Holiday travel survival guide

See the sights (and relatives, too) without the usual health hassles.

Lack of sleep, lurking germs, bathroom issues, and a host of other travel travails can complicate anyone's holiday trip. Indeed, getting sick on vacation is an all-too-common problem: As many as 63 percent of travelers say it's happened to them, surveys show. Is there a better way to go? Absolutely. All it takes is smart planning. Here's our expert-endorsed to-do list.

Outsmart airplane germs
Problem: You're getting a scratchy throat from the recirculated air at 30,000 feet, and the hygiene-challenged guy behind you is hacking up a lung.

Solution: Relax. Airplane air isn't quite as dirty as you think, says Roy DeHart, MD, MPH, former commander of the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine in Texas. It's cleaner than the air in most restaurants or crowded offices. But if someone within two rows of you is coughing or sneezing, try to move to an empty seat. Also:

• Drink plenty of bottled water--desert-like cabin air dries your mouth and nose, making you more susceptible to germs.

• Avoid the coffee and tea. A recent inspection found fecal bacteria in 17 percent of planes' water, which is used to make those beverages.

Survive a snot parade
Problem: Your nephew's the cutest snot factory you've ever met. Can you play with him without catching the plague?

Solution: Gently steer clear of his germy hands, toys, and anything else he touches. And if you want to get cuddly:

• Wash your hands frequently (especially before you eat and after you hold him) and be sure to keep a hand sanitizer handy.

• Avoid touching your face unless you've just cleaned your hands.

• Enjoy the moment. Little kids catch 10 to 12 infections per year, but adults' immune systems are much stronger.

Keep it regular
Problem: You have trouble going when you're away from home.

Solution: Get moving. Sitting in an airport or in front of the TV with family is sure to slow things down, so take a walk each day. Also:

• Start eating high-fiber foods like beans and grains or taking fiber supplements before your trip, and drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.

• Seize the opportunity when the urge strikes you. Putting it off can bring on constipation.

• Sit on the toilet for a few minutes the same time each day, like after breakfast, even if nothing happens. If you're still stuck, take a stool softener with docusate (like Colace or Doculax) For more help, see "Beat the Belly Blues" on page 120.

Sleep Like a baby
Problem: The pillow's too flat, the comforter's too hot, and you miss your ceiling fan.

Solution: Bring a little bit of home along with you--like your favorite pillow. Also:

• Stick to your usual bedtime, and don't sleep in.

• If you're drinking more caffeine than usual (who doesn't on vacation?), try to lay off after lunch. For alcohol, make it 3 hours before bed.

• Lower the thermostat if you can--many people sleep best when the room's around 65 degrees. Can't escape a stuffy room? Pack a tiny travel fan, like Magellan's ($8.85; 800-962-4943 or www.magellans.com).

• Stay busy during the day, and get lots of sunlight (with sunscreen, of course). Regular exposure to sun helps set your body clock.

• If you're desperate, ask your doctor about using a nonprescription medicine like Benadryl or Tylenol PM at bedtime. (But keep in mind that most contain an antihistamine, which can leave you groggy.)

Avoid allergies
Problem: You're allergic to cats, but your Aunt Betty has a house full of felines (and dander, fur, and hairballs).

Solution: Make a note to remember your allergy medicines. If you forget them, buy a nondrowsy antihistamine like Claritin, Alavert, or a generic so you're not zonked your whole stay. (Get the 24-hour, extended-release version.) Nonprescription cromolyn nasal sprays like NasalCrom can make the reactions less intense. A decongestant like Sudafed may do the trick, too. More tips:

• Move throw pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals--whatever might be full of dander--to a closet. If pets have been on the bed, strip the bedding and replace it with clean linens. Or, better yet, bring some linens from home.

• Explain to your aunt how sick cats make you and ask her (nicely!) if she'll board the kitties during your stay--make sure you offer to pay for it.

Wipe out hotel willies
Problem: You're staying at a nice hotel, but you can't stop thinking about news of a bedbug comeback.

Solution: Be vigilant when you arrive. No matter the hotel (room rates have nothing to do with the risk of infestation), make sure you:

• Check for droppings, which look like small red or brown stains or spots. (You won't see the bugs because they only come out at night, says Susan Jones, PhD, associate professor of entomology at Ohio State University.) Pull back the bedspread and check the sheets, then the mattress and box springs. And give the baseboards and upholstered furniture a once-over. Bedbugs can travel 100 feet when hunting a meal.

• If you see droppings, tell the management and ask for a room on another floor. Ditto if you wake up with itchy mosquito-bite-like welts. (You probably won't feel the bite when it happens.) Bedbugs may make you scratch, but they don't transmit infections.

• Even if the room seems clear, keep your suitcase zipped and on a luggage stand, and don't leave clothes lying around. The bugs love to hitchhike on clothes and in luggage.

By Eric Steinmehl

10 Tips Deer-Hunting Success

GO PUBLIC While it's difficult to gain access to private lands, every state has public wildlife management areas, including federal lands. Many public lands offer excellent hunting opportunities.
TAKE A CHANCE Experiment with new ideas and products. Many hunters still believe that calling and rattling for whitetails won't work in their area. You'll never know if you don't try.
VISUALIZE THE SHOT If you're hunting from a tree stand, practice shooting from every angle. When a deer appears, you'll know better how to move without being detected and which shots are impossible or very difficult because of obstacles.
SWEEP UP If you're in a ground blind, clear leaves and brush from around your feet. If a deer suddenly approaches and you must change positions, rustling noises could alert it to your presence.
IGNORE THE MOON Some hunters won't go out on a day following a full moon because they believe the deer are active all night and don't move in daylight. Wrong. Deer are always someplace, and you should hunt whenever you can.
GET MOBILE Don't spend all your time in one spot, unless you've patterned a buck and want to wait him out. Otherwise, be flexible and try new areas.
BE SURE If you're hunting does and your management plan is to protect young bucks, look long and hard before pulling the trigger. The doe might be a button buck.
DON'T FORGET SAFETY When you hunt with a firearm, wear hunter orange clothing whether the law requires it or not. Likewise, always use a safety harness when in a tree stand or climbing to and from it.
PRACTICE FOR ACCURACY Don't even think of hunting unless you've practiced enough with your firearm or bow to be consistently accurate.
COUNT ON LUCK During an Arkansas hunt a guide showed me a tree stand and said a big buck was once seen from it, though he hadn't been spotted for a few seasons since. Other tree stands with more potential were available but I opted for the first one. The big buck decided it was time to pay a return visit. I shot him and learned that simple luck always plays a hand in a hunter's success.

Advice From Master Hunters

TAKE IT Slow Francis Mose, a veteran woodsman in New York's Adirondacks, taught me how to still-hunt the woods for whitetails. On one hunt I walked parallel to him about 10 yards away, copying his movements. At first I found it annoyingly difficult to imitate his snail's pace, but after seeing the effectiveness of his approach, I became a believer.

ROCK OUT Western hunter DeMarr Dudley showed me how to outwit a crafty mule deer buck. On a Utah hunt, he threw rocks into a weedy draw that was barely as wide as a pickup truck. Nothing happened, but Dudley kept it up. After the 15th rock hit, a buck came boiling out as if he had been scalded.

PATTERN THE DEER New York hunter Paul Jeheber directed me to sit on a particular rock in southern New York while he and a pal put on a drive for whitetails. He pointed out two trails coming off a ridge where deer might travel. Sure enough, he was right. A buck ran out. I shot it and learned the importance of patterning deer and knowing their escape routes.

STAY ON STAND Famed Kentucky hunter Harold Knight put me on stand in Tennessee near some fresh scrapes and told me to stay put until noon, even though the weather was hot, because the rut was cranking up. I was skeptical, but when a big 1 O-point buck emerged in the laurel with his nose to the ground and headed to the scrapes, I had a change of attitude. Because anything can happen at any time during the rut, a hunter is better off staying in his stand all day if possible.

10 Tips from the No-Fad Diet

1. Set a personal weight-loss goal and write it down. Start with a goal of losing about 10 percent of your current body weight.
2. Keep a food diary for one week. Write down everything you eat and drink.
3. Pay attention to what you are eating now and why. Identify the sources of your personal "hidden" calories, such as eating your child's leftovers.
4. Substitute fat-free or low-fat milk for whole milk, and save about 65 calories for each eight-ounce serving.
5. Watch nutrition labels: Products labeled "low-fat" can be high in calories. For example, low-fat yogurt can be high in calories. Enjoy fat-free, no-sugar-added yogurt instead for a fraction of the calories.
6. Include high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, in your diet. They take longer to digest, so they make you feel full longer. In addition, many fruits and vegetables contain water, which provides volume but not calories.
7. Cut your favorite candy bar into bite-size pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and store the pieces in the freezer. When a sugar craving hits, unwrap and eat one piece. By the time the candy thaws in your mouth, your craving may be satisfied.
8. Identify the nonessential, high-calorie foods you buy out of habit. Stop buying them! If they're not in your pantry, you won't eat them.
9. Make extra amounts of your favorite low-calorie foods and freeze individual portions. It's an easy way to control portion size and have handy options available for last-minute meals and snacks.
10. When eating out, consider having two low-calorie appetizers instead of an entree. It will help you feel satisfied and full without splurging on calories.