How to avoid getting sick before and during your travels

(BPT) - You research what museums and restaurants you want to visit, plan everything you're going to pack, and count down the days until you leave. Anticipating a vacation is exciting - unless you suddenly get sick. Falling ill before or during your trip can derail the fun quickly, and that's why it's so important to add a few steps to your pre-vacation checklist that can help you stay healthy.

Whether you're traveling to a neighboring state or across the globe, feeling your best is an important part of having a great trip. The experts at On Call International, an emergency medical, security and travel assistance organization, offer these tips for maintaining health before and during your travel adventures:

Tips for traveling safely with your food-allergic child

(BPT) - Traffic delays, long wait times and hungry little tummies - for all the rewards of spending time with your children, traveling with kids can be a challenge. But when the child has food allergies, those challenges can start to look like insurmountable - and even life-threatening - obstacles.

"It is possible to travel safely and happily with your food-allergic child," says Lynda Mitchell, president of the Kids With Food Allergies Foundation. "Families don't have to give up on travel because of the challenges. Extra planning and some hard work can help ensure a family trip is safe and fun for everyone."

Add new experiences to your family gathering

(BPT) - Family gatherings often involve everyone sitting around, catching up while children play. It's a wonderful time for family to hear the latest on jobs, trips, hobbies and health, but it can also turn into a tedious repeat of listening to Uncle Joe's story of the winter of 1954 when the snow was up to the second story windows of the house and children had to walk several miles to get to school.

If your family gathering needs a little spicing up this year, consider adding new experiences to the plans, and making a new and fun tradition out of them. Here are some ideas to get started:

* Get out and enjoy the outdoors - If you live in snowy parts of the country, organize a snowshoe trek, sledding time or ice skating at a community rink. These activities can bring a healthy glow to your family members' cheeks, as well as create new memories you can reminisce about at future family gatherings. If you don't have snow in your area, consider planning a bike ride, a hike or even a golf outing to bring everyone together.

Three dangerous driving distractions that may surprise you

(BPT) - By now, almost everyone knows the dangers of texting or talking on a cellphone while driving. But phones aren't the only distractions drivers should be aware of. Experts say that anything that draws your attention away from the road can be a potential cause of an accident. That includes actions and situations as innocuous as snacking behind the wheel or postponing a bathroom break.

Most adults who drive regularly admit to engaging in distracting behaviors while behind the wheel, according to a Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll. Eighty-six percent eat or drink while driving, 59 percent use a hand-held cellphone, 41 percent fiddle with their GPS device, 37 percent text and 14 percent apply makeup, according to the poll.

Texting and driving don't mix

Driving and Texting

(BPT) - Are you like many Americans who make phone calls while they're driving? Or text a friend or family member when you reach a stoplight? Or browse restaurant menus on your smartphone or tablet while driving around town, searching for a place to eat?

Did you know that in doing so you could be breaking the law?

Taking your eyes off the road can lead to car crashes. And, jail time, too, as an 18-year-old Massachusetts driver recently discovered, when he was convicted and sentenced to jail time for causing a traffic death while texting and driving.

What's hot in 2013

(BPT) - There are two kinds of travelers out there: those who plan and those who wing it. But what they have in common is a love of travel and exploring new destinations. Whether you take two-day weekend trips or 10-day vacations, here are some must-see destinations that travel-inspiration site Away.com selected for 2013.

Two-day vacation: Birmingham, Ala.
 If you're into history and like the idea of a southern road trip, then check out Birmingham. 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of pivotal events that led to the civil rights movement that ultimately ended segregation in the 1950s and 60s. Birmingham plans to celebrate all year with special exhibitions, symphonies concerts, plays and commemorative historic tours. To make it a true road trip, tack on the journey from Selma to Montgomery, which is a National Historic Trail.-

Snow-fighters keep roads clear and save lives

(BPT) - Snow and ice affect more than 70 percent of the U.S. population, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Each winter the average driver in these areas will see more than five inches of snow on the roads. And when the snow is falling there are few things more comforting than the sight of snow plows and salt trucks making highways safe for commuters, shoppers and travelers.

In the Snow Belt, citizens expect roads to always be cleared of snow and ice, no matter how bad the storm, says Bret Hodne, public works director for West Des Moines, Iowa. To help meet those sky-high expectations, Hodne orders salt months before the first snowflake falls. His motto is "don't trust your climate," because if you plan for an average season it's bound to be a record-setting winter of snow and ice.