Complementary Health Approaches for Travelers

If you’re planning a winter vacation, you may be concerned that problems like jet lag, sunburn, motion sickness, or traveler’s diarrhea could take some of the fun out of your trip.

Some people seek out complementary health approaches for these travel-related health issues. In a few instances, such as the use of melatonin for jet lag and probiotics for prevention of traveler’s diarrhea, evidence suggests that complementary approaches may help.

But in other cases, complementary approaches haven’t been found to be helpful. For example, no complementary approach has been shown to relieve motion sickness. And in some instances, using complementary approaches instead of conventional ones could be harmful. For example, using unproven herbal products to protect yourself from the sun instead of wearing protective clothing or using sunscreen could leave you with a nasty sunburn.

Check out our fact sheet for a complete list of travel-related health concerns and complementary approaches, and learn more about the scientific evidence for these approaches.