How to Avoid Illness in Italy
by: Carmen Amadio
When it comes to traveling, you think all things luxurious. Where will you dine or shop? What beaches will you visit or what attractions will you see? If you are like me, I pack my favorite materialistic items to make trips feel comfortable. Sometimes I am so worried about the amount of outfits I have that I forget the necessities. Or maybe you are the type of person who just forgets the little things, just like me.
Traveling is not always pretty, and you need to prepare for all outcomes. For our class, we were given packets with lists of items to bring that will benefit our health. Some of these things included water bottles, pain killers, allergy pills, umbrellas, etc. The professors stressed this upon us multiple times, and if you take in anything while preparing to travel abroad, is that specific list in case you get sick.
One of the harder challenges in Italy was staying hydrated. I know we college students don’t like spending money, but you do have to spend a few extra euros on water. Yes, even in restaurants. For me, this was a huge change compared to the U.S., but it is worth it. If you do not want to go this route, always have a water bottle with you. Make sure to fill it up every morning and every chance you get – refill it. Being dehydrated is not a comfortable time and can lead you to a cold. Public transportation is another huge factor when getting sick. You are surrounded by people, sometimes shoulder-to-shoulder with complete strangers, not knowing if they are sick. Sharing the same air with 20-30 people in a confined space is meant for disaster.
Another huge fault is having to share seats with hundreds of different people or holding on to the same handles. For times like this, I highly recommend using hand sanitizer every time you get off the bus or train. Even if you do have the opportunity to sit, try your best to not touch and of the handle bars. If you do hold on, make sure to not touch your face until you reach proper sanitation to clean them.
One thing I learned about Italy is the lack of fruit and vegetables. You truly need your greens to be able to get through the day! As yummy as pizza or pasta sounds, sometimes putting the carbs down and enjoying a salad or smoothie will be beneficial. There are plenty of fruit markets around Italy, but it can be hard to come by them once in a restaurant, particularly the smaller ones. What you put inside of your body will truly affect your mood and stamina. The heavier the food, the heavier you will feel, and that affects your whole immune system sometimes. I know you want to come to Italy for the culture, but sometimes it is OK to take a day to relax yourself.
Being comfortable throughout the trip helps a lot. Leading up to the trip, we were lectured about how important it is to choose comfort over style, especially when it comes to our shoes. While we were in Italy, we faced cobblestone streets, steep staircases, crowded areas and plenty of hills. You might as well dress appropriate so you do not wake up the next morning sore and achy.
If you are traveling from a farther area and have a long plane ride ahead of you – rest. Drink water or tea every chance you get, wash your face, hands and be sure to eat. I highly recommend to take vitamins every day and prepare yourself with all the medication you need. If you have allergies, bring Benadryl. If walking long distances hurt, bring pain killers. If you happen to get sick and do not have the proper medication, there are pharmacies all throughout Italy.
Overall, do not forget the medicine your teachers recommend to you. If you happen to forget, these are some of the main ways to resist getting sick, and if you do, retaining medicine is not a hard task to do. Nothing is worse than getting sick and not having the proper medication to fix it.