Wherein I Think "I Told You So"

The Chicago Tribune ran an article, originally from the L.A. Times about a study of the health of business travelers. It seems frequent flyers are less healthy.

Shocking. Here are the stats:

"Extensive travelers were 260% more likely than light travelers to rate their health as fair to poor. Obesity was 92% more common in the extensive travelers. They also had higher cholesterol and high blood pressure."

I had started to notice that my retiring colleagues were all getting healthier. Exercising, dropping weight, ditching some of the meds. I had associated it with leaving the stress of The Grind, but not with the travel in specific.

I know when I am on the road, I don't sleep as well, don't eat as well and only exercise if I had a good day and the weather is nice. I remember a speaker at a conference once saying that she gained however many pounds her first year on the job because she would order cheesecake from room service whenever she travelled. She literally went on a No Cheesecake diet.

I am not giving up Auntie Anne's pretzels.

Interestingly, the article does not talk about other Traveler Afflictions I have heard mentioned. Blood clots is the one that scares me. Back problems from shlepping the luggage through the airport. I have a colleague whose doctor forbids her to carry on luggage. He doesn't want her lifting anything into the overhead bins anymore. Not to mention Airplane Plague - the general cold-n-flu like symptoms one picks up after a time on the road.

I am not sure how the math might change when looking at people that primarily drive to other locations or business. As for me, I am just glad that I am home this month.