A few weeks before leaving, I met with Dr. Rajiv Narula, MD, the founder of International Health Consultants. He’s been practicing medicine and traveling for more than 20 years and has seen anyone from Anderson Cooper to Miss USA Reema, come through his office. I got my Typhoid, Yellow Fever and Hep B vaccines, as well as the prescription medication necessary (malaria pills, altitude sickness pills, antibiotics) at his midtown office. You can find his website at http://www.globaltraveler.com
He was kind enough to take the time and answer all my questions as well as provide some solid travel advice:
Get enough sleep along the way;
Minimize alcohol intake;
Wear your seat belt;
Take breaks and stretch, to prevent back problems;
Drink lots of fluids;
Drink caffeine to keep awake;
Use condoms;
Get snacks: protein bars, cans of soup, nuts, fruit (for constipation);
Use a UV pen, especially in a restaurant. Make sure the food is well cooked, be careful with salads and other fresh vegetables (washed with water).
Use bug repellents and get into the habit of doing it;
Scan and email yourself copies of all your documents online;
The following advice is given as a refrence – you should consult with your physician before taking any of these:
Get routine medications:
Motrin (take after food, non-narcotic), Benadryl (you don’t know when you might get an allergy), Imodium, a type of hydro-cortisone (anti-itch);
Required vaccines:
Yellow fever
Hepatitis A & B
Typhoid
Recommended vaccines:
Rabies
Tetanus
Flu
