Travel Tips for Executives

mmpc Executive Physical Newsletter March, 2009 Vol. 2, No 1 Travel Tips for Executives Terri Osborne, MD, Director of mmpc Executive Physical The benefits of business travel are often rewarding. There’s something to be said for meeting with your clients face‐to‐face to tap into their unique needs and requirements, and travel offers you the opportunity to build and nurture new and existing relationships with the customers you value. That said, business travel can be tedious for even the most hardy traveler. To help you endure the burdens that come with traveling, mmpc Executive Physicals is offering tips to make your journeys as enjoyable as possible. Packing • You are allowed one carry‐ on in addition to one personal item such as a laptop, computer, purse, small backpack, briefcase, or camera case. Check whether the baggage fits the size restrictions for your flight; they vary Don’t put film in your baggage: screening equipment will damage it. Pack footwear on bottom and sides of luggage, and limit the number of shoes you bring. You can place clothing inside shoes for added space. Avoid over packing Avoid packing food and drink in checked baggage. Place personal items in quart size plastic bags. Plan ahead; know where you are going, what you will be doing and the weather forecast Pack less than you think you will need. Plan to wear clothing more than once and plan items that are versatile and can be paired with different outfits. • • Pack a wardrobe suitable for going out anywhere. Try to blend in with the local population and atmosphere for safety from people who target tourists. Include maintenance‐free items. • • • • • • • • • • • Eating Healthy at the Airport • The best option is to bring your own food, especially fruits and vegetables. Any non‐solid foods, such as yogurt, soup, peanut butter or canned fruit must be in three‐ounce or smaller containers and be included in your allotment of carry‐on liquids. A small egg sandwich on a bagel or roll is a good option. Stay away from add‐ons like cheese, mayonnaise, bacon, or butter. Avoid high‐fat meats, like sausage. Also, avoid sugar‐loaded fatty pastries and doughnuts. Drink lots of water. • • • How to Reduce Jet Lag • • • • • Before departing make sure you have all your affairs, business and personal, in order. Ensure you are not stressed‐out with excitement or worry, tired, or hung‐over from the night before. Exercise regularly before the departure to avoid sickness such as the flu, colds, and so on. Get a good night’s rest. Most travelers think daytime flights cause less jet lag. (More daytime long haul flights are being added by airlines.) Drink lots of water (can’t be said enough). Pack sleeping aids like blindfolds, ear plugs, neck rests and pillows. Get as much exercise as you can on the flight. Get up and walk the aisles, stretch in your seat. This will reduce discomfort. During extended stopovers on a long trip, flight showers are sometimes available. A shower will refresh you and gets the muscles and circulation going again. No‐Jet‐Lag is a safe and effective remedy for countering jet lag, in the form of easy‐to‐take tablets. Its effectiveness has been proven in a scientific trial of round‐the‐ world passengers. It has no connection with the controversial hormone melatonin. • Anti‐jet lag diet developed by the Argonne National Laboratory has been shown to be effective in some studies. Avoid sleeping pills. They can be dangerous as they induce a comatose state with little or no natural body movement, and it is well‐known that prolonged immobility during flight can lead to fatal blood clots. Traveling westward: According to the National Sleep Foundation, every day, wake up one hour later and go to bed one hour later. Expose yourself to light in the later afternoon and evening. Avoid light in the morning as much as possible. Traveling eastward: According to the National Sleep Foundation, every day, wake up one hour earlier and go to bed one hour earlier. Expose yourself to light in the morning. Avoid light in the evening as much as possible. Get as much sunlight as possible once you reach your destination Eat light Don’t go to sleep until it is bedtime at your destination Exercise in the morning at your destination • • • • • • • • • • • • mmpc Executive Physicals 4069 Lake Drive SE, # 113 (parking lot K) Grand Rapids, MI 49546 Phone: (616) 974‐4595 www.mmpc.com www.mmpc.com