is a rewarding experience. I can guarantee you’ll meet some incredible people and form extremely valuable relationships due to your time here.
As humans, we all need time to recharge our batteries. We all require time to unwind, not be surrounded by people and think.
When you’re on an experience like an international internship and sharing a small amount of time with incredible individuals, you’ll want to be with them all the time. Slowing down and taking in all that’s happening around you might negatively impact your body and mind if you don’t.
Sit back and relax on the beach, reading a book, or writing in a journal.
3. Make Physical Activity a Regular Part of Your Daily Life:
Our bodies are designed to move as a species. While traveling, it’s easy to fall into the habit of working all day, relaxing at home, and then doing it again the next day.
Your attitude, sleep, energy, strength, and appearance will improve if you incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine. It’s a lot easier than it appears.
While most people prefer to avoid the gym while on vacation, there are still ways to be active and have fun. During your lunch break, go for a jog, walk to work, go hiking, swimming at the beach, or play a sport you enjoy! Bring a friend to yoga, or go for a spin with your roommate on a bike to help keep you motivated.
Our weekends in Sydney were packed with beautiful coastline hikes and beach games ranging from volleyball to spike ball to hacky sack. We also walked to and from work every day. There’s no denying that we were always on the go.
4. Listen to Your Body:
As a college student, I know that many of us have an infinite supply of energy and feel like we’re invincible. Long nights out, staying up till the sun comes up, and always being on the go are all part of the experience of traveling overseas.
Your health will suffer both now and in the future if you live this way. Sickness and disease can strike you now and later in life if you don’t allow your body to adjust to your fast-paced lifestyle.
Give yourself some breathing room when you’re traveling, because even that can be stressful. Make sure you get a good amount of sleep! The three cups of coffee you guzzle the next morning to keep you going are doing you no good. You can’t really “catch up on sleep.” When you’re exhausted, go to bed! If you’re hungry, eat something! For those times when you’re too tired to keep up with your friends, take some time for yourself.
Putting your health first has no negative connotations. It is important to remember that if you are not feeling well, you will miss out on the excitement of your trip. Observe your body and listen to what it has to say!
5. Remember People Back Home, but Don’t Put Too Much Trust in Them:
Modern travel is vastly different from that of even just the last two decades. FaceTime allows us to connect with loved ones on the other side of the world and communicate with them in real time. It’s awe-inspiring, really.
Keep in touch with loved ones back home and let them know about your travels and the exciting activities you’re up to. Consider that relying on it can also be a curse if you get too dependent on it. Some of my acquaintances who have traveled overseas report that they spent more time talking to their loved ones back home than they did making new friends while they were away. There’s nothing positive about this, except the fact that it can lead to feelings of homesickness.
Create the most of the people you’re around, make new acquaintances, and establish relationships. Maintain contact with your family and friends while you’re away, but make the most of your time in a new location to forge lasting friendships!
Each person is unique, and each of us operates somewhat differently. We are all, however, human beings who require certain things to survive and develop. Follow these healthy travel suggestions to have the trip of a lifetime and be your best self!
6. Nick’s Sydney Internship in Exercise Science:
During my internship in Sydney, I worked at the UNSW Lifestyle Clinic, an exercise physiology clinic located just outside the city. As an exercise physiologist, I worked with chronically ill patients and applied various forms of exercise therapy as a kind of treatment.
Every day, I worked with up to seven patients, each of whom had a different illness and background. As a result, their care had to be individualized to meet their unique requirements. To get the best outcomes for our patients, I helped recommend a regimen that included strength training, cardiovascular training, and functional/balance exercises.
During this internship, I worked with an incredible team of health experts, enhanced my clinical abilities, and learned more about various chronic disorders than I ever thought I’d. Using fitness games and exercise treatment, I was able to help a 9-year-old child with cerebral palsy minimize his symptoms, improve his movement, and have a good time. My life will never be the same after this, and I am eternally grateful that the chance came my way.
I had a lot of work to do while I was away. As an intern, I had a lot of spare time, so I took advantage of it by going camping in the Blue Mountains and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef over my weekends.