Stop the Car! I Need to go to the Bathroom! or Water When Traveling

When traveling, most people are inclined to cut back on their water consumption. After all, they're a little embarrassed at having to stop every hour or so (on a car trip) to use the bathroom. Or if they're on a plane, they hate having to climb over everyone else to get to the toilets.

Well, I hope you can get over your embarrassment. Because water is the best thing to solve a number of travel related problems.

Here's some logistics. In the first place, I recommend that everyone carry a water bottle with them. Our family does, and not only is it healthier, it stops the endless pleading for soft drinks that children are sometimes inclined to do. Drinking water also cuts back on your false hunger pangs, and prevents you from eating as much.

And while you may have to stop more frequently to use the bathroom, that's actually better for you. Most people are more alert and better drivers when they stop every hour or so, and walk around, even if it's only for a minute or so. When you're hopping to the bathroom, take some deep breaths, and you'll not only feel better, you'll be a better, safer driver.

If you're on an airplane, water is even more important. In the first place, there have been several cases of travelers dying from an embolus (a blood clot in the vein) on airplanes. Water helps this out in two ways. In the first place, the extra fluid keeps the blood circulating. In the second, the extra water forces you to get up and move around (by going to the bathroom) and this helps to prevent a blood clot from forming.

As more and more people are traveling, airlines are having to cram more and more people into planes. This means that you will have very little space. It's simply not a good idea to remain in a cramped space for hours on end without walking around -- even if the movie's a good one! You might want to get a seat on the aisle, so you can get up and down without disturbing anyone. Even better is a seat on the bulkhead, which is the first row of seats in the cabin. You'll have more room there. (Even better is flying in first class! But since I'm guessing that most people are not able to afford that luxury, maybe water can make up for it a little bit!)

The interior of an airplane is also dry. The air is about as humid as that of a desert, which is not very humid. Your mouth and throat are likely to become dry, even with liberal intakes of water. You should probably avoid most of the alcohol that's offered to you, because alcohol will serve to dry your body out even more. Just get on good terms with the flight attendants, accept a big glass of water whenever they offer you something to drink, and enjoy your trip.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is 'Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,' and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com