Five tips to stay healthy throughout a road trip

December is literally a few days away and for some of us, it screams ‘road trip’. But while travelling via road has been popularized with stress and accidents, there’s no way you shouldn’t enjoy your next trip while staying healthy.

But how might one achieve this feat especially with the potential bad roads, entitled officers (who demand ransomes), and most likely a vehicle parked with noisy family or blank strangers?

Remember that ‘health is wealth’, and during the next road trip, prioritizing your wellbeing is as important as paying your loved ones a visit this holidays.

In five steps, here are some suggestions to maintain healthiness throughout your road trip.

• Pack your food and snacks

This means no mama put or hawked snacks. You want to make sure that throughout your trip, you are eating healthy and safe food because the worst situation to suffer from a running stomach is during a road trip; or any trip at all.

To make sure what you’re going to eat during the trip is safe, pack some snacks, take along some food in a cooler (the kind that retains the meal’s warmth for a longer time).

Of course, there’s no saying no to buying fruits or nuts from hawkers or vendors but do not forget to wash them thoroughly before putting them in your mouth.

Additionally, pack snacks which are durable and can stay fresh for at least six hours, you’ll not regret this decision.

• Take water along

You’ll be moving around in an enclosed space for many hours. Heat is bound to be induced as well as stress, and headaches.

Water will not only quench your thirst, but will provide relief from headaches.

Take note to watch your water intake if you have a ‘small bladder’. You do not want to be that annoying passenger begging the driver to stop at every turn.

• Stretch your body at stop points

Being confined in an enclosed space sucks for various reasons and one of them is stiff bones. 

Make sure to stretch out your hands, legs, shoulders, back and feet even at stop points. This way, you’re re-activating the blood flow in your system.

• Avoid unsanitized public toilets

Do not be in a haste to relief yourself in just any available rest room. People have contracted difficult infectious diseases from toilet use in similar situation.

Instead, demand from people around for alternative means of restroom; including an open field (which might usually be safer than most public restrooms).

• Engage your mind

Embarking on a road trip is no excuse to let your brain cells die. Read a paperback or ebook, play a game, strike up an intelligent conversation, take an online course, take a well-deserved nap, and maybe, stream some Netflix.

Whatever you can do but do not let your mind stay idle.