Talking about bowel cancer during Be Loud Be Clear week

Following Be Loud Be Clear Week (23^rd to 29^th Jan), we at AllClear wanted to voice our support by talking about travelling with bowel cancer. Be Loud Be Clear  is part of UK charity Beating Bowel Cancer’s work to raise awareness of symptoms, promote early diagnosis and treatment for bowel cancer.

Lots of events took place including dress LOUD days, cake sales or even a LOUD tie day  - all contributing to raised awareness! At AllClear we too helped spread awareness of the event through our social media, such as our Twitter account.

If you didn’t get directly  involved in Be Loud Be Clear week, there is still lots that you can do throughout 2012. For example, take a look at all the runs, treks and challenges that you can sign up to in 2012.

The aim of all these events is to get people talking more about bowel cancer and understanding more about the symptoms and signs to look out for.

One thing that we think is not talked about it enough is how you can carry on doing the things you enjoy, even if you have been diagnosed with bowel cancer…

Don’t let bowel cancer affect your holiday plans

At AllClear we understand that when you’re diagnosed with bowel cancer, part of the problem is the feeling that your life is put on hold and you can’t get on with the things you enjoy. This can include getting comprehensive travel insurance to go on holiday. Travelling without comprehensive cover, could mean you have no protection if things do go wrong whilst you’re away. It is also a huge risk as medical bills abroad frequently run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Therefore, following Be Loud Be Clear week, we wanted to point out that with specialist travel insurance for those suffering from bowel cancer, a diagnosis doesn’t have to spell the end of holidays abroad. This gives people the peace of mind to enjoy foreign travel, with access to medical treatment anywhere in the world, just in case it’s needed.

AllClear Travel uses a medical screening process to provide specialist travel insurance for cancer –  It’s easy and only takes a few minutes and there’s no need to provide medical certificates. Using AllClear Options, our online medical travel insurance comparison service, you can get a range of quotes, from a number of different specialist travel insurance providers, and get the travel insurance that best suits you.  

As well as getting specialist travel insurance to cover cancer, here are AllClear’s top tips on travelling with bowel  cancer:

Planning: The secret to a stress free trip is to plan ahead. Consult your GP or specialist before booking a trip so they can help decide what is realistic for you.

Holiday Timing: It may often be necessary to advise a delay to the planned journey if you have recently completed, are currently undergoing, or due to start certain treatments e.g. chemotherapy. Do not automatically cancel your holiday, however, as often simple re-arrangements can be made to allow a holiday to take place. Radiotherapy can be planned before the holiday and started on return – this doesn’t delay the treatment because there may well be a week or so gap between the planning and start

Fight infection: Certain types of chemotherapy or radiotherapy can affect your ability to fight infection so you should check with your cancer specialist nurse for any precautions you should take before your holiday, as your immune system takes time to recover. Preventing infection may mean avoiding certain types of food and drink, such as unpasteurised cheeses.

Healthcare: You may wish to understand more about the standard and provision of healthcare in the destination country. You could contact the relevant High Commission, Embassy or Consulate. If there is concern that the destination is a country or area lacking in suitable medical facilities, you may want to consider an alternative that has a better standard of healthcare. If the destination is remote (even in a developed country) then healthcare is likely to be more basic

Vaccinations: To visit some countries you will need vaccinations, but if you are having certain cancer drugs or have a weakened immune system, you may not be able to have the required vaccinations so it is vital that you check with your doctor. It may also be that you require a flu jab as timings of flu epidemics vary across the world, again check with your doctor or a travel nurse.

Medication: If you are taking any medicines, you should plan how much you need to take with you and get those prescriptions before you go (make sure you have an extra supply in case you lose any). Keep a few days’ supply of medication in your hand luggage so you don’t need to panic if your luggage goes missing.

Taking care in the sun: Some patients may be more sensitive to the direct effects of the sun due to chemotherapy regimes or radiotherapy. High-factor sun block (SPF 15 or higher) is recommended, as is the wearing of loose, cotton clothing. (also see careful sun exposure)

Avoiding diarrhoea and vomiting:  Diarrhoea and vomiting can be debilitating to individuals who are generally in good health, but can be devastating to a patient with cancer. If unsure about the cleanliness of the piped water supply, boil all water before drinking or cleaning teeth. For additional safety, only use bottled water (ensure that the cap is sealed).

Information: Keep information on your cancer, doctors and medication with you at all times.

Find more details on travelling with bowel cancer.

Following Be Loud Be Clear, the Department of Health is launching a bowel cancer symptom awareness campaign national campaign on 30 January. The aim is to promote earlier diagnosis of bowel cancer. Find out more about Be Clear on Cancer

We no longer offer the Treatment Abroad travel insurance product. We are still leaving the content here for the time being, as it may still be of use to you, but the links to our treatment abroad product will no longer work as the product is no longer available. www.treatmentabroad.com is also a useful source of information

 Thanks for all the conversations over the last 2 years. If you have any questions about this please do let us know and we will do our best to help.

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!

How green are you on your holidays?

We have been feeling in a green mood lately, so we thought in this blog we would talk about green tourism.

But just what does this mean? Well, sustainable or green tourism is the industry committed to making a low environmental impact on your holiday destination, while helping to generate income and employment for the local population.

When we visit beautiful places, it’s natural to want our holidays to have a positive impact on local people and their environments. Responsible travel is about more authentic holiday experiences that enable you to get a little bit more out of your travels, and give a little bit more back to destinations and local people. Responsible travel maximises the benefits, and minimises the negative effects of tourism.

There are lots of holiday companies that specialise in providing eco holidays to places as exotic as Madagascar, Kenya or even the Galapagos Islands. But there are also ways that you yourself can just reduce your environmental impact when you are on holiday. Going on a green holiday doesn’t mean that you have to stop visiting your favourite destination nor does it mean camping in the wilderness without all of your luxuries! These are some common misconceptions that holidaymakers have, but in reality it is much more simple than everyone thinks.

Booking your Holiday

• Ask if the Tour Operators have a policy for Responsible Travel. If they do, take a look and make sure it explains how they minimise environmental impacts and support the local economy. You could consider asking your hotel/accommodation these 10 simple questions (from ResponsibleTravel.com)

• Aim to reduce your carbon emissions
• Travel by train and public transport where possible
• Book direct flights avoiding transfers

Before you travel

• Read up on local cultures and learn a few words of the local language – travelling with respect earns you respect
• Ask your tour operator/hotel if there are useful gifts that you could pack for your hosts, local people or schools
• Ask your tour operator whether there are local conservation or social projects that you could visit on your trip, and how you could help support them
• Remove packaging as much as possible from new items that you are taking with you. Not all countries have the same recycling services that we have in the UK

While on holiday

• Buy local goods  in preference to imported goods – this will help the local economy. However, be wary of what you buy. Don’t buy products made from endangered or wild animals and plants – including coral, shells, starfish, horns, teeth and animal skins and fur. Endangered plants and animals need our help to protect them! For more information on wildlife souvenirs and a list of banned products see the Directgov Souvenirs and Endangered Species
• Local people should get a fair deal out of your visit, by offering goods or services for you to enjoy –authentic food from a local restaurant, real local crafts for you to take home or guiding services so you can get closer to the destination that you’re visiting.
• Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places – if in doubt ask advice
• Do not have your photo taken with any ‘wild animals’ – these animals are often taken from the wild when young, and are often mistreated and killed when they get too large or difficult to handle. For more information on animal exploitation and to report a concern, visit Born Free Foundation’s Travellers’ Animal Alert
• Visiting a coral reef? Do not step on, touch or remove any coral – it is important to protect the coral reefs when snorkelling, they are extremely fragile
• Book safari trips with a licensed and trained guide – so that you can enjoy your day out and the wild animals are not disturbed or threatened by your presence
• Resist the temptation to stray from designated walking tracks or boardwalks. These walking tracks and boardwalks have been designed for a purpose and by not using them you run the risk of damaging or destroying plant life and other creatures
• Respect the natural environment – don’t drop litter
• Turn off hotel room air conditioning when it is not needed. Turn off hotel lights when you leave the room and turn off the TV rather than leaving it on standby.
• Use public transport, hire a bike or walk when convenient – it’s a great way to meet local people and reduce pollution and carbon emissions
• Use water sparingly – Many hot countries suffer from periods of drought and tourists tend to use far more than local people. Take short showers rather than baths. Let hotel staff know if you’re happy for them to change towels/bed linen as needed  and not on a daily basis

When you get back

• Write to your tour operator or hotel with any comments or feedback about your holiday, and especially include any suggestions on reducing environmental impacts and increasing benefits to local communities
• If you’ve promised to send pictures or gifts to local people remember to do so, many are promised and not all arrive!
• Why not donate to a local project in the area you’ve visited? Take a look at TravelPledge for community and environmental projects around the world.

Ok, so this seems like a really long list but they are really not difficult things to do, and think how much more worthwhile your holiday will seem afterwards. We should all try and be responsible travellers, and by following these tips you can make a huge difference to communities in holiday destinations, as well as the environment.

At AllClear, we are also committed to going greener and are proud to be a green company. We are committed to reducing any harmful effects on the environment and creating simple opportunities for our staff to be green. We acknowledge that the office environment has a vital part to play in improving sustainability, and helping our customers be green too. You can find out more here

 Thanks go to ResponsibleTravel.com, 50andnifty.com, DoItEco and Foreign and Commonwealth Office  for some of these tips.

Can a holiday help beat the January blues?

Today has been designated Blue Monday – officially the most depressing day of the year. Apparently, post Christmas boredom, bad weather and failed resolutions all contribute to this miserable day. Ok, so this might be bit of nonsense, but in general January is not the most cheerful of months, and we often find ourselves dreaming of our next holiday as that perfect way to beat the winter blues.

So in this blog we talk about how holidays can directly improve your health. Now, this is something that we all understand in a vague sense – we feel better when we have recharged our batteries and taken a break from work. But here are the actual reasons behind these claims.

• Happiness: According to a study (although the study is almost a year old) a good holiday can boost happiness levels for as long as two months afterwards. However, the break had to be “very relaxing” to have such an effect. The research, from Rotterdam University in Holland, suggests that taking greater numbers of shorter holidays, rather than the traditional two-week summer break, can also boost happiness levels. The researchers questioned 1,500 adults, 974 of whom took a holiday during the study.
•  Exercise: One of the main excuses that we give for not exercising is lack of time. But on holiday, you’ve got plenty of time, so you can make the most of it. The trip can then leave you feeling rejuvenated, positive and full of energy. According to sports dieticians it’s possible to lose two pounds a week with a small amount of daily exercise on holiday. Thanks to the NHS for these tips.

o    You can opt for an activity-focused holiday, such as cycling, hiking or sailing, or choose a destination where you can do a variety of activities.

o    The most important thing is to do something you enjoy. Then the health benefits will be a by-product. E.g. Social games including beach volleyball, badminton and tennis – or even using a pedalo – can all encourage the body to burn up fat without even noticing it!

o    You may need to build up your fitness levels before your trip if your activity is physically demanding, such as skiing, mountaineering or windsurfing.

o    Camping holidays: These are affordable, and most children love being outdoors. There are lots of opportunities for exercise, from pitching a tent and gathering firewood, to nature hikes.

o Volunteer holidays: Whether planting trees or helping to build houses for underprivileged families, people who spend their holidays helping others get much more than a physical workout.

o Walk and Cycle:  With more time to spare on holiday, take the opportunity to walk or cycle – rather than taking the car.

o    Holiday swimming: For a more gentle work out, several lengths in the swimming pool or sea can help you keep in shape. Because your body is supported in the water, you are unlikely to strain any muscles, but swimming is a great way to stretch your body and keep it supple .

• Tasting New Dishes: This could expand your cooking repertoire and become the start of a healthier lifestyle. If you increase the variety of food you eat on a typical day, you’re more likely to meet the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals (five portions of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruit and veg a day) needed to fight disease and maintain healthy bones and organs. Spending time in a hot country means you can indulge in plenty of salads, fresh fruit and juices. And, according to Frankie Robinson of the British Nutrition Foundation, holidays often inspire you to try out different dishes.
• Sun: We are all aware that sunlight can cause skin cancer. However, sunlight can also help prevent some conditions. Lack of sunlight is thought to trigger seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – a depressive condition experienced in the winter months. So if you suffer from bouts of sadness, going on holiday may help to alleviate symptoms of depression. Blood levels of vitamin D are lowest in winter months when the sun is rarely out. Once exposed to sunlight, the body has the ability to convert vitamin A from the sun into vitamin D. This helps strengthen the immune system and is needed to bind calcium to bones and generates teeth development.
• Sleep: Holidays provide the perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep. Sleep deprivation through stress or work can lead to poor mental performance, premature ageing and even illness. While we are asleep our bodies undergo certain important processes – from repair and renewal to energy restoration. Deep sleep – rather than length of sleep – is the time when the brain recharges itself so we can function effectively during the day. Sleep is also important for our immune system – the part of the body that is responsible for fighting infection. Some scientists believe that during sleep we secrete higher levels of cortisol (the hormone that protects the immune system) than during the day.
• Sea water: Listening to water alters wave patterns in the brain – in the same way that meditation does. This means hearing the sound of lapping waves or cascading waterfalls on holiday can help rejuvenate the mind and body. Salt water from the ocean also has the added benefit of containing detoxifying properties. Salt is known to draw out the body’s impurities leaving you feeling clean and rejuvenated.
• Memories: Holidays often evoke happy memories. Harnessing memories can be used as an effective relaxation aid to alter wave patterns in the brain – similar to meditation. This is the stage when the brain moves into alpha waves – the stage just before sleep when your body is calm and relaxed.
• Laughter: If you’re enjoying yourself on holiday, you’re more likely to laugh. And laughter really is the best medicine. A good chuckle can strengthen the immune system by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural ‘feel-good’ chemicals. This can help reduce the risk of disease – from heart conditions to allergic reactions and arthritis.

So what do you think? Let us know how you think your holidays improve your health!

Jetting off to an exotic location? Have you checked if you need to take precautions for Malaria?

Malaria. It’s a word that we cannot escape thinking about it when planning an exotic holiday – maybe a safari in Kenya or sightseeing in India. The good news is that Malaria is almost completely preventable when the right precautions are taken.

However, according to this article, cases of malaria in people living in Britain has risen by almost a third in two years, with many cases blamed on complacent attitudes to anti-malarial tablets. Figures from the Health Protection Agency show that 1,761 cases were reported last year, compared with 1,495 in 2009 and 1,370 in 2008. Of 997 cases where information was available, 850 involved people who had not taken anti-malaria pills in countries where the disease was prevalent.

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. Four out of 10 cases in 2010 were among UK residents who had travelled to Nigeria or Ghana and 11% were people who had visited India. 500 million new cases of malaria are reported worldwide each year.

57 countries are registered as ‘malaria-endemic’, with the disease posing a threat to human life. So it is always worth checking if you need to take Malaria precautions before you go on holiday. Remember – if you don’t take the proper precautions, you will not be covered under your travel insurance if you do get ill.

Ok so there is one problem here – it’s well known that malaria medication can sometimes cause side effects, including things like pretty nasty nightmares. So in an ideal world, we could stop the mosquitoes spreading the malaria in the first place. Now, a genetic breakthrough may help us do just that.

Scientists have figured out a way to block the spread of malaria using genetically-modified (GM) mosquitoes that carry malaria-blocking genes that stops the blood parasite (which causes Malaria) being passed to humans when they are bitten.

This new study has shown that it is possible for GM mosquitoes to rapidly pass on malaria-blocking genes to wild mosquitoes with the help of a second gene, called the endonuclease gene.

Professor Andrea Crisanti of Imperial College London said that laboratory experiments have now shown that the endonuclease gene is very effective at spreading through a caged population of mosquito. After introducing a few GM males into the laboratory population of mosquitoes, about 50% of the captive mosquitoes had the anti malaria trait within 12 generations of the first introduction – a period of just a few months.

However, there is a lot more research to be done before field trials (releasing these GM mosquitoes into the wild) can be considered. We will keep you posted when we hear more…

(Don’t forget you can also download the AllClear Travel App to find out what vaccinations you might need for your holiday.)

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!

A birthday message from the Queen?

Now, a birthday message from the Queen on turning 100 is something we have spoken about before in our blogs. But now the number of people in Britain who have reached the age of 100 has soared five-fold in just 30 years. There were 12,640 people over the age of 100 in the UK in 2010, compared with only 2,500 in 1980.

The dramatic increase has been put down to improved medical treatment, better nutrition and rising living standards, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

As the number of centenarians reached a record high in 2010, so did life expectancy The UK’s population is also becoming more of an ‘inverted pyramid’, with the proportion of people aged over 85 doubling from one in 100 in 1985 to one in 50 today. By 2035, this is projected to rise to one in 20 people.

As a result of increases in the proportion of older people, the average age of the UK population has increased from 35 in 1985 to 39.7 years in 2010. In 2010, West Somerset had the highest average age in the UK, at 52.7 years, with North Norfolk next at 51.5.  All of the 10 areas with the highest percentages of people aged 65 and over were located on the east or south coast, as people are more likely to retire to these areas.

So what does this longer retirement mean? Well, one thing it can impact on is our leisure time. If your retirement is going to be a third of your life, or more, then you may find you have lots more time to travel. Our point is that difficulty in finding travel insurance shouldn’t be an obstacle to those experiences.

However, unfortunately, a lot of elderly people, or those with medical conditions, often find it difficult to get the comprehensive travel insurance that they need. If you are looking for travel insurance, make sure you use a specialist provider, so you can get the insurance you need and travel with complete peace of mind. And remember AllClear Options was the first comparison site for medical travel insurance, so you can get a range of quotes here, and make sure you get the travel insurance that suits you.

 World Heart Day is at the end of this month, on the 29^th September – it takes place on the same day each year.

The Theme this year is ‘One World, One Home, One Heart’. For the last 2 years, World Heart Day has focussed on heart health in the workplace, but this year we are urged to take charge of improving heart health within the home, for all the family. This includes choosing healthy food options, increasing physical activity, and saying no to tobacco. This year, we are challenged to take charge of our family’s heart health and become our home’s advocate for heart-healthy living.
The recommendations include:

1. Ban Smoking from your home: The risk of coronary heart disease is cut by half one year after quitting and 15 years after quitting the risk is nearly the same as someone who never smoked.
2. Stock your home with healthy food options: Recommendations include making sure that every evening meal contains at least 2 to 3 servings of vegetables per person, and including fruit in your breakfast.
3. Be Active: Just 30 minutes of activity on most days can help to prevent heart attacks and stroke. World Heart Day recommends families should limit the amount of time spent in front of the TV to less than 2 hours per day. It recommends organizing more outdoor activities for the family and this is especially interesting to us in terms of travel.  For example, could your next holiday be a cycling or hiking trip?
4. Know your numbers: Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (BMI). You can then develop an action plan specific to your own family’s heart health and  make this action plan clearly visible in your home as a reminder!

Ok, so a lot of these recommendations are things we know already, but it’s always useful to be reminded of them, and you may want to think how some of these recommendations might apply when booking your next holiday! You can get more information on travelling with a heart condition in our Medical Travel Insurance Guide.

New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific ocean, between latitude 34′S and 47′S, with mountain ranges down much of its length. There are two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, with a third smaller island in the south, Stewart Island.

New Zealand has a unique landscape and a variety of landforms. In a few days drive, you can see everything from snow-topped mountain ranges to sandy beaches, lush rainforests, glaciers and fiords, and active volcanoes. These environments lend themselves to many outdoor pursuits such as skiing, diving, hiking, kayaking, horse riding and sailing. And there is lots of space to enjoy any of these activities because New Zealand is so uncrowded, with a population of just 4 million people.

But this blog is not just here to rave about the stunning scenery of New Zealand, there is a point to it. And the point is, if you plan on doing any of these more adventurous activities, it is important to check what cover you get, because level and type of cover will vary depending on your travel insurance policy.

For example, with an AllClear policy, you are covered for the following activities, to name just a few:  Archery, Abseiling, Hot Air Ballooning, Canoeing (in calm water), Clay Pigeon Shooting, Fell walking, Horse riding and orienteering. Winter Sports is an additional option that may be added to your policy.

However, there are still basic conditions that are ascribed to this cover depending on the activity you are doing. For example, you may need to be accompanied by, or accessible to a qualified instructor, and taking part in an organised activity or event.So, the take home message here is this: Check what activities you are covered for before you go on holiday somewhere like New Zealand, particularly if you are thinking of trying something a little out of the ordinary while you are there. If you are not sure, ask the insurance provider, they should be able to help you…