Your bags are pack, you booked visits with your pet sitter, and your a ready to hit the road!  Now make sure to follow these tips to stay healthy on your summer vacation.

We spend months counting down — and dreaming about — our vacation. But between packing, finding a pet sitter, and doing all those last-minute errands, just getting ready for vacation can be exhausting.

The last thing you want to do on your vacation is get sick. But it’s kind of a risky time for that because our whole routine gets thrown off. So, with that in mind, there are a few things you need to think about when you hit the road.

Whether you’re headed to the Grand Canyon or the Gulf Coast, you want to remember this summer’s vacation for how much fun you had, not how miserable you felt. But remembering a few simple steps can help you stay healthy.

Step one, if you take medication, take it with you:

1. put your prescription drugs in your carry on bags, in case your luggage is lost
2. leave it in its original container…
3. pack extra medication, in case you’re delayed
4. bring along some over-the-counter cold & allergy, pain and upset stomach medications, too.

Travel can be hard on your body, so you want take care of yourself. The key is making sure you’re staying hydrated:

1. take bottled water with you, in case you don’t have easy access to clean water.
2. go easy on booze and caffeine, both can dry you out.
3. whether you’re flying or driving, take breaks and move around.
4. sitting for long periods raises your risk of blood clots in your legs.
5. so get up stretch and walk during your flight.

Once you get to your vacation destination, watch what you’re eating and drinking. Intestinal bugs in contaminated food or water can ruin your fun pretty quickly.

1. stay away from undercooked foods,
2. avoid unpeeled vegetables and fruits.
3. stick to bottled water, unless you’re sure the local water is safe.

And the more people around you, the more germs you could pick up. So wash your hands often or carry an antibacterial hand sanitizer.

The best thing you can do to stay healthy on the road, is to try to stick with the routine you have at home. So, enjoy some splurges, but try not to overeat at meals. Make sure you’re getting enough water and try to get some sleep, and some exercise on the road.

Credit: Beth Galvin, Health Watch: Having a Healthy Vacation