Prepare For Take-Off
It takes just a little organisation to bring on a serious case of relaxation and a healthy, happy holiday...
Flights booked, passports packed, jump in the car, rush to the airport and...relax. Finally, its holiday time. But what if someone fall ill while you're away? 1 in 4 people have a health issue on holiday, with the most common problems being traveller's diarrhoea, insect bites, motion sickness, cuts, grazes, scrapes & sunburn. It makes sense to be prepared and plan ahead with a few simple steps so you can really kick back on holiday.
Travel Vaccinations:
For adults, you will need to find out if the area you are travelling to requires Cholera Immunisation and jabs for Hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis and even flu in some parts of the northern hemisphere.
Travel Insurance:
If you're travelling within Europe you may be eligible for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which will entitle you to free or reduced-cost medical care. However, don't forget Travel Insurance. The EHIC does not replace this, it simply gives you and your family the right access state provided healthcare on temporary stays in other European Area Countries or Switzerland.
Malaria Aware:
Ask your GP or private health clinic if your destination is prone to malaria - and stock up on mosquito nets, Deet (Insect Repellent) and anti-malarial drugs if needed. Its easy to dismiss this disease, but it can be life-threatening and is far easier to prevent than to treat. Mosquitoes carry malaria and the Zika Virus, so best be prepared.
Travel Tummy:
An upset stomach with sickness and diarrhoea is still the most common illness to ruin a holiday. This includes stomach and intestinal infections from a variety of bacteria, parasites and other organisms. These include salmonella, E.Coli and parasites such as giardia. Often, these are picked up from eating food that has not been prepared under hygienic conditions. High Risk foods to avoid include salads, uncooked fruit & vegetables raw shellfish and meat, and unpasteurised dairy products. You should only drink bottled waters ad use this for brushing your teeth, too. If any of your family succumbs, try a short-term diarrhoea medication such as loperamide and add rehydration salts to water and sip slowly throughout the day.
Motion Sickness:
About a third of us suffer from motion sickness in cars, planes and boats and the problem is particularly common in children under 12 years old. This sickness is caused by the brain being fooled into thinking that the body itself is moving. It is processing information from the eyes, yet not getting information about balance from the ears and this confusion causes nausea. To prevent symptoms, keep cool, breathe plenty of fresh air, try to keep your eyes on the horizon or closed and try to sleep. You can also take a chewable anti-motion sickness tablet that can alleviate symptoms within minutes.
Products to Pack:
Dioralyte Rehydration Sachets £3.79 - From Boots, in Citrus or Blackcurrant. Add water to ease vomiting and diarrhoea.
Anthisal Bite & Sting Cream £3.99 - From Boots, A topical antihistamine.
Soleve Sunburn Relief £9.95 - From Lloyds Pharmacy. A topical cream with ibuprofen to ease sunburn.
Boots Diarrhoea Relief £2.49 - From Boots. With the anti-diarrhoea drug loperamide.
Kwell Kids £2.68 - From Boots, A melt in the mouth tablet for the quick treatment of travel sickness in children aged over 4.
Flights booked, passports packed, jump in the car, rush to the airport and...relax. Finally, its holiday time. But what if someone fall ill while you're away? 1 in 4 people have a health issue on holiday, with the most common problems being traveller's diarrhoea, insect bites, motion sickness, cuts, grazes, scrapes & sunburn. It makes sense to be prepared and plan ahead with a few simple steps so you can really kick back on holiday.
Travel Vaccinations:
For adults, you will need to find out if the area you are travelling to requires Cholera Immunisation and jabs for Hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis and even flu in some parts of the northern hemisphere.
Travel Insurance:
If you're travelling within Europe you may be eligible for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which will entitle you to free or reduced-cost medical care. However, don't forget Travel Insurance. The EHIC does not replace this, it simply gives you and your family the right access state provided healthcare on temporary stays in other European Area Countries or Switzerland.
Malaria Aware:
Ask your GP or private health clinic if your destination is prone to malaria - and stock up on mosquito nets, Deet (Insect Repellent) and anti-malarial drugs if needed. Its easy to dismiss this disease, but it can be life-threatening and is far easier to prevent than to treat. Mosquitoes carry malaria and the Zika Virus, so best be prepared.
Travel Tummy:
An upset stomach with sickness and diarrhoea is still the most common illness to ruin a holiday. This includes stomach and intestinal infections from a variety of bacteria, parasites and other organisms. These include salmonella, E.Coli and parasites such as giardia. Often, these are picked up from eating food that has not been prepared under hygienic conditions. High Risk foods to avoid include salads, uncooked fruit & vegetables raw shellfish and meat, and unpasteurised dairy products. You should only drink bottled waters ad use this for brushing your teeth, too. If any of your family succumbs, try a short-term diarrhoea medication such as loperamide and add rehydration salts to water and sip slowly throughout the day.
Motion Sickness:
About a third of us suffer from motion sickness in cars, planes and boats and the problem is particularly common in children under 12 years old. This sickness is caused by the brain being fooled into thinking that the body itself is moving. It is processing information from the eyes, yet not getting information about balance from the ears and this confusion causes nausea. To prevent symptoms, keep cool, breathe plenty of fresh air, try to keep your eyes on the horizon or closed and try to sleep. You can also take a chewable anti-motion sickness tablet that can alleviate symptoms within minutes.
Products to Pack:
Dioralyte Rehydration Sachets £3.79 - From Boots, in Citrus or Blackcurrant. Add water to ease vomiting and diarrhoea.
Anthisal Bite & Sting Cream £3.99 - From Boots, A topical antihistamine.
Soleve Sunburn Relief £9.95 - From Lloyds Pharmacy. A topical cream with ibuprofen to ease sunburn.
Boots Diarrhoea Relief £2.49 - From Boots. With the anti-diarrhoea drug loperamide.
Kwell Kids £2.68 - From Boots, A melt in the mouth tablet for the quick treatment of travel sickness in children aged over 4.
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