travel
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8 DAYSYou may fall ill on holiday, but don’t be ill-prepared for it.
What medicine should you take with you for your next getaway?M EDS WORLD
IT’S A MEDS,
What The Stars Pack
PREVENTION AND PRAYERS ARE BETTER THAN
CURE FOR THESE CELEBS.Sonia Chew, 23
WHAT’S IN HER TRAVEL MEDICATION BAG: “I’m a walking pharmacy
when I travel (laughs). At overseas shoots, crew members always come
to me if they [don’t feel well]. I have basic medicine like Panadol and
antihistamines to pills for food poisoning, and even relaxants to help me
sleep. Sometimes, I travel through different time zones and I still need to
work the next morning, so it’s important that I sleep. If I’m going to very hot
places, I’ll take oral sunblock. I even have antibiotics, just in case.”
IT HAPPENED TO ME: “When I was filming in Korea, I caught hay fever. And
it was quite bad — my head felt heavy and my face was swelling up. So I
took a lot of antihistamines, which helped. So far, I’ve been quite lucky that
that was one of the only times that I fell sick overseas. But I’m still paranoid,
that’s why I bring the pharmacy with me (laughs). Especially since there are
places where there may not be 24-hour clinics, especially in the outskirts.”
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE: “I go for flu jabs every year. It
protects you against certain strains, so I don’t really get the flu often.”Romeo Tan, 32
WHAT’S IN HIS TRAVEL MEDICATION
BAG: “I always pack Panadol, and
medicine for cold, flu, cough and
diarrhoea. I also have pills for nasal
congestion — I have sinus, so I take
it quite often — and my asthma spray
for my childhood asthma. I haven’t
had a relapse for a few years now,
but I take it with me just in case. If
it’s a work trip, I’ll take fish oil and
Vitamin C supplements. I’ll also bring
mosquito repellent on camping trips.”
IT HAPPENED TO ME: “Once, I fell pretty sick in Bangkok. I didn’t know what I
was down with, so I went to a pharmacy and I just whacked it lah — I asked them
for different types of medicine for things like cold and stomach flu. (Laughs) The
next day, I felt much better.”
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE: “If I take a long-haul flight, I’ll try to eat
cleaner and less spicy food so I won’t get an upset stomach on the plane. It’s not
very nice to hog the toilet [onboard] for so long!”Ya Hui, 30
WHAT’S IN HER TRAVEL
MEDICATION BAG:
“Panadol, Zyrtec for nasal
congestion, charcoal
pills for food poisoning,
Vicks for cough relief,
eye drops and ointments
for headaches. Since I
[get travel constipation],
maybe I should also bring
laxatives next time?”
PREVENTION IS BETTER
THAN CURE: “Before
my trip, I’ll try to avoid
heaty food, drink lots of
water and sleep early. I’ll
also buy the best travel
insurance and pray very
hard not to fall sick.”