Travel is stressful under even the best conditions, but it's even worse when you get sick… and unfortunately, there's a pretty good chance of you coming down with something the next time you plan to take off for a while – especially if you're taking a trip overseas. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, people who visit family and friends while abroad and adventure travelers are at increased risk of becoming ill during travel. Between 20 and 70 percent of the 50 million people who travel come down with some sort of illness, and although most illnesses are mild, 1 to 5 percent of travelers become ill enough to seek medical attention, 0.01 to 0.1 percent require medical evacuation, and 1 in 100,000 dies.

But the news isn't all dim. According to TravDoc.com, over 90 percent of health risks that travelers suffer from are preventable – and we're not just talking about malaria. Even common health issues like jet lag and constipation can be circumvented with a few simple tricks and tips. How? Read on.

1. Stay hydrated. Sure, flight attendants will bring the drink cart around twice during a cross-country flight, but you're going to want to drink more often than that if you want to stave off jet lag and constipation. "Avoid all alcohol and caffeinated drinks, as they are diuretics and cause you to loose water," instructs Dr. Natalie Nevins, who operates the Amrit Davaa Wellness Center in Hollywood, California. "Try to drink a least a 4-6 oz glass of water each hour of your flight and bring your own bottle of water to use and supplement with the airline water." Nevins also notes that you shouldn't wait until you're thirsty to drink – by then, you're already dehydrated.

2. Boost your immune system. The best thing you can do for yourself is start your healthy travel regimen long before you leave by ramping up your immune system for the inevitable taxing it will experience. Some popular choices are to load up on vitamin C or Echinacea, and take packets of Emergen-C with water. Some other options? "Oregon Grape/Berberis is great for stimulating the immune system, and acts as an herbal antibiotic," says Beverly Hills naturopath Dr. Patti Kim, who suggests travelers take it preventatively on the plane and while traveling. Meanwhile, Dr. Nevins reports that colloidal silver is a good immune support. "It has natural antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties," she says. "Start using it a few days before travel, and take it with you and use it every day while you're gone."

3. Use preventative medicine. Of course, you'll want to make sure you take any prescription medicines with you, bringing not only extras just in case, but a photocopy of your prescription lest you need more while you're gone. Bear in mind that third world travel will likely require pre-trip vaccinations, so check out wwwn.cdc.gov/travel and see if there are any warnings surrounding your intended travel destination. Dr. Kim also suggests taking Omega 3 Fish Oil, which helps to combat stress, reduce inflammation and balance hormones. But what if you're fine until you suspect you may have eaten something that makes you concerned? Says Dr. Kim, "If you're traveling in third world countries and end up eating any suspicious food or street food, I would recommend popping a couple of activated charcoal caps to help absorb any potential toxins and help with mild food poisoning symptoms like nausea or diarrhea. "

4. Pack your medicine in your hand luggage and create a list with the names of your medications and phone numbers of your drugstore.

5. Get your rest. Although it's tempting to push yourself to your limits when you want to try and cram everything you can into a day, don't. You'll regret it later. And though it can be hard with time changes, you can still trick your body into going down for the count even when it feels like you could run a marathon. "Sleep in a completely dark room with blackout curtains or use an eye mask to stimulate your own melatonin instead of taking an exogenous hormone supplement," suggests Dr. Kim. "It will help boost your immune system and assist with sleep and your circadian rhythm, especially with jet lag."

6. Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene. Your mom may have nagged you a lot about washing your hands as a kid, but there was a good reason – your hands are the most likely place for germs to make a home, until they can find their way into your body via a nose wipe or an eye rub. "Most common illnesses are from handling a contaminated object and then touching your face," says Dr. Nevins. "Airlines don't wipe down food trays or arm rests between flights. Bring handiwipes and hand sanitizer with you in your carry-on luggage, then wipe down your food tray and arm rests and use hand sanitizer before eating."

7. If you do get sick while traveling, take care of yourself. And that means no running around town, coughing and wheezing your way through a tour. But Dr. Kim learned a useful trick in shortening the length of an illness when she came down with a head cold in India. "Use warming socks hydrotherapy, which is great preventatively, helps break up any nasal or chest congestion, and brings down fevers," she says. How does it work? Make sure your feet aren't chilled by soaking them in warm water or taking a hot bath or shower. Wet cotton socks in cold water, wring them out well and put them on, then immediately put on dry wool socks. The cotton socks will be dry in the morning as your body increases circulation throughout the night. Do this for at least three consecutive nights, but if you can't, do an alternating hot/cold hydrotherapy in the shower of three minutes of hot and 30 seconds cold, three times in a row. You'll be glad you did.

8. Exercise on the plane. Sitting for any extended length of time isn't good for you, but it's especially not good for you when you're trapped in a seat that barely gives you room to breathe. Your best bet is to get up every couple of hours and walk to the back of the plane, do toe raises and ankle rolls, calf stretches and other various plane exercises. Why? "There is a risk, particularly if you don't stretch the calf muscles, of having a blood clot known as a DVT – deep venous thrombosis – which is quite rare but more likely to happen on long transcontinental flights," says Dr. Davis Liu, author of Stay Healthy, Live Longer, Spend Wisely: Making Intelligent Choices in America's Healthcare System (Stetho Publishing). "If a DVT forms and then this blood clot breaks off from the calf vein and gets into the lung, it can cause a pulmonary embolus, which can result in sudden death." Again, Dr. Liu stresses this is a rare happening, but better safe than sorry, no?

9. Don't forget to relax. Anything that helps bring down your blood pressure or lowers your ire is the name of this game, so consider bringing your crossword puzzle or some soothing music if that helps distract you from the annoyingly loud person on the plane three rows behind you. Better yet? "I recommend getting a deep tissue massage or an acupuncture session both before and after your flight, because it helps to relax your mind and body for travel," suggests Burbank, California acupuncturist Diep Ng Ho. And if you're lucky enough to be on a plane that offers massage services, sign yourself up for some. And take us with you.

10. Make sure you have a food plan. Yeah, yeah, there's the old adage about plane food. But sometimes there are even fewer options for when you get off the plane. If you have allergies and you're traveling somewhere where you don't speak the language, consider having a laminated card made up in the language your destination speaks that explains what you can't eat so you can easily communicate with the wait staff – especially if your allergy is life threatening. But even if you're just a picky eater, it doesn't hurt to ensure you have some fuel so your blood sugar doesn't run too low. "Remember to stash something in your bag that you actually like to eat, like trail mix, nuts, or a quality granola bar, as long as it's not heavy enough to be considered a weapon," advises Joelle Reeder, one half of lifestyle experts The Moxie Girls. Why? Says Moxie Girl Kathy Scoleri, "If you're going to take in calories, it may as well be with nutrients, good fats and enjoyable, so I like to mix almonds, dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries in one of those little snack-size bags. And don't just accept the food they serve you if it's not something you want to eat. Don't be a pain, but it can't hurt to ask if someone has any alternatives to the Mystery Gravy Chicken." Amen to that.