Travel Tips For A Healthy Trip

I heard a lady on radio today saying she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis when on holiday in Spain. It got me thinking. A diagnosis of gastroenteritis is the same as a doc saying "Senora, you are suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea". I think she knew that already! By giving a medical name tag to her condition, she thought she had a diagnosis. Many medical name tags ('diagnoses') simply describe the symptom picture. Any '-itis' is simply the medical term for inflammation. It says nothing about the cause or the cure, so don't be fooled. 

Prevention is much better than cure. 

To avoid having to use your E111 form or travel insurance, the following tips might come in handy when venturing abroad.

1. Food poisoning

Which can cause gastroenteritis. Many bacteria that are well tolerated by natives can be a problem for holidaymakers, particularly in less developed parts of the world. This is particularly the case for anyone taking one of the proton pump inhibitors (e.g. Gaviscon, Nexium etc.), which reduce the stomach's own bug-fighting potential by reducing stomach acid (usually too little is the problem, not too much, but that's a topic for another day…). 

Taking garlic tablets regularly will help to fight any foreign bugs. Quest's kyolic is tops and has the advantage of not tainting the breath. Take 1,000mg once a day (twice a day in more dodgy areas of the planet). 

A probiotic, particularly if you have a tendency to gut problems, can work wonders in helping your digestive system cope with the unfamiliar. Ask in-store for the most appropriate one for you. If you succumb to a tummy bug, simply increase the probiotic and continue to take for a few weeks after the bug has passed. 

Always have citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) handy. In fact, I'd recommend taking it daily if travelling in the Far East. Just 12 drops in a little water is sufficient in most cases. It is both powerfully antibacterial and antifungal. When you return home, do top up with the probiotic, as citricidal does kill off some good stomach bacteria too, which must be restored. 

If / when you return, and you still have a delicate tummy, increase the probiotics and get some Slippery Elm powder -1 teaspoon taken three times a day will soon sort you out. Simply make a paste of it with cold water and then gradually add more water, stirring to make as smooth a liquid as possible. 

2. Insects

Whether or not to take medication for malaria must be your decision. However, there are other useful tools.

Vitamin B1 creates a subcutaneous smell which insects dislike, but which is undetectable to humans. If in a badly infested area, take 100mg three times a day.

There are several insect repellants available now which aren't loaded with nasty chemicals. The herbal Neem spray under the Vogel brand and Incognito are two of the best. Neem spray has the added advantage of being odour neutral.

3. Sun

The best advice is to stay out of it, but none of us are going to do that! Do stay out of the harsh midday sun though. Do wear a fine-weave t-shirt at vulnerable times or if slightly over-cooked. Do wear a brimmed hat and wear sunglasses, to help guard against the early onset of macular degeneration. Apply this advice stringently to kids.

There is now a good range of sun creams with fewer chemicals than the well-known brands. Jasons and Organii are two of the best for adults and kids, but do remember that suncream isn't a licence to stay out in the sun all day long. It has its uses but also has its limits.

If you do burn (who could, after this advice!), slap on some aloe vera gel or apply some diluted lavender oil (in a carrier oil such as coconut or sweet almond). 

Above all, be sensible. Most Irish skin is of the fine/ delicate variety. Over-exposure will bring on premature ageing and, at worst, skin cancer.

4. Long-haul flights

Best advice is to pop some Echinacea drops in a bottle of water on board – 50 drops in 250ml – and sip regularly throughout the flight. This will help guard against contracting an infection from the recycled air in the cabin.

A final word about whether or not to take preventive medication for the myriad diseases that populate our planet: do your research about the disease risks posed in any particular area (opinion differs hugely from source to source). If a long list of possible problems comes up for your area, it is probably safe to assume that there is no single major disease risk. Be as sure as you can of the real risks posed, if any, before deciding whether or not to opt for medication. If you do decide to medicate (vaccines/ tablets), make sure you check out the possible side effects of the medication before going ahead.

Happy holidays!      

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