Posts Tagged ‘worldwide travel’

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Holidays are good for you!

Monday, January 16th, 2012
medical travel insurance

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!

 

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Malaria cases soar as travellers neglect pills

Thursday, November 24th, 2011
travel insurance malaria

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.)

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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!

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You are what you tweet

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Are you a big fan of Twitter. Or have you never used it? You may have had a look but then been put off by some of the seemingly inane tweets – along the lines of what people have had for breakfast, or their plans for dinner. But, actually, Twitter can be more useful than you think. Seemingly tedious comments about headaches and hangovers can reveal nation-wide health trends and misconceptions, according to this article.

In the US, Tweets about illnesses were analysed to find out who was ill, their location in the country,  what medication they were taking and whether they were treating themselves correctly. John Hopkins University computer scientists analysed 1.5 million tweets sent between May 2009 and October 2010 which all referred to health matters. 

An interesting part of the study was medical misperceptions. For example, some people tweeted that they were taking antibiotics for flu. But antibiotics don’t work on the flu, which is a virus, and this practice could contribute to the growing antibiotic resistance problems.

In about 200,000 of the health-related tweets, the researchers were able to draw on user-provided public information to identify the geographic state from which the message was sent.  That allowed them to track some trends by time and place, such as when the allergy and flu seasons peaked in various parts of the US. 

The scientists have been talking to public health scientists who say that future studies of tweets could uncover even more useful data, both only about medical trends but also about public perceptions concerning illnesses and medications. (However, the researchers did point out that there is a limit to what people will share on Twitter, and all research will be limited by this).

This got me thinking about other ways that Twitter provides useful information, particularly in the world of travel, travel insurance and travelling with medical conditions. It really is a wealth of information with people providing their own personal tips or recommendations. This could be anything from places to visit, good restaurants, and insurers to try, for example. At AllClear Travel, we do our best to provide you with useful information on Twitter too, you can find us at www.twitter.com/allcleartravel. Please do check us out and follow on Twitter. And then we are really interested in finding out how we can provide even more useful information for you on travel, particularly travelling with medical conditions. Do let us know in the comments box below how we can help

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How meditation may ward off the effects of ageing

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
meditation

Have you tried meditation? Do you know how it could help you?

This article helps us get to the bottom of the benefits of meditation by researching visitors to the Shambhala Mountain Centre in Northern Colarado, who meditate in silence for up to 10 hours every day. I thought I would share some of the findings with you and see what you think…

In 2007, scientists undertook a study at the centre to try to give some scientific credibility to the reasons behind meditation. Now data from the project (called Shamatha project) is starting to be published. So far the research has shown something quite surprising –  by protecting caps called telomeres on the ends of our chromosomes, meditation might help to delay the process of ageing.

One of the most studied practices of meditation is based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, or being aware of your own thoughts and surroundings. Buddhists believe it alleviates suffering by making you less caught up in everyday stresses – helping you to appreciate the present, instead of continually worrying about the past or planning for the future.

The Shamatha project aims see what an intensive course of meditation might do for healthy people. The project was co-ordinated by neuroscientists at the Centre for Mind and Brain at the University of California. 30 participants attended in the spring of 2007, while the other half acted as a control group before heading off for their own retreat in the autumn.

Psychologist Elissa Epel, wanted to know what meditation was doing to the participants’ chromosomes, in particular their telomeres. Telomeres play a key role in the ageing of cells, acting like a clock that limits their lifespan. Every time a cell divides, its telomeres get shorter, unless an enzyme called telomerase builds them back up. When telomeres get too short, a cell ultimately dies. People with shorter telomeres are at greater risk of diseases,  and they die younger. They found that at the end of the retreat, meditators had significantly higher telomerase activity than the control group, suggesting that their telomeres were better protected. It is early days at the moment, but in theory, this might slow or even reverse ageing.

So how does meditation work in this way? It is thought that it could be due to our body’s reaction to stress. When the brain detects a threat in our environment, it sends signals to spur the body into action. One example is the “fight or flight” response of the nervous system. When you sense danger, your heart beats faster, you breathe more rapidly, and your pupils dilate, while fat and glucose are released into the bloodstream to fuel your next move. Another stress response pathway triggers a branch of the immune system known as the inflammatory response.

These responses might help us when there is an actual danger present, but they also damage body tissues. In the past, the trade-off for short bursts of stress would have been worthwhile. But in the modern world, we experience constant long-term threats  – such as debt, work pressures, social status – which activate these same pathways. Such chronic stress negatively affects our telomeres.

So, meditation seems to be effective in changing the way that we respond to external events. After short courses of mindfulness meditation, people produce less of the stress hormone cortisol, and have a smaller inflammatory response to stress. Basically, with meditation, people may experience the world as less threatening so do not get as much of a stress reaction to things like money worries, or exams. For example,  meditation might help people to distance themselves from negative or stressful thoughts.

The researchers concluded that the meditation affected telomerase activity by changing the participants’ psychological state, which they assessed using questionnaires. Three factors in particular predicted higher telomerase activity at the end of the retreat: increased sense of control (over circumstances or daily life); increased sense of purpose in life; and lower neuroticism (being tense, moody and anxious). The more these improved, the greater the effect on the meditators’ telomerase.

So what is the key message here? It seems to be reduce stress and protect your telomeres which, according to this research, could help to ward off ageing. Meditation seems to be a particularly effective route to reducing stress, but it’s not the only one. For example, exercise has been shown to have a similar effect. If you enjoy gardening, that may help protect you from stress and maybe even help you to live longer. In the same way, holidays may help you relax and protect you from stress.

The point, I suppose, is make sure you keep doing stuff that you love, and living your life to the full, focussing on what really matters. I am going to finish up by quoting the journalist from the Guardian as I feel this really sums it up:

“Researchers warn that in our modern, work-obsessed society we are increasingly living on autopilot, reacting blindly to tweets and emails instead of taking the time to think about what really matters. If we don’t give our minds a break from that treadmill, the physical effects can be scarily real.”

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Stay healthy on your hols!

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

We are approaching the summer school holidays, the busiest time of the year for us Brits to go on holiday. Time for lots of sun, sea, and sand.

But today, I wanted to talk to you a little more about travelling to these exotic destinations. How many times have you noticed that you get off the plane at your destination, or return home, with a little case of the sniffles. Well, that’s because, aircraft cabins are a breeding ground for cold viruses and other germs (the Times article)

So given that many of us will be jetting abroad over the next few weeks, I thought now would be a good time to let you know how to keep these germs at bay.

Unfortunately, the cabin of an aircraft is the perfect environment for lots of different bacteria and viruses that cause the common cold. Hundreds of passengers in a relatively confined space, with restricted ventilation, means it is inevitable that you end up breathing in air that has recently been exhaled by your travelling companions. Modern airliners recycle as much as 50% of the cabin air to improve engine efficiency and save fuel.

The half that is recycled passes through microfilters designed to remove airborne particles.  But viruses are tiny and some inevitably slip through even when the filters are working at peak efficiency. Older airliners may circulate fresh air, but these means bigger costs, and more fuel usage, to condition this air. However, research doesn’t seem to back the widely held belief that the cost-cutting behind air recirculation in modern planes is putting passengers at greater risk of infections. One study compared infection rates in people flying on planes that use recycled air compared with those using only fresh air. Researchers from the University of California followed more than 1,500 travellers on the two different types of aircraft and found similar reported rates of colds in the week after the trip — 19% on the planes that recirculated air; 21% on those that didn’t.

So catching a cold on a plane doesn’t seem to be a risk of air conditioning. However, regardless of the mechanism behind catching a cold on a plane, it appears to be an unavoidable complication of sitting in a confined space with hundreds of other people.

So what can you do to try and protect yourself from catching these colds?

There is very little that you can do about picking up airborne viruses. You could try using nasal sprays containing zinc, but trials suggest that, if they do help, the protective effect against colds is likely to be very small.  

However, while you be able to do little about air-borne viruses, good basic hygiene can reduce the risk of picking viruses or bacteria up from contaminated surfaces such as armrests, door handles, taps and flushes. Wash your hands carefully after using the toilet and before eating, and pack alcohol-based hand sanitisers in your hand baggage. You can also carry antibacterial wipes and use these to clean the plastic armrests and tray-table.

So before you go jetting off on your holidays, just remember these few tips that may help (and some more here), and make sure you have travel insurance to cover you, just in case of a more serious illness than a cold.

But the important thing to remember is that, once that plane journey is finished, you then have that lovely holiday to look forward to! So all that remains to say is, if you do have a holiday booked over the summer holidays, I hope you have a fantastic time.

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Do you know how to keep yourself safe in the sun?

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
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Do you know how to keep yourself safe in the sun during your holiday?

With all the rainy weather we have been having in the UK, you might not have been worrying too much about the sun. However, today was still the first official day of summer and if you have a summer holiday planned, you will likely be packing your sun cream, so it is something that you can ‘t really avoid. Sun, like so many other things that we enjoy (cakes, chips and sleeping to name just a few) is good for us, but in moderation. The problem is, this is often something we forget when we expose our pasty bodies to those 2 weeks in the sun!

So, first of all the good stuff about sun. Sunlight is a source of natural light and energy. It helps our body produce Vitamin D, which is vital for our general health and well being. 

And now the bad stuff. Excessive exposure to the sun’s rays is a health hazard due to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin.  A sun tan is effectively the visible damage to the skin from ultraviolet rays.  The sun emits two types of ultraviolet rays:

UVA -  these penetrate deep into the skin and can trigger allergies and cause premature ageing and wrinkling.

UVB – these affect the upper layers of the skin, triggering the production of melanin which causes tanning.   Excessive exposure to these rays can cause burning, freckling and thickening of the skin.  They can also cause skin cancers.

Ok, so we know all this, when the sun is blazing down in the Mediterranean, but here are some of the times when we are less likely to think about the sun, and why it still matters.

  • UVA and UVB are both present whenever the sun shines and can penetrate through cloud.  So even if you are unlucky enough to have an overcast day or 2 on holiday, the sun can still cause damage. Sun damage can also occur when reflected from sand and water, so remember this if you are on a cruise, even if it is breezy.
  • The sun can cause damage when you are actually in a really cold environment, or even when there is snow. For example, when you are skiing or hiking up a mountain. This is for 2 reasons – the snow reflects the sun, and at high altitude the intensity of the light increases as the sun’s UV rays are more concentrated. For each 300 metre gain in altitude, the sun’s intensity increases by 4%.
  • Being under water can be deceptive – you are still not protected from the sun.  The sun’s rays penetrate water and are effectively magnified, and in shallow waters the rays reflect off a sandy floor.  Snorkelers should always cover up with a tee shirt to prevent burning to their backs.  Scuba divers are generally OK due to their protective clothing and the fact that they are normally too deep for the UV rays to penetrate.

Staying safe in the sun tips

  •   Avoid exposure to the sun when it is at its highest point in the sky and UV levels are at their strongest,  generally between 10am  and 3pm
  • Always use a high factor sun screen.  Apply liberally 30minutes prior to exposure and reapply frequently particularly after swimming and vigorous exercise. Remember the re-application of a given factor does NOT mean that the protection time is doubled
  • Cover up with a wear a wide brimmed hat to protect the head and face, long sleeved shirts and sunglasses.
  • Children are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of sunlight.  Babies under 9 months of age should never be exposed to direct sunlight and young children should always have a high SPF waterproof sunscreen applied.
  •  Take time to acclimatise to high temperatures, drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids and don’t do anything too physically demanding.

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What is the secret of a long life?

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
Elderly travel insurance

Do you know the secret to a long life?

No, we have not stumbled onto the plot of a Harry Potter-esque book, and are talking about a magic potion. Instead, we are talking about things that are a little more mundane, but could still be the secrets behind us living longer.

Walter Breuning, who was the world’s oldest man, has died aged 114, but he has left some tips for his long life.

He said keeping your mind busy, eating just two meals a day, working hard and always being open to change were his secrets to his record-breaking life.

Now we think that  holidays and exploring new parts of the world are probably another good secret to a long life. But what do you think? Do you agree? What are your tips??

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Holidays and Half Term

Thursday, February 24th, 2011
family travel insurance

How are you enjoying half term?

So you are halfway through the half term holidays –are you pulling your hair out, or have you enjoyed spending more time with the kids? It always makes me laugh how in the week before half term, the TV and social media are full of good free/cheap things to do with your kids. But it is understandable that some people would rather try and go on holiday abroad during half term.

So I thought that I would put this blog together for people to share their half term experiences.

Did you choose to go abroad this year? Was that a good idea? How was it sorting out your travel insurance?

Or did you choose to stay at home? Is that working out more expensive than going abroad, do you think? Or have you managed to find cheaper ways to keep the kids occupied.

Please do share your experiences, we would love to know what you think…

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Defibrillators in airports and railway stations

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

Did you know that since last month, any member of the public has been allowed to use the 10,000 AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) that have been placed in shopping centres, airports and railway stations nationwide. I didn’t know this, until I read this article.

Defibrillators are in airports and rail stations

Automated External Defibrillators in airports and rail stations

For the 30,000 people who suffer cardiac arrest away from a hospital each year, their chances of survival are as high as 75% if defibrillation is delivered rapidly. The British Heart Foundation knows of at least 230 lives that have been saved already.

A heart attack is the main cause of cardiac arrest, when the heart stops effectively pumping blood around the body and goes into ventricular fibrillation, meaning that the muscles are contracting randomly rather than regularly. Eventually, the heart stops.  A defibrillator uses electricity to shock the heart out of this lethal rhythm and back to normal.

From the moment someone stops breathing, it takes four minutes before their brain starts to die. Applying a controlled shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best chance of survival. For every minute a heart is stopped, the chances of staying alive are reduced by 14%

The AED automatically carries out many of the key stages of resuscitation so that any member of the public can use the device without too much difficulty. It recognises the electrocardiogram rhythm (ECG) to assesses whether the heart is shockable. If cardiac arrest has not occurred or the rhythm is incompatible, a shock will not be administered. The machines even assess how strong the shock needs to be.

If someone collapses in most of the city’s Tube and train stations, as well as all international airports, they are within 2 minutes of an AED. The devices are placed in small white boxes around the walls. Have you seen them when you have been at the airport or train station?

These devices have the latest technology  -  adhesive pads which have better contact with the skin than traditional paddles. Once turned on, the machine instructs where to put the pads on the patient’s chest, one up near the right shoulder and the other down by his left ribs. The idea is that when the machine’s electricity passes through the heart it passes through the normal route.  The AED then checks the heart rhythm, and the user then presses the orange shock button.  

As the author herself said, it is reassuring to know that these AED’s exist in airports and train stations, and can be used, if needed, to potentially save people’s lives. For example, Demetrios Generis, a service team leader at Heathrow, says he has saved two lives by using a defibrillator…Hopefully, now more people will be aware that they can use them if an emergency arises.

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