Jet Lag

independenttraveler.com

A comprehensive guide to jet lag, prevention tips and jet lag remedies.

Jet lag is a physical reaction to a rapid change in time zones. It affects most travelers, including seasoned fliers like flight attendants and pilots. Common symptoms include disorientation, irritability, fatigue, swollen limbs and eyes, headaches, cold-like symptoms, and irregular bowels.

It doesn't help that long-haul flying is so debilitating. Dehydration, unfamiliar foods, cramped spaces, recycled air, lack of sleep, uncomfortable clothes, continual low-level noise and connections that disrupt sleep all add to the misery of jet lag, and can even make you feel jet lagged when you're just a little beat up.

Flying from, say, New York City to Santiago won't produce jet lag in the true sense because both cities are in the same time zone -- but the effects of the long flight might feel quite a bit like classic jet lag. In these cases, you're just tired from the flight, and a good night's sleep and perhaps some exercise will set things right.

On long flights -- especially red-eye flights -- you can lose several hours of sleep time, which can set you back considerably even without the jarring time change. If you live by a regular schedule (up at 7 a.m., in bed by 10 p.m. every night), watch out. Jet lag hits those with rigid body clocks the hardest. For parents, be sure to bring along books and toys your child can play with on his or her own, in case the jet lag hits you differently than it does your little ones.

A general rule of thumb to keep in mind before any long trip is the 1:1 ratio: allow yourself one day to recover for every hour of time difference that you experience. So for Californians visiting the Big Apple, give yourself at least three days to fully adjust to the new time zone.


Before You Go

Treat your body well before you fly. Exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and stay sober. The worst thing you can do is get on a long-haul flight with a hangover.

Some travelers like to exercise before they go to the airport. (This can actually help you sleep better on the plane.) Once you're at the airport, avoid the escalators and moving sidewalks. Instead, walk and take the stairs on the way to your check-in area and gate connections. You can even get a workout in at some airports; see Pump Up Your Layover for tips.

Adjust your habits before you leave. If you are traveling from the East to the West Coast of the U.S., you're facing a three-hour time change and you should try to adjust your internal clock. Three or four days before you leave, start to stay up a little later than usual, and sleep in a little longer. That way, if you become accustomed to falling asleep at 1 a.m. and waking up at 9 a.m. on the East Coast, it will be the same as falling asleep at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. on the West Coast. Traveling west to east, do the opposite: get up and go to bed earlier.

Wearing two watches, one set to the current time, and one to the time at your destination, can help you prepare yourself mentally for the coming time change. Many business travelers also use this tactic to stay in touch with what's happening back at the office.


During the Flight

Perhaps the most effective way to combat jet lag while in flight is to treat your body well. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. Don't be afraid to ask your flight attendant for extra water.

Get up out of your seat at regular intervals to walk and stretch. You can also do exercises like toe raises, isometric exercises, stomach crunches and shoulder shrugs right in your seat. This keeps your blood flowing and prevents it from pooling at your extremities, a common phenomenon in pressurized cabins.

Other tips: Get up to wash your face, brush your teeth or just stand for several minutes. Wear loose-fitting clothing that breathes. Bring a neck pillow, eye mask, ear plugs or noise-canceling headphones -- these can be invaluable on red-eye flights. Also, avoid any snug footwear (high heels or wingtips); it is quite possible that your feet will swell in transit, making your post-flight trek to baggage claim a nightmare.

Medications and Vitamins

Melatonin is a chemical in the body that helps regulate sleep cycles. It can be taken in pill form, and many travelers swear by it for fighting jet lag. However, as popular as melatonin is, it's also controversial. Studies have indicated that incorrect melatonin usage can make you feel even more fatigued, so be sure to read all instructions and consult your physician before taking the product.

One widely available homeopathic remedy is the aptly named No-Jet-Lag. The company claims the chewable tablets address all jet lag symptoms, and offers testimonials from flight attendants and other frequent fliers. A bag of dried cherries is another natural remedy that some travelers use, as these are a good source of melatonin.

Some travelers use sleeping pills, antihistamines and motion sickness pills to induce sleep on planes and at hotels after arrival. While they work for some, others are left feeling miserably groggy. For more information, see Medications for Travel, and consult your doctor before taking any medication.

If all else fails, try an alternate therapy. Light therapy has become a popular treatment for jet lag. At its heart, jet lag means you're out of step with the rising and setting of the sun, so exposing yourself to light at the appropriate time can theoretically help you align your body with your new time zone. Unfortunately, the jury's still out on the effectiveness of this. The debate centers on precisely what kind of light is best -- natural, artificial, bright or dim. Some researchers and enthusiasts recommend simply spending 15 to 20 minutes in direct sunlight without sunglasses as soon as possible after landing.


Dietary Tactics

The so-called "jet lag diet," an alternation of feasting and fasting for three days leading up to a long-haul flight, was very popular a few years back. The military tested the diet and concluded, basically, that it is bunk. Nonetheless, Ronald and Nancy Reagan used it during their White House days, and some travelers still do. If you'd like to try it out for yourself, check out the diet regimen.

Restrict your diet to foods that are easily digested, like those that are relatively high in fiber but not too rich. If you're trying to stay awake in order to get your body in step with the local time zone, caffeine can be useful -- but don't go overboard. While it might seem tempting to guzzle several cups of coffee when your eyelids begin to droop, you could end up wide awake at 1 a.m. Be sure to implement all dietary changes in moderation.

There's an App for That

Several smartphone apps have been developed to help travelers fight jet lag. Enter your flight details into JetLag Genie or Jet Lag App, and they'll create a suggested schedule of when to sleep, eat and/or take melatonin to prepare for the time change. Both apps are currently only available for iPhones.

Avoiding the Airplane Cold

independenttraveler.com

Many travelers would swear that they get sick after every trip or vacation. They wonder if it was the food, the water, the pina coladas -- or, like me, the airplane ride. While I don't think you can count out the pina coladas (or that burrito you bought on the street), it turns out you could be right about airplanes.

Airline carriers are also formidable carriers of the common cold. A recent study says that colds may be more than 100 times more likely to be transmitted on a plane than during normal daily life on the ground, according to the Journal of Environmental Health Research.

Why this is the case isn't perfectly clear, but the publishers of the study investigate a panoply of possible causes, including close quarters, shared air and, as I will explain, the most likely culprit: extremely low cabin humidity.

On to the Numbers

The study found that "When the scenarios of 6 days, 24 hours or 5 hours were taken as the relevant flight exposure times to colds, passenger transmission rates for colds of 5, 23 and 113 times the normal daily ground level transmission rate were obtained." (Ominously, transmission rates for tuberculosis were also found to be dramatically increased as well.)

Thus, the common perception that flying causes colds seems to be based in fact -- maybe even 113 times over.

The Culprit: Low Cabin Humidity

The study runs through several potential sources of higher transmission, but settles primarily on a single likely cause: extremely low cabin humidity caused by low humidity at high elevations. (A review of the study reveals the conclusion that aircraft that actively recirculated air actually showed slightly lower transmission rates than those that did not.)

Most commercial airlines fly in an elevation range of 30,000 to 35,000 feet, where humidity typically runs at 10 percent or lower. At very low levels of humidity, the "natural defense system" of mucus in our noses and throats dries up and is crippled, creating a much more tolerant environment for germs to infect us.

This protective system, called the Mucociliary Clearance System, is your first line of defense against harmful germs and bacteria. To wit, if the common cold is pounced on by a sufficiently moist and percolating proboscis and throttled by your throat, you remain uninfected. Shut down those systems, and you'll be suffering within days.

Tips to Avoid the Airline Carrier Cold

1. Stay hydrated. It turns out that drinking plenty of water will not only counter the overall dehydrating effects of air travel, which can lead to headaches, stomach problems, cramps, fatigue and more, but can actually fortify your preemptive natural immune mechanisms to function considerably better. Of course, this is the case in normal daily life -- when exercising, during prolonged sun exposure, etc. Even caffeine and alcohol consumption can dry you out. However, in an airplane, where your nose and throat are on the front lines of the war with exceedingly dry air, these are the first places to suffer.

Sipping water or some other fluid regularly throughout the flight may be more effective than drinking a lot of water at one time before or during the flight; this will keep your protective system from long dry spells. (And we do mean to single out water here -- as noted above, alcohol and caffeinated drinks such as coffee or sodas can actually dehydrate you.)

Nasal mists have been found to be very effective in keeping this system working in your nose. Additionally, hot drinks are a good way to keep your protective mucous membranes working -- first, to assist in keeping you generally hydrated; second, by triggering the system into gear; and third, by directly providing moisture in the form of steam. Note that this is not a treatment per se. Rather, it just keeps your defenses strong and functioning.

2. Keep your hands clean. Your hands are the most consistent point of first contact with cold, flu and other germs. It is a direct line from armrest/ handshake/seat back to fingers to fork to mouth to full-blown fever a few days later. Scientists report that the viruses that cause colds and flu can survive for hours on your skin or on objects such as armrests, TV remote control handsets, tray tables and other similar surfaces. However, the simple act of washing your hands with hot water and soap is a formidable rampart against this transfer of harmful microorganisms.

Hand washing is not just for restaurant workers and travelers; health professionals and researchers working to combat communicable diseases in many developing countries are waging a fierce campaign to encourage residents to adopt this simple practice into their daily routines. If possible, wash your hands before any in-flight meals, and after your flight as well.

Of course, airplane cabins are tight places; getting out of your seat to wash up before and after every snack time can be almost impossible, as the flight attendants command the aisles, your seatmates are trying to eat, tray tables are down cabin-wide, and no one involved really wants to have folks getting up and down and roaming around the cabin. (Even on the ground, the water in many locations can carry water-borne bacteria that may not agree with all Western constitutions.) In these cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends alcohol-based products made specifically for washing hands.

3. Don't forget the dental hygiene. Just as keeping your hands clean can prevent transmission of germs, using a germ-killing mouthwash in-flight may add another layer of protection while simultaneously helping to keep your throat moist. Just make sure your mouthwash bottle is three ounces or smaller to comply with the latest carry-on rules for liquids and gels.


4. Take your vitamins. The rapid response effect of vitamins is unproven, but many travelers swear by them. Charles Westover, a retired VP of fleet management for a major shipping company, starts taking vitamins two days before flying. "I have no idea if it helps at all, but of the hundreds or thousands of flights I have taken, I rarely get colds," he said. "I just take a standard multivitamin, and it has never let me down." The NIH concurs, sort of, offering that no conclusive data has shown that large doses of vitamin C will prevent colds, although it may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms.

5. Wear a face mask. The NIH cites airborne germs as one of the top two sources of cold virus infection; some travelers have taken to wearing masks either to prevent infection, or when they themselves are already infected. Personally, I would not last more than a half-hour or so behind a hot mask, but this may be an effective prevention tactic nonetheless.

As the proverb goes, an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure -- or perhaps 113 cures.

What Should I Look for in a Sunscreen?

travelandleisure.com

By Melanie Lieberman

Find one that’s between SPF 30 and 50 (anything higher protects only incrementally more) and has UVA and UVB protection, says Dr. Doris Day, a New York City dermatologist and author of Forget the Facelift. Broad-spectrum coverage makes the lotion more stable, so it will last longer in the sun—though Day still advises applying every two hours. For a tropical getaway, go for a water-resistant formula (there’s no such thing as waterproof). As for which form of sunscreen to choose: “It’s a matter of personal preference between a gel, cream, wipe, powder, spray, or lotion,” Day says. “They’re equally effective.” And don’t forget a hat, sunglasses, and protective or SPF-treated clothing.

Photo courtesy of iStock

How to Stay Healthy When Traveling Abroad: Travel Tips for Every World Traveler

canadatravels.com

by Natasha Jervis

If you are planning on traveling to the Caribbean, Mexico or perhaps Europe this year, stay healthy. If you are aware of the complications that can occur when traveling abroad, you can greatly decrease your chance of getting sick.

If you want to stay perfectly healthy when traveling the globe, make sure you take note of some of these healthy travel tips below. Many of them could save your life.

• Get all neccesary vaccinations before you fly, cruise or drive to another destination.
• Carry your health information with you and make copies of each document. Keep them in a seperate bag from the originals.
• Check the World Health Organization website for current diseases and outbreaks abroad.
• Do not drink tap water and be wary of salads, fruits and vegetables that may have been washed with the local tap water. Stick to sealed bottles of water, carbonated drinks and boiled water. Do not take chances!
• Stear clear of raw foods. They just may not be up to par in other countries. Take a sushi-free vacation!
• Use straws when drinking from cans. (Maybe this isn't a smart idea with a Corona or other types of beer. If that's the case, make sure you wipe the top of the can or opt for a glass)
• Some countries require that you take preventive medications before visiting. Check with your doctor.
• Take care of any necessary dental appointments before traveling. It will decrease your chances of having a nightmare of a tooth emergency abroad.
• If you have allergies, research and practice the names of the foods in other languages. Soy allergico a las cacahuetes! (Translation: I am allergic to peanuts in Spanish)
• Write down the locations of local hospitals and health clinics before traveling. This can save time in emergencies.
• Remember to purchase travel insurance before you go anywhere!

Traveling While Pregnant

c.cdc.gov

 

Although there are some special considerations for women who travel while pregnant— especially if they are going to a developing country—most pregnant women can travel safely with a little advance preparation. If you are pregnant and planning an international trip, follow these tips so that you and your baby stay safe and healthy.

Pre-Travel Care and Travel Health Insurance

The first thing you should do is make an appointment with a doctor who specializes in travel medicine, ideally at least 4–6 weeks before you leave. A travel medicine specialist can review your itinerary, make recommendations based on the health risks at your destination, and give you any vaccines you may need. You should also talk to your obstetrician about your trip, so he or she can make sure it is safe for you to travel. Your travel medicine doctor and your obstetrician may need to talk to each other about your care.

Next, consider how you are going to get care overseas, if you need it. Your health insurance in the United States might not pay for care you receive in another country, so check with your insurance company. Consider getting supplemental travel health insurance, and make sure the policy will also cover the baby if you give birth during your trip. If you are traveling to a remote area, an insurance policy that covers medical evacuation will pay for your transportation to a high-quality hospital, in case of emergency.

Transportation Issues

Before you book a flight, check how late in your pregnancy the airline will let you fly. Most will let you fly until 36 weeks, but some have an earlier cutoff. Your feet may become swollen on a long flight, so wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing, and try to walk around every hour or so. To reduce your risk of a blood clot, your doctor may recommend compression stockings or leg exercises you can do in your seat.

If you are going on a cruise, check with the cruise line to find out if they have specific guidance for pregnant women. Most will not allow you to travel after 24–28 weeks, and you may need to have a note from your doctor stating you are fit to travel.

At your destination, always wear a seatbelt on a car or bus. A lap belt with shoulder strap is best, and the straps should be placed carefully above and below your stomach.

Food and Water Safety

Travelers’ diarrhea is caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, and dehydration from travelers’ diarrhea can be more of a problem for pregnant women. In addition, other bacteria and viruses spread by food or water can lead to more severe illnesses that can cause problems for a pregnant woman and her baby. Therefore, if you are traveling in a developing country, you should carefully follow food and water safety measures:

• Eat only food that is cooked and served piping hot.
• Do not eat cold food or food that has been sitting at room temperature (such as a buffet).
• Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or fish.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables only if you can peel them or wash them in clean water.
• Do not eat unpasteurized dairy products.
• Drink only water, sodas, or sports drinks that are bottled and sealed (carbonated is safer).
• Do not drink anything with ice in it—ice may be made with contaminated water.

If you get travelers’ diarrhea, the best thing to do is drink plenty of safe beverages while you wait for it to go away on its own. However, your doctor may give you an antibiotic you can take in case diarrhea is severe. Do not take products containing bismuth, such as Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate.

Malaria

Pregnant women should avoid travel to areas with malaria. If you must go while you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about taking a drug to prevent malaria. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes, so you should also wear insect repellent for additional protection.

Outdoor Safety in Mexico

 nc.cdc.gov

If your travel plans in Mexico include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• Heat-related illness, such as heat stroke, can be deadly. Eat and drink regularly, wear loose and lightweight clothing, and limit physical activity during high temperatures.
  • If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation: use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Mexico. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

 nc.cdc.gov

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Mexico’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website (www.jointcommissioninternational.org).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in some parts of Mexico. If you are going to a risk area, fill your malaria prescription before you leave, and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

10 Things Every Traveler Should Do

realsimple.com

By Pico Iyer

 Lucas Allen

Visiting a new town is like having a conversation. Places ask questions of you just as searchingly as you question them. And, as in any conversation, it helps to listen with an open mind, so you can be led somewhere unexpected. The more you leave assumptions at home, I’ve found, the better you can hear whatever it is that a destination is trying to say to you.

While in Venice a few months ago, I asked myself (and it) whether its art stood in the way of other things, like modernity and convenience. And with each turn I took, Venice asked me why I didn’t just accept its art for what it was. Returning to Tibet a few years ago, I wondered whether its magic was in the land or in my head. I haven’t quite worked it out, but asking the question made me more focused while there and led to deeper questions that I’m still asking back at home.

With that in mind, here are the things that I always do in a new place to set the conversation in motion.

 1. Savor every moment of your first few hours. First impressions really are worth a thousand others. I often scribble a hundred pages of notes when I visit somewhere new. But then, when I get home, it’s always the first page or two―the taxi ride in from the airport, my first foray out onto the streets―that captures something vivid and essential before my ideas and prejudices begin to harden. So stay away from e-mail, CNN, and anything that reminds you of home and just soak the place in.

 2. Embrace the prospect of being a tourist. Some snooty types will tell you that they’re “travelers,” not tourists. But if being a tourist means wanting to see all the attractions that make a town unique, then what’s so bad about that? Take the three-hour city tour on your first day in Atlanta so you know where things are and what you wish to return to. When traveling abroad, visit the shops recommended by tour guides, if only to see what’s available from people who speak English. Don’t be shy about asking a local stranger how to find the national museum; she may just offer you a guided tour along the way.

 3. Devour the hotel literature. Don’t ignore the glossy magazines placed on your desk or lists of sightseeing activities in the guest-services brochure. How else would I have known that Baltimore is home to the unique and haunting American Visionary Art Museum? Or that I could walk with lions in Mauritius? Where else could I have found out that there are six different kinds of operator-assisted phone calls in Bhutan―Urgent, Lightning, Distress, Important, Immediate, and Most Immediate―and they all seem to be treated about the same?

 4. Run an errand for a friend. She’s asked you to get, say, macadamia popcorn on Maui or to track down that wise monk she once met in Phnom Penh. The very search for what someone else wants or values (and it doesn’t really matter what it is) will lead you to places you would otherwise never see.

 5. Take in a performance or a sporting event. A ball game or a symphony is transporting and doesn’t require you to speak the language. And watching opera in Beijing or soccer in Rio will be nothing like seeing opera or soccer at home. It would take a mighty effort to get me to Swan Lake in Santa Barbara. But put me in Beirut and I know it will be a night to remember.

 6. Check out a bookstore. It’s a great way to learn about the interests of the locals. On almost any street in New Delhi, for example, a bookshop is bulging with works on palaces, textiles, spirituality, and the Kama Sutra; in Salt Lake City, the offerings are somewhat different. And in a store like the independent-minded Elliott Bay Book Company, a local institution in Seattle, you’ll find a universe so compendious that it seems to be an anthology of the city’s distinctive grace notes. Poking into even the smallest of these places not only opens a new door to a city but also offers the promise of a good read to keep you company at night.

 7. Ride a bus to the end of the line. It isn’t wise to do this everywhere, but riding the bus to even the next six stops can be useful. At the very least, you’ll see something of the city, get a front-seat view (literally) of what the Romans do in Rome, and end up in surprising destinations. I did this in Miami once and found myself in a spicy part of Little Havana that nobody would have mistaken for South Beach, and yet it seemed to capture the essence of the city.

 8. Read the daily newspaper. Almost every big city anywhere has an English-language paper, and even papers you can’t read will startle you with their pictures and their different types of tiny print. Whether it’s pages of “matrimonial” ads in The Times of India or headlines in the Key West Citizen(300-POUND MAN SMASHES HEAD IN WALL), newspapers always tell you much more about a place than they think they’re telling.

 9. Go to McDonald’s. In Kyoto, you could see chicken tatsuta burgers, corn-potage soup, and, in autumn, moon-viewing burgers on the menu, and your fellow diners might be dressed in Vivienne Westwood or Dior. In Bolivia, the McDonald’s I visited was so exotic that society ladies sipped their McCoffees under the watchful eye of a security guard. Even in Manhattan, the Big Mac outlet I stumbled into one morning at 3 a.m. was home to an unexpected but very New Yawky kind of camaraderie. The food is cheap and semipredictable, of course, but it’s all the ways in which the place is surprising that you will take home with you. What else are we looking for in travel (and in love and in life) but a tasty mix of the strange and the familiar?

 10. Get lost. (In the nicest sense.)

Can I drink the water in Mexico?

gomexico.about.com

By Suzanne Barbezat

Question: Can I drink the water in Mexico?

Many first-time travelers to Mexico have heard that they shouldn't drink the water. But what to do when you get thirsty? Not to worry: there's plenty of drinking water available everywhere in Mexico!

Answer:

As a rule you should not drink tap water in Mexico. The water is purified at the source but the distribution system may allow the water to be contaminated en route to the tap. Most Mexicans find the idea of drinking tap water somewhat repulsive: they buy water in five gallon jugs called"garrafones" which are delivered to their homes (and recycled). Do as Mexicans do, and stick to purified water.

Most hotels provide bottled water, or large jugs of purified water for you to refill your bottle. Many resorts take this worry away from their guests by having their water purified on-site; if this is the case, there's usually a notice by the tap that the water is potable ("agua potable").

Bottled water is affordable and readily available wherever you travel in Mexico. Order it in stores or restaurants by asking for "agua pura". 

Ice is generally made from purified water; in hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists you shouldn't encounter any issues with the ice or water. Purchasing drinks from market stands and food stalls may be more risky. Ice that is in the form of a cylinder with a hole in the center is purchased from a purified ice factory and is safe.

As a long-time resident I now brush my teeth with tap water but I'm always careful not to swallow it. As a tourist you're better off using bottled water to brush your teeth, and try to remember to keep your mouth shut when you shower.

Scientists Blow The Lid on Cancer and Sunscreen Myth

banderasnews.com

Paul Fassa - realfarmacy.com
go to original
July 11, 2014

Researchers concluded that the conventional dogma, which advises avoiding the sun at all costs and slathering on sunscreen to minimize sun exposure, is doing more harm than actual good.

According to a June 2014 article featured in The Independent, a major study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that women who avoid sunbathing during the summer are twice as likely to die as those who sunbathe every day.

The epidemiological study followed 30,000 women for over 20 years and "showed that mortality was about double in women who avoided sun exposure compared to the highest exposure group."

Researchers concluded that the conventional dogma, which advises avoiding the sun at all costs and slathering on sunscreen to minimize sun exposure, is doing more harm than actual good. That's because overall sun avoidance combined with wearing sunscreen effectively blocks the body's ability to produce vitamin D3 from the sun's UVB rays, which is by far the best form of vitamin D.

In the USA, vitamin D deficiency is at epidemic levels. Ironically, vitamin D deficiency can lead to aggressive forms of skin cancer. A ground-breaking 2011 study published in Cancer Prevention Research suggests that optimal blood levels of vitamin D offers protection against sunburn and skin cancer.

Additionally, vitamin D protects the body from diseases like multiple sclerosis, rickets (in the young), tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.

According to the Vitamin D Council, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently reported that "lack of sun exposure may lead to cognitive decline over time."

A Dissident Dermatologist

Bernard Ackerman, MD, (deceased 2008) was one of the world's foremost authorities on the subject of skin cancer and the sun, sunscreens and melanoma skin cancer risks.

Below are Ackerman's views excerpted from an article in The New York Times (July 20, 2004), titled "I BEG TO DIFFER; A Dermatologist Who's Not Afraid to Sit on the Beach":

• The link between melanoma and sun exposure (dermatology's dogma) is unproven.

• There's no conclusive evidence that sunburns lead to cancer.

• There is no real proof that sunscreens protect against melanoma.

• There's no proof that increased exposure to the sun increases the risk of melanoma.

• A 2000 Swedish study concluded that higher rates of melanoma occurred in those who used sunscreen versus those who did not.

Sunscreens: Cancer-Causing Biohazards

Elizabeth Plourde, PhD, is a California-based scientist who authored the book Sunscreens – Biohazard: Treat as Hazardous Waste, which extensively documents the serious life-threatening dangers of sunscreens not only to people but to the environment as well.

Dr. Plourde provides proof that malignant melanoma and all other skin cancers increased significantly with ubiquitous sunscreen use over a 30-year period. She emphasizes that many sunscreens contain chemicals that are known carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC).

Environmentally, she notes: "In areas where there has been much exposure to ED (endocrine disrupting) chemicals, coral and other sea populations have died off and the prevalence of dual-sexed fish has risen."

Dr. Plourde's research on mice and sunscreen exposure also showed increases in both pup and maternal mortality as well as reproductive issues in subsequent generations.

Additionally, the book documents how sunscreen chemicals have polluted our water sources including oceans, rivers and municipal drinking water. Worse yet, testing revealed that 97% of Americans have sunscreen chemicals in their blood!

Dr. Plourde's book also has a chapter on the importance of vitamin D3 to health, and she posits that the widespread vitamin D3 deficiency is linked to overuse of sunscreen combined with sun avoidance in general.

Sources: independent.co.uk • ncbi.nlm.nih.gov • vitamindcouncil.org • nytimes.com

Original Story

10 ways to stay healthy on vacation

How to outsmart germs and more while you're traveling

Published: May 2014

consumerreports.com

Travelers lay a lot of groundwork for summer vacations by researching locations, airfares, and the best hotel deals. But planning how to stay healthy (and what to do if they happen to get sick) usually isn’t part of their preparation. It should be. “There are several travel-related health concerns to think about no matter where you’re going,” says Orly Avitzur, M.D., medical adviser for Consumer Reports. Follow these strategies to stay well while you’re away from home:

1. Check your insurance coverage

 

Emergencies such as broken bones or heart attacks are usually covered outside of your network or area, but doctor visits may not be. In foreign countries, you might have no coverage at all. If you have a chronic health condition or you’ll be doing something that could conceivably lead to injury, consider buying travel health insurance. Avoid commission-driven policies sold by tour operators, cruise-line representatives, and travel agents. Instead, check out an online broker, such as InsureMyTrip, that sells coverage from multiple companies.

2. Download your health records

 

If your doctor has a patient portal, you can access portions of your medical record, such as medications, allergies, and other vital pieces of information. Download it to a thumb drive and take it with you to give doctors instant access in case of an emergency.

3. Find where to get medical help

 

Knowing the quality of health care you’ll have access to is especially important if you have a chronic condition, are traveling outside of the U.S., or will be taking a cruise. “Contrary to popular belief, cruise ships are not floating hospitals,” Avitzur says. According to international maritime law, they aren’t even required to have a doctor onboard; a crew member with medical training is sufficient. Basic treatment such as stitches or IV fluids may be available, but for anything serious, you probably will have to disembark at the next port of call.

4. Stash medicines in your carry-on

 

Even if you don’t have to take a dose during your flight, it’s best to have medications with you instead of in your checked bags, in case the luggage is lost. Be sure to pack enough of any prescription medication to last the entire trip, plus a little extra.

5. Baby your back

 

Lugging a heavy suitcase onto a plane to avoid paying baggage fees may cost you in another way. When people hoist their suitcase into the overhead bin, they often swing it too fast and away from their body, says Raj Rao, M.D., a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. The farther the suitcase is from your body, the greater the toll on your back as you lift it. When you stow the bag, hold it as close to your body as possible, bend at your hips and knees, then carefully raise it without twisting.

6. Don't sit still

 

Photo: Digital Vision.

Sitting for long periods on a plane or in a car without moving raises the risk of developing a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening blood clot in your lungs. The clot usually forms in a vein in your leg, and may break off and travel through your bloodstream. Warning signs include pain and/or swelling in one calf.  A similar risk has been found with traveling by car, bus, or train. If you can’t get up from your seat, flex and extend your feet (like you’re pushing the gas pedal of a car) at least once per hour. When driving, stop the car every 2 hours or so to take a walk or to stretch.

7. Outsmart germs

 

Photo: AlexRaths

From norovirus to colds and flu, certain infections spread easily where large numbers of people congregate—planes, hotels, cruise ships. Your best defense is to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as often as you can. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

8. Drink a lot of water

 

That sluggish feeling you get while flying may have nothing to do with jet lag. Being dehydrated, even mildly, can cause fatigue. The air in planes is very low in humidity. That can lower fluid levels in the body and dry out your eyes, skin, mouth, and nasal passages. Not only is that uncomfortable, but a dry nose is the perfect incubator for a cold virus.

9. Watch what you eat and drink

 

Enjoy the local cuisine, but don’t overdo it. Studies have identified that the highest likelihood of sudden cardiac death occurs on holidays associated with overindulgence, such as Thanksgiving. Triglycerides—a type of fat that becomes elevated in your blood after a large meal—can cause coronary artery inflammation, a common prelude to a heart attack, Avitzur says. Eating your way through Italy, for example, could create the same conditions in your body.

10. Prevent traveler's diarrhea

 

Sticking to bottled water and hot, freshly prepared foods is your best defense. But bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol and generic) has a mild antibacterial effect, and taking it may cut your odds of getting diarrhea in half. Take two tablets four times per day throughout your trip. Cut back if you become constipated, and stop taking it if you experience ringing in your ears. It contains salicylate, an ingredient in aspirin, so check with your doctor if you have ulcers or other medical conditions.