If you remember having chickenpox as a child, you will remember how terrible the rash was, with the itching and blisters. Now if you have had the chickenpox, which is caused by the varicella zoster virus, you are at risk for developing shingles. Shingles is characterized by a very painful red rash with blisters. It is often misunderstood, and there are some common misconceptions about the virus. We’ll shed some light on shingles myths.

Shingles Is Rare: This isn’t really true at all. In fact, one-third of the United States population will be diagnosed with shingles in their lifetime. That is approximately one million people per year. Around half of those who reach age 85 will have had it at some point in their lifetime.

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Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through the air. While TB usually affects the lungs, it can target other body parts (brain, kidneys, or the spine). TB is treatable and curable in most cases, but people can die without proper treatment. Sometimes, drug-resistant TB occurs when bacteria are no longer affected by the drugs used to eliminate them.

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Adopting a health conscious lifestyle doesn’t mean missing out on all the delicious street food your next vacation spot has to offer. The streets of many sought-after travel destinations offer healthy and cheap delicacies that won’t leave you sick or sluggish. These delicacies don’t fall short of authenticity, giving you a true taste of your travel. Here are 5 destinations with some of the healthiest street foods.

1. Izmir, Turkey

Bustling bazaars ignited with lively locals and passionate fruit and vegetable sellers is a staple in the colorful neighborhoods of Izmir. Situated on the coast of the country, just across from Greece, Izmir is one of Turkey’s most loved cities. While there are many things to love about Izmir, their street food is worth mentioning.

Izmir offers authentic street food that you may not see in other parts of Turkey. For example, wide-eyed tourists will often see carts with layers of filled oysters known as “Midye”. Filled with seasoned-rice and served with lemon, Midye isn’t your typical oyster. It also packs a nutritional punch. Loaded with energy giving carbohydrates from the added rice as well as Vitamin B-12 that naturally comes in oysters, Midye is one of the healthiest street foods around. Make sure not to buy Midye during the summer though, since the heat can facilitate growth of bacteria and lead to food poisoning. It’s best to feast on Midye during the cooler months of the year.

2. São Paulo, Brazil

In São Paulo, acai bowls aren’t momentary trends of the millennial generation. They’re a street food constant and depending on how they’re topped, they are one of the healthiest street delicacies on the globe. In this southern Brazilian coastal city, you can treat yourself to a fresh bowl of acai palm fruit mixed with other fruits, topped with guarana syrup and sprinkled with granola or slices of banana. Besides the high antioxidant value of acai, the guarana syrup that sweetens this fun street dessert is low on the glycemic index. This means that it won’t cause spikes in your blood sugar, you won’t crash soon after enjoying your colorful acai bowl and you’ll remain fuller longer.

3. Tokyo, Japan

Topping many editorial lists as one of the healthiest countries in the world, it’s no surprise that its capital would boast of some of the healthiest street foods. An example of the nutritious value the Tokyo streets have to offer is Yaki Imo. Yaki Imo is a simple Japanese street food of roasted sweet potato. Yaki Imo isn’t topped or slathered with anything. It’s also not dipped in anything. It’s just a really tasty sweet potato roasted over hot, black stones. Mainly found in the winter, these highly nutritious sweet potatoes are loaded with Vitamin B6 and suitable for both vegans and health-conscious carnivores.

4. Bangkok, Thailand

The streets of Bangkok are calling all those looking for a healthy, gluten-free sweet treat. The classic Khanom Buang is both the king and queen of Thai street food. This authentic Thai dessert is best described as a crispy pancake or a crepe and is made from simple, fresh ingredients. Rice flour, mung bean flour, eggs, a little bit of sugar and water come together to make this traditional Thai crepe. Mung bean flour is packed with protein, fiber, B Vitamins and other nutrients, putting Khanom Buang among some of the healthiest street foods around.

5. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is one of the few places where you can grab a bowl of soup during a walk around the town. This street soup, known as Harira, isn’t your regular run of the mill soup. It’s an impressively healthy soup of tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas. Meat can sometimes be added depending on the vendor. Lentils and chickpeas are filled with protein. Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C. It’s safe to say that putting these all together makes something we might as well call a “super soup”.

Staying Safe While Eating on the Streets

No trip is complete without diving into the local cuisine. The streets of Izmir, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Bangkok and Marrakech make it quite easy to experience authentic street food while making healthy choices. Despite how healthy a specific street food might be, it’s still important to choose to eat from clean carts in areas with less crowds. It’s also important to choose vendors that prepare their food away from garbage, stray animals or still water as these could contribute to spread of disease. By making sure that the vendors you buy street food from adhere to proper hand hygiene and social distancing guidelines, you can enjoy the best an exotic city street has to offer while staying healthy and safe.

Travelers’ diarrhea kits are a must for any kind of street food exploring. Make sure you stay protected with a visit to your local Passport Health. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Ese Agboh is a student nurse who wants to specialize in pediatric nursing and wound care. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing articles related to medicine and the pathophysiology of communicable diseases. Ese currently lives and studies on the east coast of the United States.

It was an unsuspecting day back in February 1992, nothing seemed off or wrong. People were boarding their flights onto Aerolíneas Argentinas flight 386 as normal. It was a Valentine’s Day flight, leaving from Buenos Aires, with a stopover in Lima, Peru, and finally arriving at Los Angeles Airport. There were a total of 336 travelers onboard, as well as 20 fight staff members.

After landing, one person, Anibal Cufre, age 70, became ill with cholera and died shortly after arriving within the United States. It was on February 19, 1992, that the Los Angeles County Health Department and the California Department of Health Services had begun to receive the reports of stool samples collected from others on that same flight. It was confirmed that they had also been infected with cholera.

As it turns out, one person had died as a result of the illness, and by February 26, the cases had mounted. There were 31 other people that had been on the same flight that had contracted cholera. They included ten in Los Angeles County, California, eight in other parts of California, nine in Nevada, three in Japan, and one in Argentina. While approximately 54 other passengers had a form of diarrheal illness. Four of them had to be hospitalized.

Cholera is not like other illnesses, where it spread in droplets or in the air. It is spread through contact with contaminated water or under-cooked food. It is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause severe, watery diarrhea and nausea. If not taken care of properly, one can get severely dehydrated, suffer greater symptoms and even die without treatment.

After a thorough investigation, the cholera outbreak was likely from a shrimp dish or a shrimp salad that had possibly been contaminated since shrimp live in the water. It’s likely that the water they lived in was unsanitary.

Dr. Patricia Griffin, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when she spoke to the New York Times in 1992, explained that there had not been an outbreak of cholera in the United States for the prior 19 years. That is until flight 386 landed in Los Angeles that day. She said, “Cholera is no longer a problem in the United States.”

Dr. Griffin also stated that prior to that outbreak, there were only 65 cholera cases that had originated in the United States for those 19 years. Those cases of which were believed to be contracted from eating under-cooked seafood that originated from the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, cholera is endemic to approximately 50 countries, most of them in Southeast Asia and Africa. For those who plan on traveling to these countries, it is recommended that they receive the cholera vaccination.

If you are looking to get vaccinated against cholera, contact us at Passport Health. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Jennifer Passmore is a stay-at-home mom, writer and beader. She loves creating art with her words and through her jewelry. She is also a passionate mental health advocate. You can find more writing at her website Positivity In Pain.

When one is pregnant, it is absolutely one of the most thrilling and exciting journeys that a mom and their unborn child share together. Whether you are a seasoned traveler, or just beginning with your first vacation, traveling while you are pregnant can be an incredible experience. Both mom – and baby gets to take in the sights, sounds, and foods from an amazing destination. Here are some tips to travel safely during pregnancy.

Is It Safe To Travel During Pregnancy?

If you are at risk of having a preterm delivery, your practitioner may advise you not to travel. The best time to travel is between 14-28 weeks, around the second trimester, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Most airlines will allow pregnant women to fly up to 36 weeks pregnant.

Talk To Your Doctor

One of the first things that you should do when you have made your plans is to speak to your obstetrician and let them know that you are going on a trip. They will be sure to examine you to make sure that both you and your baby are in tip-top shape and ready to travel. For the most part, it is safe for pregnant women to travel, unless there are pregnancy complications.

Travel Insurance

You will want to make sure that everything is in place before you leave. This includes checking to see what your insurance policy covers and if your medical insurance covers anything. If they do not, it is a wise choice to acquire travel insurance, which will usually cover things like visits to a hospital if need be, and medications that a doctor may write for you. Do make sure that you know your delivery date as your obstetrician has stated it, so if you’re abroad, you’ll know what to tell a doctor if need be.

Walk Around On The Plane

When sitting in one spot for too long can increase the risk of a serious blood clot. Make sure that you try to get up and walk around when you can. You can ask your doctor how often you should get up. If you book an aisle seat, you will be able to easily get in and out of your chair to move, without having to climb over anyone else’s seat. In addition to that, you can also ask your doctor if wearing compression stockings will work as well.

Assure You Have The Proper Vaccinations

At your visit with your obstetrician before you leave, you will want to speak to them about any vaccines that you may need before you leave. This includes vaccines that are needed in order to enter the country you are visiting.

Passport Health also offers travel medicine services and can help you get where you’re headed. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Jennifer Passmore is a stay-at-home mom, writer and beader. She loves creating art with her words and through her jewelry. She is also a passionate mental health advocate. You can find more writing at her website Positivity In Pain.