DBT Corporate Travel

* Check with a doctor who treats travel-related disease to see if you need immunisation or pills against malaria, tetanus, typhoid or hepatitis. Also, ask your doctor about natural products to keep your digestive system functioning well while travelling.

* If you are visiting a country where physical activity can be quite strenuous and sudden changes in diet and climate can have serious health consequences for the unprepared traveler, consult your doctor before you depart.

Medication

* If you use medication, bring an ample supply in its original containers. Do not use pill cases. There are strict laws concerning narcotics throughout the world. Bring copies of your prescriptions and carry a letter from your doctor explaining your need for that particular drug. As an extra precaution, bring the generic names of your medications with you (pharmaceutical companies overseas may use different names).

* Make sure to pack medicines and extra glasses in your hand luggage in case your checked luggage is lost. To be extra secure, you should pack a backup supply of medicines and glasses in your checked luggage. If you take insulin, pack extra needles.

* Consider wearing a "medical alert" bracelet if you have allergies, reactions to certain medications, foods, insect bites or other unique medical problems. You may also wish to carry a letter from your doctor explaining desired treatment should you become ill.

* Remove contact lenses for a long flight. The very dry air can make your eyes uncomfortable. Take eyedrops.

* If you wear plates or dentures take contact cement in case you break a tooth.

First aid

Make up your own first aid kit in a zippered plastic bag. Here's a suggested list:

* dental floss (also a strong thread)
* eye drops
* laxative
* diarrhea medicine
* safety pins (a thousand uses)
* paracetamol
* condoms
* tampons or similar
* toilet roll (remove cardboard centre and squish it up.)
* tweezers
* scissors
* elastoplast
* antiseptic ointment
* disinfectant wipes
* antibiotics
* decongestant pills
* antihistamine pills
* insect repellent
* antacid
* cough drops
* vaseline
* lip balm
* oil of cloves for toothache.
* sea sick remedy

* Eat yogurt two weeks before you leave - this builds up "friendly" bacteria in your system and builds up tolerance. Drink bottled water and no ice (better hotels have their own ice making that uses purified water). In Third World countries only eat cooked food that's still hot or fruit that can be peeled (bananas or oranges) - raw food (salads etc.) may not have been cleaned properly.

* Always take a water bottle with you so when you arrive you're not immediately looking for somewhere to buy water.