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As seen in Cookie Magazine.

Q. We've had a family vacation planned for months. How do I make sure my kids stay healthy on the big trip?

A. Family trips can be a blast, but nothing ruins a vacation faster than a sick child. Whether you're visiting Mayan ruins or checking out Times Square, you've got to plan ahead—with some creativity!

1. Keep Your Hands Clean

Skip the antibacterial wipes! Instead, opt for good old-fashioned hand washing, a process that should last as long as it takes to sing the alphabet song. The overuse of antibacterial products may be weakening our immune systems and giving rise to supergerms and bacteria that are resistant to control. Conventional antibacterial wipes, gels, and soaps contain industrial chemicals and harmful pesticides, and they kill both good and bad bacteria. For added sanitation when traveling, try tea-tree oil, an excellent natural antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal that's widely available in many forms, including wipes and sprays.

2. Avoid Airplane Germs

Airports and airplane cabins are bacteria minefields. Keep natural, all-surface bamboo wipes from Method with you during the flight, and wipe down tray tables, service buttons, TV and radio accessories, and seatbelts before using them. If your airline pillow arrives unwrapped (and thus probably unwashed), drape a scarf or sweater around it to protect your face. For children, substitute their favorite snuggly from home for the airline blanket—it will provide not only familiarity but also protection against the previous user's germs. Also be sure to wash up after touching railings and elevator buttons and using public lavatories.

3. Stay Hydrated

Children are particularly susceptible to dehydration without their routine and their regular diet. And the on-the-go beat of travel sometimes disrupts our daily water-intake habits. So stock up on travel packs of pure electrolytes, like Clif Shot Electrolyte Drink, that can be dumped into bottles or canteens, and familiarize yourself with the CDC's guidelines for recognizing signs of dehydration. And pick up a sustainable stainless-steel Klean Kanteen, then have your friendly terminal baristas fill it up with water after you've gone through security.

4. Avoid Allergic Reactions

Did you ever wonder why airlines replaced those snack-size bags of nuts with pretzels? It's because today, nearly 12 million Americans suffer from allergic reactions to foods like peanuts, wheat, and soy. If you have a child with an allergy, you know that planning ahead is required to prevent a reaction. Before a trip abroad, print out an allergy card in the relevant language to bring with you. In addition, pack plenty of dried or prepackaged healthy snacks.

5. Be Careful What You Eat

Tasting the savory delicacies of a foreign destination is one of the most exciting parts of travel, but suffering from indigestion is not. Children can be particularly sensitive because they are more susceptible to food and water-borne illness than adults. Travel guru Shelly Rivoli counsels caution: Avoid food cooked by street vendors, which is less likely to be sterilized or refrigerated; frequent restaurants that cater to Western tourists, since they're likely to be more in tune with our appetites; and opt for items that are guaranteed to be cooked thoroughly—i.e., not raw. Research local water conditions to ascertain if tap water is safe to drink, and never sterilize bottles, pacifiers, or toys in undrinkable tap water. Pack a handful of mint-tea packets to help calm troubled tummies and aid digestion.

6. Beware of Bugs

If you are camping or on a nature trek, protect your family against bug bites. To start, everyone should wear long sleeves and pants, if possible, and be sure to unfold a ground sheet for outside play. Applying a layer of lavender oil to skin will help fend off the occasional bug (they hate the smell), and taking garlic supplements will dissuade hungry mosquitoes. If you need a stronger bug guard, mind the DEET. The powerful chemical has been shown to have some potentially negative health affects, like skin irritations, blistering, and even headache and memory loss—see Beyond Pesticide's Fact Sheet on DEET—so choose 10 percent, the lowest concentration available, which should last for up to two hours. The USDA recently found a natural soybean-oil product, Bite Blocker for Kids, to be as effective as a 15 percent concentration of DEET, and it lasts four to eight hours.

7. Get Serious Sun Protection

There's nothing lovelier than a family day at the beach. That is, until your child gets a nasty sunburn and all you can think of is baby skin turning to leather. Many sunscreens contain harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens, and other estrogenlike compounds. The good news is that the Environmental Working Group has identified 135 health-safe products that offer very good sun protection, so go to Cosmeticsdatabase.com and click on "Sunscreens." Should a burn occur, ease the pain with soothing aloe-vera gel.

8. Stay Healthy Before You Go

Prior to the trip, everyone, including Mom and Dad, should be getting extra rest, nutritious foods, and lots of liquids. This is often hard to accomplish when you're running last-minute errands and packing, but if your family stays healthy pretravel, there's a better chance you'll make it through the trip without anyone getting sick.

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