Archive for the ‘Travel Health News’ Category

Countdown to London 2012

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
London 2012 travel insurance

As London 2012 approaches, will you be packing your bags and going on holiday during those 2 weeks?

More than one in 10 Brits will be heading abroad during the London Olympics specifically to avoid the sporting event, according to research commissioned by ABTA.

In the poll, 12% said they would be going overseas between July 27 and August 12 to get away from the Games.
The older generation is the least keen to stay in the UK, with 22% of over 65s intending to head overseas to avoid the event, and 18% of 55-64 year olds.

On the other hand, 5 million people are planning to take time off to watch the Games on TV in the comfort of their own homes and around 12.5 million are taking time off work to attend events in or around the Games in London and other Olympic venues around the UK.

Which category do you fall into? Are you dreading the Games and would love to get out of the country? Or are you looking forward to it, and planning some time off, either to watch at home or actually visit some of the venues.

If you are planning to travel abroad during London2012, don’t forget your travel insurance to cover you for your trip!

Want a traditional Christmas – How about a Game?

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
christmas travel

Will you be eating turkey this Christmas or trying something different?

Ok, so when we think of a traditional Christmas, we might be thinking of sitting in front of  a roaring open fire, playing board games like Monopoly, and hoping the family competitive spirit doesn’t get too out of hand…….But there is another type of Game that can be important in this season too – the meat variety.

According to this article, now is the perfect time to eat more Game – and butchers’ shops are stocked up with meats including venison and pheasant.

What’s more, eating wild meat can be better for us too. Here’s all the health advantages…

VENISON: Double the iron of beef

Deer meat contains about half the calories of a chicken breast per portion, and a third of that in pork or beef loin. It also has one of the highest iron contents of any meat (2.4mg per 100g) – almost twice that of beef and two-and-a-half times more than spinach. One portion of venison supplies more than a quarter of the recommended daily iron intake.

RABBIT: Virtually no fat

It contains a third more protein than chicken (30g per 100g compared with 21g per 100g).

However, don’t confine your Christmas diet to chicken alone. The reason is that rabbit contains virtually no fat – it is ten per cent fat compared with pork’s 45 per cent and turkey’s 20 per cent.

Without any fat or carbohydrate, the body can’t metabolise the protein properly – so consider eating it with some roast potatoes!

Rabbit meat is also low in salt (33 per cent lower than chicken) and contains 2.6g of phosphorous, a third of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) and essential for bone health.

QUAIL: Great source of zinc

A good choice if you’re watching your fat intake – and again, an all-round more nutritious choice than chicken. It also has good quantities of niacin, iron, phosphorous, selenium and zinc (3mg per 100g serving compared with 2mg of chicken).

PHEASANT: More protein  than chicken or turkey

These birds are one of the richest sources of protein – 41g per 100g serving compared with chicken or turkey (20-30g). They are also rich in Vitamin B6, which helps regulate the metabolism – a serving would provide 0.74mg, just over a third of the RDA.

WOOD PIGEON: Tackles Alzheimer’s?

High in iron (one serving gives just over a quarter of the RDA while a serving of lean beef would only give you a fifth), it also contains niacin (Vitamin B3), which has been shown by studies to improve circulation and energy. Studies also show that people with high levels of niacin in their diet may have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cataracts.

So if you are staying in the UK over Christmas, you might want to add some Game on to your Christmas shopping list. And if you’re lucky enough to be going on holiday at all over the Christmas period, you might want to be a bit more adventurous with the food you sample while you’re away!

It’s official. We need a holiday every 62 days!

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
The Weight of the World

Burnt-out workers need more holidays

Have you been on holiday recently? Or do you just feel that you desperately need a break? You would not be alone. According to a study, long hours and heavy workloads mean we now require six holidays a year to avoid burning out. We need to pack our bags and take a break at least every 62 days – with those who wait more than two months between holidays more likely to become anxious, aggressive and ill.

So why do we need all these holidays? Well, basically, with the economic downturn, we are more drained and we are working harder than ever. 25% of workers surveyed said they are under so much pressure that they feel ‘desperate’ for a getaway every few weeks.

And the more important question is – do we actually get this recommended holiday quota? The answer is often no,  with only one in five of those questioned managing a break every couple of months, and 44% going without a holiday for half a year or longer.

But when we are lucky enough to get away,  most people find their stress levels slip away as soon as they do escape, with more than half feeling ‘fully refreshed’ after just a day or two away from the office. Men find it easier to leave it all behind than women, who take longer to relax once they do get away, the survey found

Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University, said: ‘Redundancies across the country have led to a fall in numbers of workers in each organisation, but no fall in the workload. As a result, remaining staff are working longer and harder.

‘Workers really should take a break every few months otherwise they will burn out, which is bad for them and their employer. People who fail to go on holiday are more likely to become anxious, aggressive and withdrawn. They may also develop aches and pains and struggle to sleep. Over-working depresses your immune system, making it more likely you will catch a cold or the flu.

‘From the employer’s view, an employee who has not been on holiday will become less productive and more prone to mistakes.’

So what lesson can we learn from this research? Well, it is quite a simple one really! As much as your personal time and budgets allow, make sure that you book a break if you can every 2 months or so. They don’t all have to be weeks away (you would probably run out of annual leave pretty quickly), but often a long weekend can be enough to recharge the batteries. And make sure you don’t forget your annual travel insurance to cover you for all those lovely holidays!

Do you need some sunshine in your life?

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

travel insurance for the elderly

How much do you enjoy the sunshine when you are on holiday?

‘After 70 years of age all is trouble and sorrow,” observed Robert Burton in his 17th-century treatise The Anatomy of Melancholy (read more here)

Now that might be a bit of an exaggeration nowadays, but one thing that we can notice as we get older is age-related disturbances of body rhythm – particularly the pattern of sleep and waking. How many older people do you know who get up incredibly early in the morning for example, even though they are retired, or don’t go to sleep until 2am – or are you one of those people?

Well there is some treatment for these disturbed sleep patterns, according to a report in the Archive of General Psychiatry . This is Bright Light Treatment. Just three weeks’ worth of light treatment produced a significant improvement in mood, comparable to that achieved by drugs, along with an increase in ”sleep efficiency’’. This form of treatment, he suggests, “provides a viable alternative to those who refuse, resist or are unable to take antidepressant medication”.

An interesting idea. Or maybe we all just need lots more holidays in the sunshine instead!? Remember, AllClear can provide specialist travel insurance for the elderly or if you have any existing medical conditions.

Parkinson’s disease and stem cells

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

At AllClear we like to keep you up to date with the latest health developments, and this is a very interesting story. A genetic form of Parkinson’s disease has been created in the laboratory, a development which could eventually lead to new therapies, according to this article in the Times.

Scientists in the United States have successfully grown nerve cells, from the skin of a woman with Parkinson’s, that show several features of the disease. These will provide a valuable resource for studying how the degenerative brain condition progresses, and for testing candidate drugs.

So how did they create the disease artificially in the laboratory? Well the team first took skin cells from a woman with Parkinson’s disease. These cells were  then manipulated using a technique that reprogrammes adult cells so they are basically ‘blanked’, making them like embyonic stem cells. These cells, known as induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells, then have the ability to form any tissue type in the body.

The IPS cells, bearing the Parkinson patient’s genetic code were coaxed to develop into nerve cells. At first, these cells appeared normal, but after 30 to 60 days they began to show characteristics typical of Parkinson’s.

So some really interesting research here, and yet another use for stem cells, that could potentially lead to treatments for Parkinson’s disease…

Medical Advances in 2011: Pneumatic Drills, new arthritis drugs, and detecting ‘soldier’ cancer cells

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

I read an interesting article all about medical advances in 2011, and I thought I would pick out a couple to share with you…

1.     Pneumatic drill that can clear blocked arteries: A tiny vibrating device that breaks up hard deposits in leg arteries. Blocked arteries in the legs, or peripheral arterial disease (PAD), affect one in five men and one in eight women aged over 50. It’s estimated that PAD results in 100 amputations a week in Britain, mostly in diabetics with poor blood circulation. The usual treatment is to insert a thin tube into the main artery in the thigh and feed through a wire to try to break through the blockage. But if the deposit has hardened, the wire often cannot penetrate, and patients face surgery or amputation. The tip of the wire on the new device vibrates 20,000 times a second. This punches a hole through the middle of the deposit, allowing doctors to inflate a tiny balloon to displace the blockage. Each procedure costs around £1,000 and the technology is being rolled out to NHS hospitals.

2.     New tablets for prostate cancer: For men with advanced prostate ­cancer, where the tumour has spread to other parts of the body, the only option is chemotherapy to slow the spread. However, this has toxic side-effects such as fatigue, nausea and hair loss. But a new tablet is due to be launched later this year that not only extends ­survival, but has fewer side-effects. Abiraterone, a once-a-day pill ­developed at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, has far milder side effects.  In tests on men whose cancer had stopped responding to all other treatments, the drug extended average survival from 10.9 months to 14.8 months.

3.     New anti-inflammatory arthritis drug: Non-steroidal ­anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs, are one of the main treatments used in rheumatoid arthritis and ­osteoarthritis, which affect around 1.5 million people in Britain. The best known is aspirin. The problem is these tablets can be harsh on the stomach.  Patients are usually also prescribed another type of drug to stop stomach acid being produced (a proton pump inhibitor), but many forget or don’t bother to take it. Now a new drug that combats this problem is expected to become widely available in 2011. Called Vimovo, it was recently approved for use in Britain and combines an anti-inflammatory with a proton pump inhibitor, esomeprazole. When the new drug is swallowed, it first releases a dose of ­esomeprazole. Only when this has had time to stop the production of acid is the anti-inflammatory then released, several minutes later. It is likely to be given to patients who need higher doses of NSAIDs

4.     Early lung cancer predictor: A blood test that predicts lung cancer up to five years before symptoms emerge is due to launch in the next few months. It is expected to be followed by a range of similar blood tests that will be able to identify breast, ­ovarian, bowel and prostate cancer victims long before they fall ill. The test is based on the fact that as soon as cancer cells start to develop, and long before the patient notices any symptoms, the immune system starts to release antibodies, ‘soldier’ cells, that patrol the bloodstream trying to kill off malignant invaders. The new lung cancer test, which has already been launched in the U.S., measures levels of six ­specific antibodies known to be linked to lung cancer.

I will share more information on these developments as I hear more…

Go Tea Total!

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

We all love tea. It is a British tradition like no other. And so hardly surprising that there is often a lot of research into the health and nutrition benefits, or lack of, for this hot drink.

But according to this latest research, tea really is good for your health. To reap the health benefits of tea you need to drink three cups a day, according to Simon Gibbons, Professor of Phytochemistry at the University of London School of Pharmacy.

He suggests drinking one cup in the morning, one at midday and one in the evening.

There are four main types of tea leaves – black (varieties like English Breakfast and Earl Grey), green, white and Oolong. They all contain antioxidants which we have all heard can be good for your health. And herbal infusions, which do not contain tea leaves, but have many health-giving properties.

One problem though – you can’t have milk. Adding milk prevents our bodies from accessing the valuable antioxidant qualities in the tea due to the proteins it contains. Apparently, though sugar does not have the same blocking effect, although then we still have the problem of the sugar rotting your teeth!  

So what is the evidence?

REDUCE STROKE RISK: A 15-year study in the Netherlands found a strong link between regular consumption of tea made with black tea leaves drunk without milk and reduced risk of stroke.  Researchers concluded that the flavonoids (nutrients with anti-oxidant properties) found in high concentrations in black tea helped reduce the production of LDL, the ‘bad’ cholesterol that can cause arteries to narrow, increasing the chance of stroke or heart attack.

A study in the USA found that five servings of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11 per cent. The flavonoids also improve the functioning of blood vessels.

AID DIGESTION: Green tea  -  made from unprocessed tea leaves  -  stimulates intestinal muscle contractions, thereby moving food through the system. It can also help with weight loss: green tea has been found to block the absorption of bad fats by up to 30%. Ginger tea is said to relieve nausea and is commonly recommended for morning sickness.

BRAIN FUNCTION: Black tea can help you concentrate. A study at the University of Northumbria found that caffeine in black tea leaves improves cognitive skills. In a test, those who drank two cups performed better than those who drank placebo tea.

A study by scientists at Imperial College found that those who drink more than 100ml of tea (or coffee) a day appeared to have a 34% lower risk of being diagnosed with a glioma, the most common type of brain tumour.

ANTI-CANCER: Tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants that can stop cancer cells growing. Tea has about eight to ten times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables. Green tea is especially high in polyphenols.

A recent study in Taiwan found that drinking one cup of green tea a day can reduce the risk of lung cancer, particularly for those carrying a certain gene. It is also thought to slow the progress of prostate cancer and to reduce the risk of stomach cancer.

Oolong tea has even more polyphenols than either black or green. However, drinking tea too hot, at 70C or more, can raise the risk of throat cancer.

BOOSTS IMMUNE SYSTEM: A study at Harvard University used blood tests to compare the immune function of tea drinkers with that of non-tea drinkers and found that those drinking five or six cups of black tea a day had an enhanced immune system.

Chemicals known as alkylamines that are found in tea are also present in some bacteria and parasites. It is thought that by drinking tea we prime our immune cells to recognise these alkylamines and be ready to fight them.

Ginger tea is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties and can stimulate circulation. It also has an analgesic effect  -  one study found that, if taken at the onset of a migraine, it can help to relieve pain.

INSOMNIA AND ANXIETY: Insomnia is often caused by  anxiety so herbs with calming properties are ideal. Chamomile has long been used to promote sleepiness as it contains chrysin, a chemical believed to relieve anxiety and promote drowsiness, and tryptophan, an amino acid known for its tranquillising effects. Lavender tea,  made from dried lavender flowers,  relaxes and soothes both mind and body.

DENTAL HEALTH: Although drinking black tea, particularly without milk, can discolour teeth, confusingly it can also protect them. This is because the polyphenols reduce plaque formation and protect against bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities. White tea and green tea also give protection from these bacteria. But fruit teas are acidic and can erode tooth enamel so choose your teas carefully if you want to look after your teeth at the same time.

So what does this have to do with travel? Well I don’t know about you, but I often feel that tea tastes different when I am on holiday – it is probably to do with all kinds of things like the hardness/softness of the water, the amount of time the tea is brewed, or even the different milk. However, it seems we should persevere with drinking tea while we are on holiday, because all the evidence points to how tea is good for you.

But what do you think? Do you drink tea while you are on holiday? Or avoid it because it ‘doesn’t taste the same’? Would love to know what you think…

Egypt Travel Advice

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

 Ok, following recent events,  we have put this information together from a number of sources to provide advice if you have planned travel to Egypt. Information is mainly from the Foreign Office, and Daily Mail.

  • If you are planning to travel to Egypt: The first thing to point out is that the situation is very different to Tunisia. Travel is not restricted to all of Egypt,  the FCO only advise against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez. This does not affect transits through Cairo airport for onward travel to other international destinations, although there is disruption to flight schedules. However, you should check with your airline or tour operation to confirm your travel plans.
    • If your trip/flight has been cancelled: You should be entitled to a refund. Contact your tour operator/airline in the first instance. Holiday companies only have to give refunds and change trips for current bookings which are affected by the FCO advice
    • If you want to cancel your future trip to Egypt: Check with your tour operator in the first instance. This will largely depend on where you planned to travel. The situation on the coast, such as Sharm El Sheik, is said to be calm, according to the the FCO. Therefore, if you choose to cancel your trip personally, it is unlikely that you will be covered to do so, and therefore you will need to bear the cost. This may change if the FCO advice changes.
  • If you are already in Egypt: The advice here depends on where you are located in Egypt.

The FCO recommend that British nationals without a pressing need to be in Cairo, Alexandria or Suez leave by commercial means where it is safe to do so.  British nationals in other areas of Egypt where there are demonstrations should stay indoors wherever possible. A major demonstration is planned for today (1 February) with calls for one million people to take part in Central Cairo. Similar, although smaller, demonstrations are expected in other major cities around Egypt. British nationals should observe instructions and advice by local security authorities and avoid public gatherings and disturbances.

Around 30,000 British tourists are thought to be on holiday in Egypt – out of the one million who go there each year. The majority however are in relatively trouble-free Red Sea resorts. Although some hotels in Sharm el Sheikh have put up barricades as precautionary protection, Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said the situation in the Red Sea Resorts was ‘genuinely calm’.  However, the situation across Egypt is unpredictable and may change quickly so  you should stay in touch with your tour operator. The nationwide curfew is not being enforced in the Red Sea Resort area. The internet is currently not working and mobile phone coverage is intermittent. You should carry some form of photographic ID at all times, a copy of your passport is sufficient.

British nationals in Egypt requiring other types of assistance or advice can call 020 7008 0000 from the UK or (02) 2791 6000 in Egypt. 

Update (2nd February): Information from the FCO

BRITISH GOVERNMENT FLIGHTS FOR BRITISH NATIONALS WISHING TO LEAVE CAIRO

In light of the ongoing unrest in Egypt the British Government has chartered a plane to supplement commercial capacity.

The plane will depart from Cairo International Airport on Thursday 03 February and there will be a charge of approximately £300 per person.

To register for a seat on this flight and further instructions please call: +44 (0)207 008 8765 / +20 227 916 000 in Egypt

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt

Tunisia Travel Advice

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

You can’t have failed to miss the news over the last week about the problems in Tunisia. We have just put this blog together to provide some travel advice for you about Tunisia, particularly if you are an AllClear customer. The situation is changing rapidly and is unpredictable but this is the current advice.

  • The most important information can be found at the FCO website. They continue to advise against all but essential travel to Tunisia.
  • If you are already in Tunisia: Register with the FCO to tell them when and where you are travelling or where you live so the consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you. You can register on the FCO website at: https://www.locate.fco.gov.uk/locateportal/ or by calling: (00 216) 71 108 713. The FCO advise you to leave Tunisia by commercial means if you do not have a pressing need to be in the country. If you are using a tour operator, talk to them about your travel arrangements home. British nationals who have a confirmed flight and have not heard from their airline should check with them to confirm whether flights will leave.Whilst in Tunisia, stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings of people, public buildings (such as Government offices, the Presidential Palace).  Remain indoors if possible. 

AllClear Customers: If you are unable to return to the UK on your scheduled return date you will have the travel insurance protection afforded under the policy extended free of charge until you are able to return to the UK.

  • If your trip/flight has been cancelled: You should be entitled to a refund. Contact your tour operator/airline in the first instance. Holiday companies only have to give refunds and change trips for current bookings which are affected by the FCO advice.
  • If you want to cancel your future trip to Tunisia: Those with bookings beyond the next few days have to wait until nearer the date of their trip to find out if the FCO advice has changed. If you still want to cancel your holiday now you may be charged a fee, sometimes as high as 70% of the price of your holiday. But what about your insurance?

AllClear Customers: You will be given the opportunity to move your policy travel dates to a future trip providing it is of the same duration and similar destination – otherwise a premium “top up” may be required.

If you have any other questions about your travel to Tunisia please do ask, and we will do our very best to help you.

Fit or Fat?

Thursday, January 13th, 2011
fitness

Does diet/fitness form part of your New Year's Resolutions?

Well, it is the New Year and everyone is talking about fitness. There are many different groups of people. There are those that are very stoically opposed to more exercise, saying that they are not changing anything just because it is 2011. At the other end of the scale, there are those that are jumping into the New Year with gusto, with hundreds of fitness-related resolutions to stick to. In between, are the rest of us, wanting to get more fit and healthy, but trying to make sure that we can actually stick to what we plan (at least for the first few months!!).

 But I read a few interesting articles recently, that showed that both the fitness fanatics or the living room loungers COULD be right. The only problem is the 2 articles contradict each other a bit, as we so often find when reading articles about health – a superfood one week, may be too full of sugar the next….

Anyway, the first article suggests that flabby hips and thighs could help the treatment of a range of illnesses including heart disease, arthritis, motor neurone disease and diabetes.

But when you read a bit further, it is not quite as simple as that. Doctors and scientists want to extract stem cells from our excess fat to keep on hand as a personal body repair kit. And any person of average weight would have enough spare fat to extract the stem cells.

For example, some scientists are carrying out research to convert stem cells from body fat into insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes. The type of stem cells found in fat — mesenchymal stem cells — are already known to be able to develop into bone, fat or cartilage.

Other researchers are working at turning the stem cells in fat into cells to be used in the repair of the liver and to treat central nervous system disorders.

One British doctor has applied for a licence to store stem cells from the fat removed from women undergoing liposuction as a cosmetic procedure. A new stem cell storage company, Precious Cells, has a list of 15 clients waiting to store stem cells from fat removed during cosmetic surgery. Companies that offer families storage of stem cells from their babies’ umbilical cord blood are also now planning to start fat banks.

In Holland, new research by the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam found that stem cells taken from fat on a patient’s stomach can safely improve the function of the heart after a heart attack. Results of a small trial of 14 patients, presented at the American Heart Association last month, showed that bloodflow through the heart was 3½ times better for patients who received stem cells from their fat compared with those who received a placebo.

Ok, and what does the second article say? Well, that almost half of women are putting themselves at risk of cancer due to their bulging waistlines. While a common perception is that men carry more weight around their middle, Government figures show 44% of women in England have a large waistline, compared with 32% of men.

Experts from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommend that women have a healthy waist measurement of less than 31.5in (80cm) while men keep to less than 37in (94cm). Excess body fat increases the risk of all cancers, but is strongly linked to cancers of the bowel, pancreas, breast and womb lining.  People can measure their waists by putting a tape measure half-way between their lowest rib cage and the hip bone.

Ok so what does this all mean? Well, basically nothing has changed. The same things that we have heard so many times are still true – keeping your weight down to an acceptable level is important for your health. It is just that sometimes we have a part to play i.e. in keeping our waist below certain measurements, but other times science can lend a helping hand – using our own fat cells (and even someone of average weight has them!) to keep us healthy in the future.

 So still something to think about if we are working on those healthy New Year’s resolutions!!