Staying Healthy

Our East Coast Trip will be fun and exciting, but it can be a challenge to stay healthy. Inevitably, heads will ache, tummies will hurt, and eyelids will droop as the trip begins to take its toll on the teenage bodies embarking on this trip (and perhaps on some adult bodies as well). Here are my suggestions for staying healthy:

SLEEP
- I know the switch to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday will have us all a little messed up, which really highlights how important sleep is for us. Get plenty of sleep the week leading up to Spring Break. The last thing we want to experience is fatigue and exhaustion before the trip even begins! If you are well-rested, it will help to counteract the less-than-perfect sleep you may experience when we’re on the red-eye flight out.

EAT HEALTHY, DRINK HEALTHY
Drink lots of water on the trip. Some kids experience headaches around Day 2 or 3 of the trip, and often this can be attributed to dehydration. Unless your child is an athlete in training, the East Coast Trip often has far more physical activity (with all the walking) than your child is used to in an average day. Caffeine and artificial sweeteners both act as diuretics, drawing fluids out of the body faster than necessary. Instead of turning to Mountain. Dew or Diet Coke, encourage your child to drink water both at meals and in-between them. If you absolutely have to have something sweet to drink, consider lemonade, Sprite, fruit juice or some other non-caffeinated beverage.  If you really must have a Coke or Pepsi with dinner, have just one, and match it with an equal amount of water.

Eat healthy meals. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” In that same spirit, we offer your child a variety of healthy eating options at each meal, but it’s up to your son or daughter to make those good choices. Day 2 or 3 of the trip is also the day that the stomachaches begin. While it’s not the most fun topic to talk about, constipation often is the cause. I encourage students to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains to keep things "regular.” And again, staying hydrated with plenty of water also prevents constipation. Finally, don’t blow your souvenir budget on candy and other unhealthy snacks; instead, pack granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, or other healthy snacks in your luggage.

Eat light before the flight. Kids who are nervous about the flying, or who eat a large meal, or eat too much junk will probably end up sharing their partially digested meal with the rest of us if they aren't careful. Gross. Stick to a light dinner before we depart, and then pack a little trail mix or some pretzels for the flight.  Breakfast is the first item on our agenda after we land, so you can refuel once we’re back on terra firma. When we land in Washington DC, it’s better to be hungry than nauseous.  Along those lines, if you are prone to air sickness, or motion sickness of any kind, my suggestion is ginger gum.  It doesn't make you drowsy, and can help to keep your stomach calm.

MEDICATION
The only meds that kids are allowed to keep with them are life-saving meds (asthma inhaler, epi-pen, etc). All other medications (prescription or over-the-counter) should be handed to the designated chaperone, along with any written instructions, right before we board the coach to drive down to the airport. If your child is taking meds on a regular schedule, it is his/her responsibility to come to us.

This is an important topic, so medication will be addressed at our pre-departure meeting on Wednesday. If you have any questions about medication, please ask at the meeting, or contact Mr. Sheridan well in advance of our departure. And of course, please indicate any medication or food allergies on that yellow release form you recently received in the mail from USA Student Travel.