Can you afford to take a couple of days out of your business trip because of ill health? Follow our tips to ensure you stay at the top of your game.
1. Drink up
If you’ve ever spent a few days hopping between flights and air-conditioned offices, you will know all too well the gritty eyes and gummy mouth that goes with dehydration. Even mild dehydration can have a negative impact on your performance, so if you need that extra edge, drink up. Respond to your thirst with a few gulps, particularly if you are urinating less that three times a day and your urine has a dark colour. Aim for a pale straw shade.
Too long, didn’t read: drink enough fluid.
2. Understand deep vein thrombosis
Long-haul flights have been linked to the formation of life-threatening bloodclots in the leg, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT may have no symptoms, but some patients experience a heavy ache in the leg or calf that gets worse when the foot is bent towards the knee, warm skin on the leg and red skin at the back of the leg below the knee.
If you think you have DVT, get medical advice and do not wait until you get back to Canada.
One in ten DVTs migrate to the lungs where they can block blood vessels – a pulmonary embolism (PE). This is a medical emergency. If you have been on a long-haul flight and you experience leg pain, breathlessness and chest pains, get medical help immediately.
Too long, didn’t read: seek help immediately for DVT or PE symptoms.
3. Take time to acclimatize
A combination of jet lag and a packed schedule make business travel exhausting. You should also bear in mind the effort involved in speaking a foreign language all day, cultural differences and atmospheric differences, such as heat and altitude. Schedule in a day or so to rest and acclimatize to the heat of Shanghai and the altitude of Peru. And if you can, take a day off work when you return to Canada.
Too long, didn’t read: allow extra time to acclimatize and recover.
4. Choose your food carefully
Your routine, including regular mealtimes, can fly out the window while travelling, and it can be tempting to grab whatever food is offered. However, you need to be aware of food-borne illnesses such as hepatitis A and typhoid, and you should take the normal precautions that apply to all travellers. For example, opt for hot cooked food, rather than dishes that have been kept on a buffet table; and avoid raw foods generally. For more information, see the Government of Canada’s recommendations about safe eating and drinking.
Too long, didn’t read: Take precautions against food-borne diseases.
5. Have a travel health consultation
Why not make an appointment with a travel health nurse to find out more about protecting your health, particularly if you travel often for business? Canadian Travel Clinics’ centre in Calgary offers 20-minute appointments so that you can get all the advice you need. We can offer same-day, evening and weekend slots – so put an appointment in your diary now.
Too long, didn’t read: make an appointment with Canadian Travel Clinics.