1. Shoe Type

While it’s tempting to be a fashionista and buy snazzy shoes to match every outfit, the way your shoe looks isn’t as important as the type of shoe you buy. If you plan on doing a lot of walking, opt for a good, sturdy tennis shoe or an athletic sandal. These types of shoes are made for walking and will serve your feet well.

2. Fit

Along with the type of shoe you buy, the fit of the shoe is just as important. You want a shoe with a wide toe bed that will allow your toes to flatten and spread naturally as you walk. A shoe that binds your toes together, pinches or rubs will have you screaming in pain by the end of the day. Similarly, if you have high arches or flat feet, be sure to buy a shoe with the proper foot bed for your foot type. Try on the shoe you’re considering and walk around the store. The shoe shouldn’t rub your toes or your heel as you walk or you’ll pay for it on your trip.

3. Insoles

If a shoe fits in all the right places but just isn’t supporting you the way it should, insoles can often be the cure. Insoles come in all types from heel supports to arch supports to simply those that provide a bit of extra cushion. Because shoes cannot be manufactured specifically to every foot out there, insoles can often provide that bit of extra comfort that you need in an otherwise great shoe.

4. First-Aid Kit

There are some great new blister preventing bandages and blister covering bandages on the market. These bandages beat the old trick of slapping a band-aid on the back of your heel by a mile. Make sure you pack plenty of these for your trip just in case. This will save you the time of hunting down a drug store should you get a blister on your foot in the middle of nowhere. Be sure to include tweezers, toenail clippers and a topical cream in your kit as well.

5. Take Them Off

Take your shoes off any chance you get and give your feet a chance to breathe. Take your shoes off, stretch your feet, wiggle your toes and walk barefoot for a few minutes. This is practically a must-do at the end of the day to prevent aching feet in the morning. If you can coax someone into giving you a foot massage at the end of the day, even better!

Blisters, injuries and sore feet can really take the wind out of your sails. By taking proper care of your feet on your vacation you’re sure to remain comfortable and ready to go! Following these tips will help stave off any potential foot problems and keep you on your toes.

Heather Johnson contributes at HoneymoonDestinations.org, a great honeymoon research website. Discover great honeymoon ideas today!

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The day before I travel, I’ll hard boil a couple of eggs, so I can have those when I am ready for breakfast. I’m taking the red-eye, which is ages before my usual breakfast time. I’ll also keep a bag of my snack of choice – pumpkin seeds (dry roasted and spicy – yum!) – in my carry on. Once I’ve cleared security, I’ll collect a salad from one of the food shops to eat on the plane, as well as a large bottle of water. That should get me through to JFK without any hassle. I’ll be spending a couple of days with a relative, so I’ve sent a shopping list with the must have items so I can make my own meals.

For road trips, I’ll take a small container of allowed foods, as my meal cycle is now different from everyone else’s. Then when we make a stop, I’ll have whatever is closest to the diet sheet – probably fish and a salad. And for the hotel portion, I’ll combine those two approaches. Most people pack on a couple of pounds on vacation, but with this diet and regular exercise (does walking to the shops count?) I should keep any gain to a manageable amount.

How do you handle sticking to your diet when you travel?

Image: Rawich / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Healthy Fast Food

Now that passengers are spending more time at airports, eating at one of the airport restaurants has actually become an option. At smaller airports, those options may be limited to a McDonalds or Burger King, but at the larger ones there are usually a large variety of restaurants that offer something other than fast food. Your best strategy is to stay away from the fast food places and meal offerings high in fat and oil. However, even if you can only eat at a fast food place there are still ways to stay healthy. Most fast food restaurants offer salads these days as well as low fat options. Stay away from anything deep fried and get something grilled instead. Instead of getting an unhealthy side dish like fries, see if you can substitute salad, fruit or a soup.

Grab A Takeaway

If you don’t have any time to eat in the airport itself, many restaurants and food stands offer takeaway food such as sandwiches and soups. Do not give into the temptation to grab a candy bar and a soda while on the run. Airports will not allow you to bring beverages from outside of the airport through the security checkpoints, but since you have to pass through the security checkpoints to get to the airport restaurants, food and beverages purchased at the airport will be allowed on the plane and they will not be considered one of your carry-on items, so don’t worry about not being allowed to bring them on the plane. In fact, this type of thing is something airports would like to encourage as passengers spending money on food brings in additional revenue.

Bring Your Own

You can also bring food from home for the airport and the plane. You will need to have enough room in your carry-on luggage to store your food, and beverages that you bring from home will not be allowed past the security checkpoints. Non-solid foods such as applesauce, yogurt, canned fruits and soup are only allowed if they are less than three ounces in size and are part of your allotment of carry-on liquids.

Watch Those Liquids

One great way to stay healthy is to swear off all liquids except for water. It can be tempting to buy a coffee or soda as a treat since you’re traveling, but those drinks are filled with empty calories. Instead, save your money and bring a water bottle along with you. Make sure the bottle is empty so security will allow it past the checkpoints. Instead of buying outrageously priced water in the airport, fill up your water bottle at a water fountain.

This post was provided by Ryan Embly. He is a writer from the cheap car rental website CRX.

Have a Backup

When you’re on vacation, your familiar everyday routine is completely disrupted. While taking in the sights you’ll be frequently distracted, which is why it’s so common to lose or break glasses while traveling. Be prepared by packing an extra pair of glasses, even if the prescription is a little bit outdated. Which would be worse – your old glasses or none at all?

If you typically wear contact lenses, you should bring not only extra contacts but a pair of glasses, too. You could lose a contact somewhere, or your eyes could become agitated from too much sun, surf or sand. Your eyes will be more comfortable if you wear your glasses for a day or two to recover.

Bring Supplies

Make sure you pack plenty of cleaning solution for your contact lenses and glasses. Try to find some small, travel-sized kits that you can carry with you in your purse or backpack while you’re away from the hotel. These small kits are also acceptable to bring in your carry-on bag when flying, unlike the full-sized containers. What if you need solution during a layover in an airport? Not only will it be tough to find in the shops, but if they carry what you need, it’ll likely cost you an arm and a leg!

You should also bring along a small repair kit for glasses. These typically include extra screws, nose pads, and a tiny screwdriver. If you wear contact lenses, bring along an extra contact lens case in case your primary one gets lost or damaged. You should be able to find all of these supplies available at your optician or local pharmacy.

Notify Your Optician

Let your optician know you’ll be traveling and ask them for a copy of your current vision prescription. While you’re there, pick up a copy of their business card so you have their contact information with you. Should you need to have new lenses made during your trip, or if you get an eye infection and need him to call in a prescription for medicated eye drops, it’s best to have these items with you.

Plan Ahead for Outdoor Activities

If you’re going to be outdoors a lot on your trip, make sure you’ve got a good pair of sunglasses that provide UV Protection from the rays. A hat is also good to have along for reducing eyestrain. For swimming and water sports enthusiasts, remember that it’s unadvisable to swim in your contact lenses. Prescription swimming goggles are a comfortable and convenient alternative.

Sara Roberts writes for Just Eyewear, a prescription glasses and sunglasses retailer.

(Photo: neuroticcamel)

• An airport is no substitute for the gym
• Frequent business travel linked to increased health risks

If you spend a lot of time on the road and are wondering how to improve your health, then check out these tips on staying healthy on the road.

In-flight

Whenever you fly take the chance to walk around in the airplane. Even though there are often service carts cluttering up the aisles this is one way to get some exercise in flight. Walk the length of the plane every couple of hours to stop the blood from getting sluggish, reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis and keep your spine supple instead of achy. Along with that, if you have to sit down rotate your wrists and ankles and do the other seated exercises recommended in your airline magazine. Top this off by drinking lots of water to maintain hydration levels.

At your hotel

Many hotels have gym facilities. While these may not be as well-equipped as your local gym back home they are likely to have a treadmill, bike and weights at the very least. There is no excuse for missing out on your fitness routine when these facilities are on tap. Sure, you may have to get up a bit earlier or miss a round of drinks with your colleagues but it’s worth it for the increased energy you will feel after exercising. (It’s pretty good for boosting brainpower for those important meetings, too.)

If your hotel doesn’t have a gym, don’t worry about it. The best exercise equipment you have is right at the end of your legs. Put on your sneakers and start walking. There may be a walking track outside or you may be able to hoof it to the site of your next meeting. On a wet day try walking or running up and down the stairs a few times for a good cardiovascular workout.

Back in your room it’s easy to do things like abdominal crunches (no equipment required) and leg raises (perhaps with the aid of a hotel chair to help you stretch).

Other travel tips

Here are a couple more things that you can do to help you stay fit when you travel on business:

• Pack a skipping rope which you can use anywhere.
• If your hotel doesn’t have a gym find out if you can get a day pass to somewhere local.
• Print a copy of your usual workout and do as much of that as you can while away.
• Leave a little extra time to get to meetings and walk.
• Continue to eat as healthily as you would at home. You can help yourself by picking up health snacks for your trip before you leave or at a nearby supermarket after you arrive.

Have you got any to add?

1. Seat Allocation

The first step is to get a good seat. If you do your research before booking, you may be able to choose an airline that offers a couple extra inches of legroom. That makes a heck of a lot of difference after you’ve been sitting in a plane for hours. I once took a charter flight from the UK to the Caribbean and it took three days for my knees to recover.

Seven Long Haul Travel Tips

2. Check In Early

Check in early to stand the best chance of getting the seat you want. I always like to arrive at least an hour before the given check in time. The best seat depends on whether I don’t want to be disturbed by others getting in and out of their seats (window) or whether I want the freedom to move around (aisle). Once I’m checked in, I can make an early start on my in-flight reading in the departure lounge instead of standing in line with those who arrived at the stated time.

3. Enjoy The Lounge

When it’s time to board, there’s no need to rush unless you have unwieldy bags. If you are carrying a small laptop bag that will fit under the seat in front of you, then use the restroom and relax – the airplane seats aren’t that comfortable, so why sit in them before you need to? When you land, though, the quicker you are out, the fewer people there will be in front of you at the Customs and Immigration queues, so that’s when you need to dash.

4. Travel Essentials

Secure your comfort by packing some moisturizing wipes, as the air can be dry. Use pillows to support your back and neck to reduce the pain of staying in one position. Chew gum or suck sweets to reduce the effect of air pressure changes on your ears and make sure you have clothes that are suitable for the weather at both your departure and arrival. Clothes should be roomy and comfortable as you will be wearing them for a long time.

5. Health Matters

Look after your health. You can get dehydrated on a flight, so be sure to drink plenty of water. if you can, buy a bottle once you have cleared airport security to take with you – it will save waiting for air crew to top up your glass. They have hundreds of people to look after, so it can take a while. The other key thing is to move about. Rotate arms, wrists, legs and feet while in flight and get up and walk once in a while. Most airlines give you exercise tips to help you to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

6. Food and Drink

Drinking water will also help you to avoid jet lag, and you should keep drinking it even after you land. Set your watch to the time at your destination as early as possible and try to do things at the right time. It will speed up the adjustment process. Don’t eat too much before takeoff as you will feel bloated and uncomfortable, but cut down on the waiting time for in-flight food by ordering a special meal. You usually get served first which gives you time to relax and enjoy the flight.

7. Entertainment

Take some entertainment. My preference is books, but music or games on your laptop will also work. As I’ve discovered to my cost, there are times when even the most sophisticated in-flight entertainment system fails – and long haul can feel extra long without something to while away the hours. Invest in some noise canceling headphones to drown out the drone of the engines.