Despite my pale skin, I have spent a lot of time hanging out around the equator. Every now and then, I get a horrific sun burn that propels me to a likely rendez-vous with skin cancer somewhere down the line. For the most part though, I avoid sunburn. This post will explain how. Before I [...]
I have now spent what I consider to be a significant amount of time in West Africa. My first taste of the region came in 2005 when I studied abroad in Accra, Ghana. During that semester, I was also able to visit Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Last year, I took my time traveling through [...]
Medical evacuation is a term occasionally attached to certain brands of travel insurance. It conjures up images of helicopter rescues in remote areas, emergencies that are serious and time sensitive. Are these services real? Yes, they are real, and depending on the company, they can provide a serious level of care and attention. Here is [...]
Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the single celled organism Giardia. Expect some combination of diarrhea, bloating, vomiting and nausea. Also, sulphur smelling burps - this is one of the most commonly reported symptoms with giardiasis. Long-term infections can cause weight loss, malnutrition and loss of appetite. Giardiasis may be less alarming than other [...]
We have previously discussed the importance of treating water (see our article How to Prevent and Treat Traveler's Diarrhea). If you are traveling in the developing world, tap water is often unsafe to drink and in rural areas, well water will certainly make you sick. If you are not trying to spend lots of money [...]
The following is the second part in a series of posts titled Travel Health Disasters (find the first one here). Featured are the tales of other travelers and travel bloggers who have experienced some difficult moments on the road. Some of them are funny. Some of them are scary. Some of them are downright miserable. [...]
Machu Picchu, Colca Canyon, Amazon rainforest, coastal deserts, the massive Andes Mountains, and that's to say nothing about the Peruvian people. Yep, there are a few good reasons to visit Peru. What are the travel health concerns? Nothing too exotic, depending on what part of the country you are visiting. That said, Peru is a [...]
Traveler's diarrhea is the universal affliction. It affects nearly everyone traveling in developing world areas. There are steps you can take to prevent it, but don't be surprised if you come down with a case of the runs despite efforts to eat and drink carefully. Thankfully, most cases of traveler's diarrhea are short-lived and they [...]
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 [...]
I loathe mosquitoes. I feel that I am not alone in this feeling. Their sound irritates me, the fact that they live off of the blood of the living disturbs me, the fact that they spread disease so easily and frequently gets my blood boiling, and I get super riled up by how their bites [...]
