Get the latest on how to stay healthy en route

Planning to take the roads, rails, or skies for a family vacation? Get the latest on how to stay healthy en route:

• Don’t let germs hitchhiking on aircraft, buses, and trains trip up your trip. One study suggests that 60% of airplane tray tables are positive for MRSA (infections, antibiotic–resistant, bacteria), while another found the same superbug infesting armrests on trains. Wipe down tray table, café car tables, and armrests, and wash hands often… especially after using the restroom — high levels of bacteria like E. coli and coliform have been found on faucet handles of buses, planes, and trains.
• Due to airflow dynamics in an airplane cabin, you can inhale droplets from another passenger’s cough even if you’re sitting behind him. Aim the air vent just below your face to deflect the circulation of infectious agents that could be riding the currents.
• Whether you’re cooped up in a car, bus, or plane, take frequent breaks to stretch your legs. Being confined to a small space for long durations increases your chance of developing deep vein thrombosis, a deadly blood clot. Experts recommend getting up and walking every hour to reduce your risk. Take advantage of rest stops while driving or riding the bus, and walk the aisles of airplanes during travel.
• Especially if you’re soaring at 30,000 feet, you need more fluids — low humidity in the cabin promotes dehydration, which not only hinders your immune system’s battle to keep illness at bay, it also affects circulation. So take advantage of the complimentary beverage service to hydrate your body — just order water instead soft drinks or alcohol.