Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

Prevent the Swine Flu While Travelling

Travel & getting sick naturally go hand-in-hand. Touching doorknobs at the airport, being in areas which may be getting the flu bug early - don't take any chances and end up with a bitter ending to your vacation. A recent government report suggests that as many as half of the United States population could be infected with the swine flu virus this fall and winter. About 30,000 to 90,000 deaths are projected, especially in children, young adults, and adults with health conditions. Eleven states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. Any reports of widespread influenza activity in August and September are very unusual. This will be a huge strain on hospitals in affected regions. So why are we taking normal measures to prevent its spread?

The Center for Disease Control adheres to the philosophy that the best prevention strategy to the spread of the Swine Flu is clean hands, and the next best thing to washing thoroughly and frequently is having hand sanitizer available.

However, hand sanitizer's not always such a quick fix. Sure, alcohol based solutions products kill >99% of germs and bacteria on contact. Though, their effectiveness lasts for just a minute or so, requiring constant re-application eventually drying skin to the point of cracking. They are very unsafe for children and they have no real effect on fungus or viruses. Benzalkonium Chloride or Triclosan based solutions are extremely toxic to the environment and humans if ingested.

But a new sanitizer, Prefenz Botanicals hand sanitizer is a silica based technology that immediately destroys all harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses including H1N1, HIV, SARS and MRSA. The active ingredient, AMOSILQ, is a silica complex that dries into a film on the skin and protects against pathogens that one might encounter during any given day. It does so by slicing the cell wall of the pathogen, hence destroying it, upon contact for up to 24 hours without re-application. It is still active for up to 10 hand washings.

"Prefenz is so eco-friendly that you can drink it without experiencing any harmful effects, so it's safe for all ages,” said company president Aaron Powers. They offer two bottle sizes on-line; a 1.5 oz bottle for $8.99 and an 8 oz botle for $17.99.

For more environmentally-friendly product reviews from RTM, click here.

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Safe & Healthy Travel Advice for Women

Summer marks an important travel season. Whether you're a student, a professional or a hard-working parent, going away on vacation and getting away from it all brings a sense of freedom, but travelers should be aware that it's not all completely care-free. There is a certain amount of preparation and planning that needs to go into ensuring a safe, healthy and happy trip, such as planning in advance to get the appropriate immunizations and ensuring you have the right travel documentation. And, as a woman, you have some unique health and well-being concerns to consider as well.

Dr. Dominique Tessier, an expert in the area of women's health and travel offers the following tips to female travelers:

·         Prepare and bring a travel medical kit - This is an important kit that women should always take with them when crossing time zones. Items like first aid supplies, insect protection, sun protection, water purification, medications and other toiletries are important to include.

·         Research the cultural and social attitudes towards women - It's important that women understand the environment that they're traveling to. For example, some countries have certain dress codes for women that you must abide by as a visitor.

·         Prepare for differing hygiene practices - Toilet paper and use of hand dryers and paper towel is different is many countries, so women must be prepared for this. Bring tissues and your own hand towels.

·         Be aware - Anyone travelling to unfamiliar areas should take precautions to stay protected and ensure they are always aware of their surroundings. As a woman, this is even more important, so always travel with companions and make sure someone always knows where you are.

For more tips, check out RTM's Travel Advice section.

How to Eat Healthy In Restaurants

Most travelers eat the majority of their meals in restaurants. But large meals and fatty foods don't have to spell nutritional disaster. Here are some tips to eat healthy in restaurants:

1. Order it your way. Don’t be afraid to ask for your dish without the fatty items, ask for less meat and extra veggies.

2. Stretch your manners. It’s ok to drain the extra butter or dab the greasy pizza. It’s better than stretching your waistline.

3. Control your portions. Just because serving sizes are enormous, you don't have to be.

More Tips to eat healthy in restaurants.

Tips to Stay Fit on the Road

Don't despair if cross-continent business trips and out-of-state family gatherings are putting a dent in your exercise program. A little planning can help you get back into the groove. Here are a few helpful tips to stay fit on the road.

·  Variety is the spice of life, so use your travel as a chance to try something new. Look for new fitness classes at local gyms, try a new cardio machine, or consider taking your bathing suit if you're staying at a hotel that has an indoor pool.

·  See if your hotel offers a morning or evening running/jogging group- many properties are now implementing such programs - which will keep you fit and also show you a bit of the area from a new perspective.

·  If the only equipment that you can find is the standard treadmill or stationary bike, create an interval training program for yourself by alternating several minutes of high intensity with several minutes of recovery time. You'll burn more calories and each interval gives you a goal on which to focus so that you don't get bored-or at least not as quickly.

Click here for more healthy travel tips from Road & Travel Magazine.

Traveling With Allergies

With the arrival of spring, millions of eager travelers will be hitting the nation’s road and airports for their vacation destination. But for the seasonal allergy sufferer, traveling can produce a new set of obstacles.

To make sure you’re not miserable on your trip be sure to follow these simple tips before hitting the road.

1. Turn on air conditioner and air out your car 10 minutes before you start your trip to get rid of allergens that might be inside.

2. Travel in the early morning or late evening to avoid heavy traffic and when air quality is the poorest.

3. Keep windows closed when driving to prevent pollen and other allergens from entering the car. Use air conditioning.

Click here to read more on traveling with allergies on RTM.

More travel health tips can be found here.

Battling Colds on the Road

Doesn't it feel like you have the worst luck sometimes? You're feeling healthy, strong and ready for your next business trip. You make it through the long flight and the first day of meetings. And then you wake up the next morning, congested, coughing and sneezing. Your head is pounding and the last thing you want to do is get out of bed.

Being sick while traveling is the worst, so obviously, you should do everything you can to to avoid it. The best way to do this is to stick to your normal routine. Try your hardest to stick to your same diet and sleep routine. When traveling in busy places it's also important to wash your hands often, keep distance possible between you and the person sitting next to you on the plane, and if you are sick dispose properly of tissues. It's all stuff we learned growing up, and just because you are traveling there is no excuse to slack off on healthy habits.

Visit RTM for more healthy travel tips.