How can expats stay healthy in a new world?
Facing different weather, environment, and food from home country, as an expat, you are more likely to worry about your health condition. It is understandable as being sick in an unfamiliar country can be a big issue, especially for those who are alone. Therefore, taking good care of yourself becomes the most significant task you ever have. Below are the tips you should have a look before your journey:
1.Get along with the local things
Moving to a neighboring country may not be a great challenge as the two countries may share a certain proportion of cultures or foods. However, moving from the West to the East is a totally different story. The taste and the ingredients of the local dishes can be out of your imagination and bring you a great shock. If you cannot adopt the local foods well, negative impacts on your body will appear easily. To avoid this situation, you better prepare beforehand. You may try some dishes from the new country to see if you can get along with them. If you are moving to Thailand or Sichuan in China, you may need to test your tolerance for spicy dishes beforehand or find out the less spicy foods you can easily find there.
2.Prepare the medical documents
Understanding more about your health condition is never a bad thing. Before going to the host country, you better get a comprehensive body check and get all the vaccinations you need, to make sure you are healthy enough to start a new journey. All the medical documents should be brought with you in case your doctor in the host country needs to know your medical history before any treatment.
3.Search the nearby facilities
According to the recommendations from the World Health Organization, adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week. Such a practice can help individuals to have less risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, etc. Expats who are going to move into a new community may not know where the fitness centers and the nearest trails are. That’s why you should search beforehand to maintain a healthy practice. Other than the sports facilitates, you should also search for the nearby clinics and hospitals in case you have an emergency need.
4.Seek help from the professionals
Not only should you care about physical health, but also mental health. It is usually overlooked. Expats who are going to face a significant change in their life are more likely to have stress and anxiety. They may or may not notice, but it does exist. To reduce the stress level caused by moving, you should seek help from the professional relocation company. Some relocation companies offer not only moving service, but also destination services like orientation and home finding. The specialists will take care of all the things you need during the whole relocation process.