So you booked the flight, bought your spring wardrobe, and put countless hours of work in at the gym in preparation for Spring Break 2010.
Now that everything is in place for you and your friends to make a memorable vacation, the last thing you need to do is prepare mentally. This is perhaps the most overlooked step in the process of having a healthy and safe spring break. The perfect way to ruin a tropical get away is by cutting it short due to sunburn. While one of your goals may be to come back with a tan, your health is clearly more important. Choosing a waterproof sunscreen with a high SPF of 30 or above is the easiest way to avoid serious sunburn.
Overexposure to the sun may also result in Sun poison. This condition is marked by fluid-filled blisters that break and leave open wounds. Besides the intense pain and unattractive appearance, it only takes a few occurrences of sun poison to increase your chances of skin cancer throughout your lifetime.
Mixing alcohol and sun exposure also produces problems. A study at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston, Mass. shows a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and an increased severity in sun burns. Alcohol dehydrates your skin which is the last thing you want when sunburned.
Keeping tabs on your alcohol consumption in general is the next tip. Dehydration and alcohol poisoning are the two most common problems with college students and alcohol during Spring Break, and may also be the two easiest to avoid by being cautious. It may be as simple as postponing drinking alcohol until nightfall instead of drinking all day, or simply decreasing alcohol intake all together.
The third concept to get down before your trip is the combination of rest and detoxification. One of the reasons you’re taking a trip is to recharge your batteries by getting a break from the real world. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you should stray away from the necessary 8 hours of sleep per night or power naps.
Detoxifying your body from the night before isn’t a simple or universal process for everyone. I recommend doubling your normal fluid intake and
drinking plenty of water. Drinking a beer or mixed drink to beat a hangover may make you feel better for the moment, but this simply disguises the fact that your body needs to be cleansed of toxins. Pack fruits and salads into your vacation diet as well as complex carbohydrates for energy. Greasy, fatty foods have the tendency to slow you down.
Getting in some exercise at least once a day will make for a better balance during your trip. Rounds of golf, volleyball, soccer or going swimming are
ways for you to have fun in the sun and still be productive. Following these tips will steer you clear of the pitfalls that many others may face. Stay healthy on your trip and most of all, enjoy yourself.
