Medical Edge: Stay Safe While on Vacation

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Where ever you go, it's a good idea to put some thought into how to stay healthy while traveling. A travel specialist from Mayo Clinic has some advice.

This time of year people are hopping on planes or packing up the car to enjoy some leisure time before summer ends.

The Janssen family chose camping.  And that's the number one issue for summer travel.

"I didn't drink enough water last night, and I felt a little dehydrated."

Stomachache, headache, dizziness.

"People don't realize that they're losing a lot of water by sweating. It's important to make sure you don't get dehydrated and you're drinking a lot of water."

"The things that we see sometimes after somebody goes camping are things that are insect transmitted."

Dr. Abinash Virk says mosquitoes and ticks are often the culprits. So use bug spray. And use sunscreen to avoid sunburn.

"If somebody does get a sunburn, they should use an aloe lotion, a soothing lotion. You can take aspirin or ibuprofen to cut down the inflammation from a sunburn."

Whether you're in the woods or at the beach, don't drink untreated water because you could get diarrhea. Sarah Janssen stocked a first-aid kit with items to help in several situations.

A cold pack, survival wrap to prevent heat loss and tweezers.

If you're hopping on a plane, you might be worried about getting sick from germs in the air onboard.

"if you are sitting next to somebody or if you're sitting in that section where somebody has an illness and you are sitting two seats down or up from them, yes, you could certainly pick up something. But in general, the air circulation in the plane is very clean and the likelihood of picking up things is very low."

Hand hygiene helps decrease your risk of getting sick -- especially true if you choose a cruise.

"A whole bunch of people in a crowded space and if there is a transmissible disease, it's probably going to go - go through everyone very quickly."

Wash your hands often and consider carrying a hand sanitizer. Being prepared for issues that might arise during vacation can help keep your time off healthy and safe.

Here are a few other travel tips: wipe yourself off after you swim, try to stay in the shade if it's hot, be sure food is cooked and stored properly and be check with your doctor about any shots or vaccination you might need if you're traveling out of the country.