Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

Advice About Driving in the Dark

When you are behind the wheel of a car, your eyes are constantly on the move – looking at vehicles ahead and to the side, reading road traffic signs, checking your rear view mirrors, and shifting your gaze inside and outside your vehicle in order to check the speedometer, look at your global navigation system, or change a radio station.

During darkness these tasks can become even more difficult for some drivers.  On the new edition of Healthy VisionTM with Dr. Val Jones, two experts join Dr. Val to talk about what happens to your eyes in the dark and how you can take better care of your eyes – and your car  –  to improve your nighttime driving.

Nearly one of every three drivers on the road (32 percent) say they have difficulty seeing all or most of the time while driving in the dark, according to a nationwide survey* of 515 vision-corrected Americans aged 18 and over. More than one-fourth (26 percent) report that they have trouble seeing signs or exits; one-fifth (20 percent) acknowledge difficulty seeing animals or pedestrians, and more than one in five (22 percent) report problems judging distance while driving in the dark.
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Deep Vein Thrombosis - A travel killer

Deep Vein Thrombosis Associated with Long Distance Travel

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) may be associated with any form of long distance travel whether by air, car, coach or train but it is often referred to as "economy class syndrome" when it occurs to airline passengers.

The following information provides a brief overview of the problem and advice on how to avoid this risk.

What is deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis is a condition where a thrombus or blood clot forms within a deep vein, typically one in the thigh or the calf. This blood clot can either partially or completely block the flow of blood in the vein. In extreme cases, this clot can break free from a vein wall and travel to the lung and block an artery. This pulmonary embolism(PE) could lead to serious injury or death. In pregnant women, this kind of embolism could lodge in the placenta and put the fetus at risk.

How do you get deep vein thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis is a problem that is caused by pooling of blood in the vein, which triggers blood-clotting mechanisms. Anyone who sits for long periods of time in a vehicle, movie theater, or even an office desk may develop clumps of clotted blood in the legs. Airline passengers in coach seating are particularly vulnerable because of the sometimes dense seating and limited ability to get up and move around. However, even passengers in business and first class are at risk. [Full story]

Top 10 Spas in US and Canada

Top 10 Spa Destinations in US, Canada & Caribbean

From tropical sanctuaries in the Bahamas to cliff side retreats in British Columbia, this Top 10 Spa Destinations list covers all the bases for a luxurious spa getaway - the perfect gift for you, your mom, your best friend or perhaps all of you.

One & Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas - This exotic resort and spa is reminiscent of a Caribbean plantation along the white sand beaches of Paradise Island. Its vibrant décor and plush gardens are sure to make anyone feel like Bahamian royalty. Daily yoga on the beach is complimentary to all guests, and other activities are available like tennis and seaside golf. The One & Only Spa offers luxurious treatments including ocean detox bathing rituals, coconut rub and milk wraps, and ocean view massages, all from private open-air villas.

Ponte Vedra Inn and Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida  - The beautiful beaches of Florida have their fair share of destination spas and resorts, but Ponte Vedra Inn and Club seems to stick out from the rest. This spa is the largest in North Florida and boasts more than 100 blissful services and treatments from therapy grottos to indulgent espresso wraps. When guests aren’t pampering themselves, they’re horseback riding, taking long bicycle rides and shopping in the charming village of Ponte Vedra Beach.

Discover more spas here.

Are Your Kids Healthy at Camp?

Worried about what foods your kids will eat when they travel to camp this year? When you went to camp as a kid, you probably didn't serve yourself lunch from a salad bar, but that might just be changing for your children. According to the American Camp Association (ACA), the majority of children's recreation and travel camps now offer not only salad bars, but also fresher foods and healthier cuisine.

Here are 6 new ways camps are keeping your kids healthy:
1. Healthy menu choices
2. Allergen-free foods
3. Special diets
4. Classes in nutrition
5. Awareness of eating disorders
6. Interactive programs

To learn more about these programs and how to find a healthy camp, read RTM's Camp Cuisine Guide.

Counting Calories on Vacation

Keeping your diet on track while traveling can be difficult, even for the most honest of dieters. Tracking calories and eating healthy on the road is hard with larger than life restaurant portions and on-the-go fast food options.

However, CalorieKing.com — the leading provider of food awareness tools for weight management — recently launched its newest tool to help travelers stay healthy while on the road. The free, Internet-enabled mobile phone or smartphone search tool from the CalorieKing Mobile Web Site gives travelers access to the website's 50,000 item food database for details including calories, carbohydrates, fat, protein and more.

Continue reading RTM's article about CalorieKing's service.

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.