Travel Tips: Q&A with PA Suzanne Reuter
Travel is good for the soul. But is it good for your health?
Well most of the time, the answer would be yes. Studies have shown that proper vacationing can aid with stress reduction. When you step outside of the anxiety-inducing work structure and finally disconnect, it can mean less stress-related physical complaints.
Less headaches.
Less backaches.
Fewer heart irregularities.
All of which lead to heart disease prevention.
And when your ticker is working better, you’re way more productive.
And when you’re getting stuff done, you even sleep better at night.
Vacations are basically the health-inducing-domino-effect of your dreams!
But what happens when there’s a global pandemic? When the powers that be are asking you to be extra cautious when moving about your life— let alone the globe?
To find out about traveling in the times of pandemics, I asked Suzanne Reuter, Physicians Assistant, to tell us how we can stay healthy when all we want to do is get outside and revel in some stress-busting vacation time.
First, tell us a little about yourself!
Hi! I’m Suzanne, a primary care PA practicing in NYC for the last 10 years. I spent the first half of my career working in endocrinology, but then switched to primary care in a corporate settling, where my focus has become promoting true preventative medicine in the form of lifestyle medicine.
Lifestyle medicine is an innovative approach that uses nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional wellbeing, hydration, avoiding substances use, and getting outdoors to promote optimal health and wellbeing, but also as a therapy to prevent, treat and reverse chronic disease. I’ve learned over the years that medicine needs to be proactive, not reactive – we need to learn to treat conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer BEFORE they start by addressing the lifestyle conditions that lead to them – namely poor nutrition, inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, excess stress, and lack of sleep to name a few.
Okay, so how safe is it to travel right now? By car? By public transportation? By plane? By hot air balloon?
These are trying times both here in the US and internationally, and every day, the guidance is changing. For us in NYC, where public transportation is the main mode of travel, all non-essential travel should be avoided. You are potentially exposing yourself, and by default, the other people in your household, to the germs that cause COVID-19 (as well as other common pathogens) that are present all around you. As a society, we need to “slow the curve” – so the more we can stay home and away from others, the better! If you have a private car, you may be safe to make short trips for essential things (groceries, medication, doctors visits), but again, the fewer trips, the better.
If you HAVE to go somewhere via public transportation (bus, train, subway), be sure to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily, wash hands before touching your eyes or face, and keep 6 feet away from others, and maybe double that if there are people around you actively coughing. Right now, international plane travel should be avoided by all individuals. In my personal opinion, domestic travel should also be avoided for now, even in those that are feeling fine. We are learning that the virus can be spread even before you have symptoms, so for the good of those in the destination you are traveling to, consider holding off on your plans at least until we get a handle on this.
But what if we HAVE to travel? (I mean if we're brave enough or dumb enough to go?) (DING DING DING!)
Great question – make sure you have your health insurance card with you! Also, make sure you don’t need to be home anytime soon, as there is always the chance that domestic flights could be grounded at any given time. Otherwise, its just the same precautions that one would take if they were here – wash hands frequently, avoid close contact with others, etc. And as soon as symptoms develop, STAY IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM and isolate yourself from others!!! More Info Here.
Okay, we get it. Stay close to home. But what about hiking?
So at first glance, hiking sounds GREAT. You’re out in the wilderness, getting some fresh air, getting in those steps and some cardio, you’re on your own or with a small group – what’s not to like? Well from a health care provider’s perspective, I’d like to offer a little warning, especially for an intense hike or for someone that isn’t used to being super active. Right now, the hospital system is overwhelmed, and this is just the beginning. What happens if you fall and twist your ankle? Many primary care providers have closed their doors. What if you fall and break a bone? What if you exert yourself to the point that you are short of breath or experiencing chest pain? The ER is the LAST place you want to be right now. So for now, I’d limit your risk and opt for an easier walk or jog around the block or your local park. In these crazy times, it doesn’t hurt to play it safe.
So, at what point do you think it will be safe enough to start getting back out there?
Unfortunately, at this point, I think it’s too soon to say. My personal opinion is that it will be many weeks and possibly several months before some semblance of normalcy returns. But it doesn’t mean we can plan for future trips! Start researching where you might like to go down the line! In times of uncertainty, it’s good to remain hopeful and dream a bit. Personally, I’m going to use some of my isolation time to plan out a travel itinerary for my next trip to New Zealand!
Oooh, I like that plan. So basically you’re saying we should keep on planning our amazing Fit Trips! Any more tips on how we can stay healthy while we wait, especially with social-distancing?
Sure! There is so much right now that we don’t have control over. Accept that, and focus on the things you CAN control. Beyond the essential tools to stay healthy – washing hands, social distancing, etc, these are my others suggestions:
Eat as healthy as you can, but accept that sometimes, a can of beans or a box of pasta will have to do.
Move as much as you can – there are lots of free workout videos available on YouTube. Do some push-ups, squats and/or jumping jacks once or twice a day. Or just go for a solo or family walk or run, being careful to remain at least 6 feet from others! Additionally, many local and state parks have been opened to the public for free – so if you can get there safely and remain socially distant from people but also park benches, playgrounds, basically any surface that someone else might have touched, go for it!
SLEEP! Getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night is SO important for the health of your immune system!
Recognize that alcohol, while it may help you feel more relaxed, can make it more difficult to get restful sleep, so limit your intake, and instead stay well hydrated with water.
In terms of stress – I think we all can agree that these are definitely stressful time! We all handle stress differently – some people meditate, others exercise or do yoga, others turn to hobbies that make them happy. In this day and age, we are lucky in that even though we have to remain physically distant, we can still connect to friends and family virtually via platforms like FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom to name a few. I just heard about an app called HouseParty that allows many users to “hangout” virtually – now might be the perfect time to set up a virtual game night with friends! If you have a company that offers counseling through an Employee Assistance Program, you might be able to connect with a counselor over the phone or through an app.
Additionally, it can be a huge BOOST to your own health to help others in times of need - if the elderly couple in your apartment building is too scared to go to the store and you are healthy enough to do so, perhaps you can help them with a delivery. Or if a neighbor has run out of TP, toss a roll or two over the fence. These are crazy times – let’s all do our best to be good stewards of society and get through this together.