As their website states, when you have a SteriPEN “you’re carrying hundreds of gallons of pure water in your pocket.” The handheld, portable, lightweight water purifier uses ultraviolet light to destroy waterborne microbes. Once you have this handy, health-promoting tool in your travel gear you’ll no longer have to worry about whether or not it’s safe to drink the water wherever you go.

What many travelers don’t know is that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s own website, as of October 6, 2009, the “EPA does not have sufficient data to make broadly applicable, reliable conclusions about water quality on passenger aircraft.”

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We all know how important it is to drink enough water. Dehydration can cause all kinds of problems including not only thirst but also nausea (like you need that on a flight), exhaustion, muscle and joint aches, angina, migraine headaches, restlessness, confusion, and anxiety. And when we’re flying, it’s very easy to become dehydrated.

According to Dr. Parvez Dara, who, in addition to being a medical doctor is also a Master Certified Flight Instructor and a member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators with an Airline Transport Pilot rating, “At altitude, air pressure is low, the water vapor content is low and compensatory hyperventilation (increased rate of breathing) is the norm. So there is excess water loss through breathing—the exchange of dry air for moist breath.” As a result, our cells lose water and slow down their function.

The most damaging effects of all this are in the brain, so it’s imperative for pilots to stay hydrated. But it’s important for passengers’ health and comfort as well. My own general rule is to drink 8 ounces of water for every hour in flight. And do remember that drinking alcohol—whether in a plane or on the ground—is additionally dehydrating. So if you’re going to drink alcohol, you need to drink more water as well.

Whether you’re a visitor or a resident of New York who’s planning or returning from a trip abroad, Travel MD has a group of board-certified physicians knowledgeable in all specialties including tropical medicine and travelers’ health who are available 24/7 to cater to your every need.

Although I haven’t used the service myself, based on everything I’ve heard and read about it, if I were visiting New York City and needed immediate medical attention, I would certainly try it. My favorite thing about Travel MD is that they make house calls! Just give them a ring and you will receive a prompt, confidential visit from a highly qualified doctor in your hotel room, residence, office, or virtually any other venue. Or you can visit their comfortable, well-appointed urgent care center on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Travel MD will also arrange consultations with top New York specialists, coordinate care with your own physician, and facilitate discrete emergency room care in critical situations.

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Right now, when everyone’s worried about coming down with the flu, we’re more aware than ever of the germs that can be lurking in unexpected places—and this is particularly true not only in the workplace but also in airplanes and hotels, where many people come and go all the time.

One way to protect yourself and others from 90 different kinds of germs and viruses, including Staph, Strep, E. coli, Herpes I & II, Asian flu, HIV, and even Hepatitis B. is to use this great product.

It isn’t an antibacterial gel or wipe you use on your hands; Virofree is a non-toxic disinfectant spray made from a formula similar to the one used in hospitals that you can you use on virtually any kind of surface from toilets to telephones. I always have a TSA-approved ½-ounce size container in my carry-on when I fly and also keep a larger one in my luggage. I certainly don’t consider myself a “germaphobe,” but, on the other hand, I don’t like being sick when I’m traveling, and I suspect you don’t either.