Most of these tips apply whether you are traveling or not. It is when we are traveling, however, that they become more important. New germs, new food, and an itinerary that might not lend itself to rest and relaxation are all factors that can derail our efforts to stay healthy. A good diet is fundamental [...]
Travel Health Tips
This category contains tips for staying healthy on the road.
A few years ago I took the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu in Peru. The trek lasts five days and covers mountainous terrain, especially in the early going. Still not fully acclimatized, I made the mistake of hiking too fast on the first day. When we reached the camp (altitude of 4000m or so), I [...]
One of the easiest ways to get sick when traveling is through contaminated water. Whether it's a simple case of traveler's diarrhea or something worse, like amoebic dysentery, it's hard to enjoy yourself when you're spending most of your time on the toilet. You may find yourself in a rural area without access to clean [...]
Cipro is used to treat a laundry list of bacterial infections, including anthrax, a number of bone and joint infections, and most relevant for travelers, bacterial diarrhea. It is the atomic bomb of antibiotics. Widely prescribed for a variety of infections, cipro has lost its potency over recent years. Some strains of bacteria have become [...]
While traveling Northern Mali in the fall of 2010, I came down with a horrific case of amoebic dysentery. When the symptoms began, I assumed I had traveler's diarrhea, which would last a day or two - uncomfortable and inconvenient, but nothing serious. When I started shitting blood, I realized something more sinister was at [...]
Before selecting travel insurance for my last trip to West Africa, I did online research and I polled friends who traveled frequently. In my quest to find the best travel insurance, World Nomads was repeatedly suggested. After doing some additional research, I saw that they were also recommended by many travel companies, including Lonely Planet. [...]
There is no vaccine for malaria, but you can take prophylactics. The reason a vaccine has not been developed is largely due to the life-cycle of the protist that causes the disease. When an infected mosquito bites you, the protist enters your bloodstream and makes its way inside of your red blood cells. Because the [...]
Nutrition is a big component of our health. Unfortunately, travel often presents obstacles to eating well. These tips will make it a little bit easier. When you are always on the move, it's hard to eat well. Instead of covering a lot of ground and loading your itinerary with attractions, slow down, and really get [...]
If you go to a travel clinic (which you should) before traveling to a place where malaria is endemic, chances are the doctor is going to recommend that you take malaria prophylactics. A lot has been said in recent years about the efficacy of malaria prophylactics and about possible side effects of taking them. This [...]
