How NOT to get sick while travelling!

Who wants to get ill while travelling? Apart from spoiling a wonderful holiday or ruining a valuable business meeting, it can be EXTREMELY expensive and VERY inconvenient.

Personally, I like to tackle my own travel-health from three sides:

1. Prevention
2. First-Aid and
3. Special Reserve

Basic Tips:

• Make sure you have enough of any chronic medication – including birth control pills - to last you through the entire trip, especially when travelling internationally. Medications are not necessarily the same across countries. Note that some countries will require a copy of the doctor’s prescription before allowing you to import your meds. Also be aware of extreme temperatures (aircraft hold as low as -70C, bus luggage hold up to +50C) which may negatively influence your meds.
• Try to keep to your normal time intervals for the medication. Implement any necessary changes (due to time-zones, diet, etc) gradually
• Have your teeth checked in good time to have any emergency work completed before your trip! Medical aids and travel insurance seldom cover more than the most basic pain control measures. On-the-road treatment is EXPENSIVE. 
• If travelling to an area with endemic diseases (malaria, typhoid, cholera, zika virus, yellow fever, etc) take preventive meds or vaccines if you can, and take EVERY possible precaution to avoid being infected while you are exposed. If you are ill within 2 weeks of returning home, make sure to mention your travels to your doctor.

Prevention:

The body’s immune system is and remains our best weapon. Strengthening and supporting the immune system is the foundation of my travel-wellness strategy.

• Load up with extra generous amounts of Vitamin C for a good week before travelling and keep up a generous daily dose for at least a week after completing your trip. Small doses spread throughout the day (or vitamin C powder dissolved in your glass water bottle) will ensure that the maximum amount is absorbed and used.
• Get as much exercise and exposure to sunlight as possible (without burning) before and during your trip. This helps to increase your Vitamin D levels while ensuring a good supply of fresh nutrients to the furthest corners of your body. At the same time, waste products are flushed out and stress levels kept at a minimum.
• Drink lots of good, clean water to help keep all systems GO!
• If you have a sensitive gut, stick to the rules of sensible eating:
• boil it, peel it, cook it, wash it or forget it
• If you are not sure about the water, buy bottled to drink. 
• NEVER drink anything that you did not see opened and keep it with you at all times!

First-Aid:

When the first tummy rumble or throat-scratch occurs, some simple guidelines can still prevent the problem from becoming more serious:

• Humic Acid (such as that found in Humi-Caps) is an absolutely marvellous all-round first-aid. Use 2 caps x 4 times per day for a quick and effective, proven anti-inflammatory and anti-viral agent (scratchy throat, sore knee, post-nasal drip, sinus, flu etc). For an upset stomach, take 8 Humi-Caps immediately and another 4 caps after 4 hours. All natural, no additives, no side-effects and very affordable – it doesn’t get much better than that! (*)
• Burned toast (or well-burned charcoal) absorbs toxins in the gut. 
• Take in sufficient fluids and salts to replenish those lost in the battle.
• Make your own nasal inhalant using ½ cup cooled, boiled water with ¼ t table salt to combat the irritating effects of dust, air-conditioners and airborne allergens or pathogens. Use regularly and generously and make up a fresh solution as often as you can. 

Special Reserve:

When there is already some pain or the first signs of discomfort (such as fever, swelling or redness, dehydration, coughing and so on) there are a few simple meds which might still prevent a full-scale medical emergency. The normal rules of drug storage and use (out of reach of children, don’t use if sensitive/allergic, NEVER exceed the dose, etc) are even more important on the road than at home:

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is known to combat pain and fever. 
• Aspirin: For pain, fever, inflammation. Remember its tendency to thin the blood! NOT for children presenting with symptoms of flu. 
• Chest rub or drops containing menthol for blocked nose or cough. Also useful to cool bites and stings.
• Antiseptic cream for cuts, abrasions, traveller’s ‘nappy-rash’ and more
• 2-3 plasters (blisters, fingers and toes, bites and falls)
• Anti-emetic (car sickness)

If the condition is serious, or does not let up within a day or two, take the punch and see a doctor. 

It is not worth spoiling your trip (and that of everyone else) just to prove how ‘brave’ you are. 

This is definitely one of those times when discretion is the better part of valour.

Let us know your experiences – we would love to hear from you:

• Have you ever been ill on a trip?
• How did you stop yourself from becoming ill?

And above all – HAVE A HEALTHY TRIP!! 

(*)http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/znc.2003.58.issue-3-4/znc-2003-3-421/znc-2003-3-421.xml

http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/5/853.short

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:IFLA.0000039563.90066.5d

Is Stress killing you?

Are you under extreme pressure due to Year-End procedures? Is your boss expecting you to complete miracles? Are you studying for exams and struggling to keep an even keel?

For more info see: www.stress.org 

I have also heard the rumours about ‘good’ stress. There is a lot of information available on ‘Dr Google’ to make the most of it. But what if the stress affecting you is causing you to feel panicky when you get up in the morning? What if the weight of responsibility is squeezing the breath out of your lungs or your financial debt is crushing your passion for life?

These are the realities many of us are living with on a daily basis and sometimes it becomes overwhelming.

Is there anything we can do?

Yes indeed!

Firstly, we need to be honest with ourselves. Many of the causes of our stress, are self-inflicted. Reduce these by planning and preparing ahead, saying ‘NO’ to unnecessary commitments, and even lowering our standard of living if need be. Your health is WORTH IT!

That said, for the stress we cannot avoid - there IS HOPE!!

Stress occurs in three phases:

1.       Fight-or-Flight when adrenalin levels are high, together with energy levels, blood sugar levels, heart beat and blood pressure. Once the situation has passed, adrenalin levels return to normal.

2.       Resistance (adaptive) phase during which adrenalin levels remain higher than normal as the brain becomes used to sustained stress levels and does not react so effectively to the ‘stop’ signals.

3.       Exhaustion phase: the brain can no longer maintain the high levels of stress, and disease sets in. The exhaustion phase may eventually lead to adrenal insufficiency, which we also call ‘Burn-out’.

‘Excessive’ stress causes havoc with our hormones, including melatonin which plays a key role in sleep. Various neurotransmitters are affected (Norepinephrine and serotonin) and the body’s reserves of Vit B1, B6 Vit C, Calcium, Chromium, Magnesium and Potassium are depleted. Stress is also linked with a deficiency in Vit B5 as the body tries desperately to maintain the production of corticosteroid (adrenal) hormones.

WHAT can I do?

First prize is to find a way to reduce the stress levels you are dealing with.

The next step is to begin by ensuring that the depleted vitamins and minerals are supplemented in generous quantities. Cholesterol is essential for the production of hormones, so have the breakfast egg and enjoy it! Meat, nuts, sprirulina and pumpkin and pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of tryptophan (which the body uses to build serotonin).

Avoid caffeine and substances containing it (cacao, cola’s, coffee, tea, etc)

One of the unpleasant side-effects of stress is inflammation, so using a good Omega-3 fish oil supplement is valuable. Another is indigestion which can be improved by the use of pro-biotics, digestive enzymes and/or humic acids. Another distressing side-effect is the build-up of toxins with a whole host of unpleasant side-effects. These can be counteracted by taking supplements to support the methylation process (mainly the whole group of B-Vitamins). Excessive stress also has a negative influence on our immune system and our emotions. Vitamin D3, exercise and exposure to sunlight can all play a role in boosting our overall health and happiness.

Inter-Med can assist with any of the supplements mentioned in this blog. For more information contact us on 012-8047918