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A Prescription for Sunburn and Heat Exhaustion

Up until now, I’ve been surnburned only once in my life — after sitting in the Mediterranean sun for hours the day after our arrival on the Costa del Sol. That happened when I was 14.

Now fast forward 34 years. What with a huge landscape project underway, trying to get the house and garden ready for our annual Canada Day Eve block party and a planned family visit, I pulled a really stupid move last week.

With temperatures soaring to 100F and not a cloud in the sky, I spent hour after hour over the course of a few days working in the garden wearing only shorts and a bikini top.

No hat, no sunblock and much to my surprise, not only was my back deep-fried, I had a case of heat exhaustion that lasted for 4 days.

Let me tell you, it’s not fun.

According to MedicineNet, “heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment“.

The symptons include:

• heavy sweating
• paleness
• muscle cramps
• tiredness
• weakness
• dizziness
• headache
• nausea or vomiting
• fainting

I fortunately was spared the fainting, nausea and vomiting; but got the rest in spades. Luckily, we have a pool in which I took regular cool dips and air conditioning, which of which are part of the recommended treatment.

Do yourself a favor and spare yourself the pain of it all… sunburn and/or heat exhaustion. Wear a hat, proper skin protection and sun block.

Magellan’s carries a vast array of Sun Protection products including fabulous Packable Straw Hats and Sunblock Shirts… both of which were in my closet.

Duh.

Popularity: 45% [?]

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Malaria: Are You at Risk?

Those bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito and become sick with malaria may experience seizures, mental confusion, kidney failure, coma and possibly death.

Let me repeat… malaria can be fatal.

Estimates indicate that over 10,000 worldwide travelers fall ill with malaria after returning home from malaria-endemic areas. The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that approximately 40% of the global population is at risk for getting malaria and that there are 300-500 million new cases of malaria each year, resulting in 1 million deaths.

Although many travellers believe that they have been vaccinated for malaria — there is NO vaccine for malaria.

When Ed and I travel to malarial regions of the world, we typically opt to use Malarone, which is approved for the treatment and prevention of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults and children weighing at least 25 lbs.

We recommend that you contact your doctor to find the treatment that is right for you and your travels to areas of the world where you might be at risk of becoming infected with malaria.

To find out more about malaria please visit the CDC’s malaria page which includes an interactive malaria risk map providing information on malaria risk throughout the world. Users can search or browse countries, cities, and place names and get information about the risk of malaria in that particular location and see recommended malaria prevention medicines for that area.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Blood Clots: Air Passengers Allowed to Sue

Right after Ed posted “Are You in Danger of Getting Deep Vein Thrombosis?“, I read an interesting piece on MSNBC that stated that U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker is allowing 3 lawsuits to proceed by passengers who claim that cramped seating resulted in blog clots.

Apparently these passengers had each complained of pain to their respective airline (Singapore, U.S. Airways and Delta), which in turn did not permit them to switch to seats with more leg room.

Hmmm… let’s see, how would that request go?

“OWWWWWW… can I get a free upgrade to first class?”

I personally would rather avoid risking the blood clot in the first place by buying a first class ticket, wearing those compression socks and following the other recommendations Ed talked about in his post.

Prevention is the best cure!

Technorati Tags: blood clots, flying, lawsuit, compression socks

Popularity: 27% [?]

Save Your Life: Wear a Medical ID Bracelet!

Getting sick while you are on a trip is not only a drag, but it can be downright frightening - even life threatening - especially when you don’t have an excellent command of the language.

I know exactly how frightening and frustrating it is not to be able to communicate properly with a doctor after getting a horrific infection in Mexico some years ago that very nearly cost me my leg. A big part of the problem was that I couldn’t explain exactly what had happened and the cause wasn’t perfectly obvious - so it wasn’t treated properly right from the start.

And accidents do happen.

Ed and I were in a bus crash in Morocco years ago, I saw a guy break his neck in a swimming pool in Jamaica and another fellow have a heart attack in a restaurant in Spain.

Getting to a hospital emergency room in an unconcious state and having no one to speak for you puts you at even more risk if you suffer from any of the health conditions listed below.

• Diabetes
• Cardiac problems and implants (angina, atrial fibrillation, pacemakers)
• Treatment with anticoagulants (warfarin)
• Drug allergies
• Food allergies (such as peanut)
• Insect allergies (such as bee stings)
• Alzheimer’s disease, memory impairments
• Hypertension
• Stroke risk
• Pulmonary conditions (asthma, COPD)
• Kidney failure
• Emphysema, breathing disorders
• Anemia, blood disorders
• Epilepsy, seizure disorders
• Hearing, visual or mental impairments
• Children with special needs (Autism)
• Tourette Syndrome
• Surgery, transplant and cancer patients
• Clinical trial participation
• People taking multiple medicines
• Rare disease/Blood Type
• Sickle Cell Anemia

If you have any of the conditions listed above, you should already be wearing a medical ID bracelet (or necklace.. or watch) at all times… and not just when you’re on vacation.

Remember, your travel companion who does speak the language may be in a similar state in the room down the hall — so don’t count on anyone but yourself and your medical ID bracelet!

Here’s a comment from Marva C .Vallejo, California about her medical ID bracelet:

I was pretty dazed in the ambulance, but I was still able to point the EMT to my bracelet. When she read it, she said, ‘You are a very smart woman to wear this’.

No kidding.

And medical professionals DO look for medical ID bracelets.

A recent survey of emergency medical professionals, including EMTs and paramedics, in the U.S. found that more that 95 percent of repondents look for a medical ID during emergencies, with 95 percent looking at the patient’s wrist to find a medical ID and 68 percent looking for an ID on the patient’s neck. (Hint: Get the bracelet!)

Furthermore, doctors and healthcare organizations throughout the world recommend wearing medical IDs including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Word Health Organization.

Please - don’t even think about travelling abroad without this most basic form of insurance. A medical ID bracelet could very well save your life! Prices start as low as $26.00 and discounts are available if you order more than one.

American Medical ID processes orders within 2-3 weeks. Should you need your medical ID sooner, you may choose Rush processing. In that case, your medical ID will be made and posted as quickly as the next business day via the delivery means you choose.

Get your American Medical ID today! The service is available to both Canadians and Americans.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Deep Vein Thrombosis: Are You at Risk?

Sitting for several hours in a seat on a plane, coach, train or car has been linked to the possibility of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs. With the seat cuchion pressing on the back of your thighs the blood will want to remain in your lower legs. This may cause stiffness, joint pain, swelling and fever. It also increases the odds that a blood clot could form in the veins. If this clot breaks free it can lodge in the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism that could result in health problems or even death.

The risks are small for most healthy people but some airlines now have warnings about deep vein thrombosis and offer tips on how to avoid it.

Here are some tips:

Keep hydrated drink lots of water, avoid coffee, tea, alcohol.
Wear compression socks.
Avoid salty food.
Move around the aircraft cabin occasionally booking an asile seat makes this easier.
If your legs are short place your carry on under your feet after take off.

Here are some factors that would indicate a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis:

• If you have had DVT before or if DVT runs in your family.
• If you have recently undergone surgery.
• If you have varicose veins.
• If you are obese
• If you are dehydrated.
• If you smoke.
• If you are pregnant.
• If you are undergoing estrogen therapy.
• If you are older than 40.

If you have circulation problems, a history of blood clots you should consult your doctor.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Technorati Tags: deep vein thrombosis, blood clot, pulmonary embolism, varicose veins

Drinking Water Safety on the Road

Clean safe drinking water is something that many of us in the developed world take for granted. Unfortunately this is not the case for most of the world population.

Traveling to countries where the safety of drinking water is suspect you should boil or disinfect and filter water that is to be used for drinking, food preparation, or even to brush your teeth.

Microscopic parasites that can be found in water. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are two of these parasites that can be found in untreated water. Even municipal water can be suspect and authorities will issue a boil water alert. Giardia causes an intestinal illness called giardiasis or “beaver fever.” Cryptosporidium is responsible for a similar illness called cryptosporidiosis.

Diarrhea, gas, malaise, abdominal cramps and weight loss are the most common symptoms caused by these parasites. Vomiting, headache, fever and chills also occur. These symptoms usually manifest from 2 to 25 days after the initial contact and can continue as long as one month. In healthy individuals the symptoms clear after about a month.

Being very ill is not the way you want to spend your long-awaited vacation. Ros and I don’t take chances. Before we leave we take DukOral which helps protect you from cholera and E.coili bacteria the most common cause of “travelers diarrhea. We also always prefer to drink bottled water. If the situation occurs when bottled water is not available we use water filters.

We use a Katadyn® Exstream Water Bottle that has a built in replaceable water filter. On a long hike it is nice to be able to recharge our water supply rather than have to hump the extra weight.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Technorati Tags: Giardia, Cryptosporidium, parasites, beaver fever, E.coili, water filters

Don’t Let The Bedbugs Bite

Your journey is over and you are ready for a good nights rest in your hotel room. In the morning you have dozens of itchy little red bumps all over your body. You have been the victum of bedbugs!

Bedbugs are known for being elusive, transient and nocturnal. Because bed bugs hide in small crevices, they may accompany luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes, and other such objects when these are moved between apartments, homes and hotels.

What does this mean for you?

If you know how to recognize bedbug signs, you may save yourself a lot of grief. Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is the species most adapted to living with humans. It has done so since ancient times.

Small rust-colored stains on bedding are caused by human hosts rolling over on engorged bedbugs during the night. The ‘rust’ is actually bedbug blood. Another sign of bedbugs is little reddish or black dots. These dots are bedbug fecal matter.

Beds is not the only place these parasites inhabit. You can find them in carpeting, drapery folds, floor cracks, in corners of dresser drawers.

If you suspect that your room is infested by bedbugs, ask the hotel for a different room or switch hotels. As an added safety precaution, you might want to pack some large leaf bags. Place your luggage inside the bags while in your hotel room. This makes it more difficult for bugs to get into your belongings.

There is no reason to avoid travel because you are worried about bedbugs. Just be aware of what to look for and enjoy your next trip.

You almost may want to check out the DreamSack (shown right).

The soft, luxurious DreamSack stuffs into its own 8 x 4 x 1" pouch.

Silk keeps you cool and dry in the summer, and warm when it’s cold. Has a built-in pocket for a pillow, and a side opening that closes with tab fasteners. Machine washable, quick-drying. (93" long x 42" wide; 7 oz)

Popularity: 27% [?]

Technorati Tags: Bed bugs

Does Flying Give You Ear Pain?

On a flight many years ago, I left 3 of my fingernails in the seat’s armrest due to the ear pain I was experiencing due to a cold. I could have sworn that someone was stabbing me in both my ears.

Owwwwww!

Do you suffer from ear pain when you take off and land?

Customers’ Reviews

I will never fly again without earplanes. I used to dread landings because of of the severe pain I knew I would experience. I used earplanes for the first time and actually enjoyed looking out the window of the plane during decent. I would usually have my eyes closed and head down in pain. Also I experienced no hearing loss or ear poping after landing.

INCREDIBLE!!!!

Popularity: 24% [?]

Technorati Tags: ear pain, EarPlanes, cabin pressure

Who Insures the Roamsters’ Travel Plans?

The vacation that you saved a year for, can take only a second to ruin.

So, we use and have partnered Travel Guard for all our travel insurance needs, including cancellation insurance, health, coverage for lost luggage and more.

Travel Guard International is the industry’s leading provider of travel insurance plans - covering more than 6 million travelers worldwide each year.

Their travel insurance plans offer coverage for vacation and trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical and health expenses, lost baggage and more.

Worldwide 24-hour assistance Included with every insurance plan!

All insurance plans include Travel Guard’s 24-hour “911″ travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel and flight changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice and more.

Get a Free Travel Insurance Quotes starting at $21 from Travel Guard.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Hepatitis - Shocking Discovery

Ros and I are heading to South-East Asia soon. Part of the prep work is to make sure we are healthy. We have an appointment at the travel health clinic to check on what shots we will need.

I had my Hepatitis shots in 2001 before we went to Peru. I asked my Doctor for a test to see if I was still protected. Well I was shocked to find out that I had no protection against Hepatitis A or B.

I had assumed that all would be well but I am glad that I decided to get checked. I will be getting the Twinrix shots again. Since time is limited I will follow the rapid vaccination schedule of 0-7-21. The initial shot followed by the second 7 days later and the third 21 days after the first. A booster shot is given 12 later.

If you have not been tested to see if are immune it may be time to make an appointment.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Technorati Tags: Hepatitis, Peru, Twinrix

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