Spring Break is fast approaching. I’m super-excited for our trip, which will be Theo’s first visit to Asia. (It will also be Kim, Lucas and my first trip back to Asia in a couple of years.)

Even though Spring Break is less than a couple of months away, I’m psyched that we have another trip coming up (we leave at the end of next week) over President’s Week!

While we rarely purchase travel insurance, there are a variety of steps we take to stay healthy during our travels.

I received an e-mail from Oscar Health offering to share some Spring Break health tips, which I was happy to take a look at. I’ll share their tips with you and then share a few of our own.

Here are Oscar Health’s tips:

1. For vaccinations, we always recommend getting a TDAP when traveling abroad. Oscar provides a TDAP for free every year as preventive care, but it’s always good to check with your insurer as some may charge a copay. Also, check the CDC for other recommended vaccines for the area of the world you’re visiting.
2. Always wear sunblock and sunglasses! And be wary of tanning oils, too — the American Cancer Society advises that anything under SPF 15 may protect you from sunburn, but doesn’t reduce your risk of early skin aging or of getting skin cancer.
3. Check if the water is safe to drink. If it’s not, remember to ask if the ice in your drink was made with tap water, too.
4. With the rise of Zika as well as the many other mosquito-borne illnesses you can contract on your travels, I always recommend applying insect repellent religiously, particularly one with DEET. DEET-based repellents work more effectively and shouldn’t be dangerous if you follow the application instructions.
5. Take all your prescriptions with you in your travel-on bag. If your checked baggage gets lost, you don’t want to be without the meds you need to get through the day!

A few Health Tips from Michael W Travels:

1. When you’re visiting a new destination, check the CDC (like mentioned above) for recommended vaccinations and also see if the country you’re visiting requires any. I can’t recall which country it was, but we needed to show proof of a vaccination a couple of times.
2. To fight stomach issues… We always travel with Pepto or pink bismuth tablets to help with any stomach bugs which might come up. We also always have a dose of (prescription) Cipro on hand just in case we need something more powerful. Kim also likes to take probiotics at the first sign of stomach issues. They’re also made for kids in powder form. (Check out Culturelle.)
3. In most developing countries the water is not safe to drink. Don’t even take a chance when brushing your teeth- use bottled water.
4. To save on purchasing bottled water, bring a reusable bottle and visit your hotel’s fitness center. (Wallet tip, not a health tip…)
5. Always have hand sanitizer/ wipes on hand. We really like CleanWell spray- it’s alcohol-free, kid-friendly and they don’t leak!

Do you have a travel-health tip that you’d like to share? Feel free to do so in the comments below.

(FYI– This is not intended as medical advice. These tips are the opinion of Oscar and Michael W Travels. Michael W Travels does not receive a commission from any of the companies or products mentioned above.)