Ideal winter travel destinations vary greatly from person to person. Many head to the mountains to go skiing or snowboarding while others go south to warmer, more tropical climes. However, just like going into snowy weather, there are some perils that come with travel to these tropical regions. For this post in Passport Health’s holiday travel tips series, we look at six diseases and viruses to be aware of if you are traveling to a tropical region and what you can do to avoid running into problems.

[Read more…]

Water is crucial to human existence, but many places around the world do not have safe drinking water, making travel to those regions difficult and potentially very dangerous without proper preparation. For day seven of Passport Health’s travel tips countdown this holiday season, here are key tips to avoid waterborne illness while on vacation.

[Read more…]

Poverty, disease, hunger, and war are all human ills that Baltimore, Maryland, based World Relief hopes to help people all over the world to overcome. Established in 1944 as the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief is celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year. Serving over 4 million people, World Relief focuses on a wide variety of issues by upholding its mission statement that, “In our own backyard and around the globe, we stand with individuals and communities through the process of healing, reconciliations, transformation and empowerment.”

As World War II came to a close, many churches partnered with sister organizations in Europe in hopes of addressing some of the major humanitarian concerns brought on by the war. As a part of this effort, the National Association of Evangelicals established the War Relief Commission in order to send supplies to Europe. The Commission’s efforts continued long after the war ended, and, in 1950, its name was changed to the simpler World Relief.

Although initially World Relief focused on being a reactionary organization, arriving soon after disasters to support those affected, it soon changed its focus to longer-term development in order to help the poor and underserved to rise from subsistence. One method of achieving this goal has been microfinance, or giving small loans to help individuals start business they may not otherwise be able to get off the ground.

One story shared by World Relief is of Sahara Begum, a Bangladeshi woman who started her journey to small business ownership when her husband became paralyzed from an illness. After working at a poultry farm to support her family, Sahara wanted to start her own farm, but she couldn’t find the capital needed and had nothing to use as collateral. With a small loan of just $60, Sahara has been able to start her own poultry farm and now has a yearly income of $3,000 that has helped her escape poverty in her Bangladeshi community.

More stories like this happen all over the world thanks to World Relief’s efforts in training, health, and finance that have allowed many individuals to free themselves from what would otherwise be debilitating poverty.

The same is true for World Relief’s efforts to reduce child mortality, save mothers’ lives, and support AIDS prevention and training. These are all very important issues, particularly as we near the deadline for the United Nations Millenium Development Goals.

World Relief currently operates in 19 countries and focuses on: agriculture, HIV/AIDS, peacebuilding, anti-trafficking, immigrant services, refugee resettlement, child development, maternal & child health, savings, disaster response, micro-enterprise, and teacher training.

For more information on World Relief and its efforts, visit the organization’s website. For more information on some of the countries in which the organization is active and what you might need in order to travel there safely on a humanitarian mission, visit the destination advice pages on the Passport Health website.

Over the past two decades, Passport Health has helped our clients travel successfully to nearly every country in the world. Whether the destination was Switzerland or Kiev, Shanghai or Mumbai, Sao Paulo or Mexico City, Passport Health has been there to provide travel vaccinations, medications, and crucial health tips. On the ninth day of our holiday travel tips countdown, here are nine tips for safe and healthy travel to the locations Passport Health clients have visited most frequently over the years.

[Read more…]

For outdoors enthusiasts, the holiday season marks the beginning of winter sports season with ample opportunities to hit the slopes and have some powdery fun. Much like the ten lords-a-leaping, this post in Passport Health’s holiday travel tips series will help to keep you safe as you go leaping and bounding around your favorite ski resorts. Whether your winter sports travels will keep you close to home, up to the Rocky Mountains, or even to an exotic location like Korea, follow these tips to be prepared for your dream trip.

Prepare Yourself

Preparation is always the first and most important consideration! You need to be sure that you are physically capable of a skiing, snowboarding, or generally active trip before you go. Be sure you are fit for the activities you plan to undertake. In the event of an unexpected injury, you need to be prepared for what you might have to do to seek out help, which could be as simple as hiking down the mountain or as difficult as surviving until help reaches you.

Prepare Your Gear

Just as important as being ready physically is having the right equipment for your situation. It is challenging to stay warm in extreme winter temperatures! Be sure to layer. A light base-layer followed by a light pull-over and a heavy jacket is a good starting place, but, once again, proper attire will vary from person-to-person and situation-to-situation. Warm boots are a must, and make sure they have good traction as well to prevent slips and falls on icy sidewalks as you trek around town after your time on the slopes.

As a general rule, you can always take off or not use clothing, but finding or buying more can be stressful, expensive, and sometimes impossible. Bring a little more than you think you might need. It is better to take off a layer than to wish you would have had it!

Dress Warmly and Stay Dry

It is advisable to bring extra clothes out to the mountain each day. Many places have a location where you can stash some gear, be it a locker or your car in a parking lot. Always keep a few extra articles in case you end up getting too cold and need another layer or you get wet. Nothing will ruin your trip faster, and be more dangerous, than combining cold and wet while on your trip.

Avoid Frostbite and Hypothermia

These are the two greatest dangers associated with outdoor activity during the winter months. The best way to avoid both of these issues is to stay warm and dry, but, if you do get overexposed, there are a few things to do:

• For both frostbite and hypothermia, get into a warmer environment as quickly as possible; this can save your life
• For frostbitten limbs, never rub or massage, but do use your armpits, a warm companion, warm drinks, and warm clothes to thaw your frozen body parts.
• For more information on both issues see the this NOAA page.

Stay Clear of Ice

When walking or driving, watch for ice! If you are going over an icy area when walking, do so very carefully. Wear shoes or boots that provide traction and point your feet slightly outward (like a penguin). This will help you stay more stable. When getting in and out of a vehicle or building, use something as support to help you make the transition from a solid to potentially slippery surface.

Drive Carefully

While ice can be a nuisance while walking, it can be deadly while driving. Never use cruise control if there is a potential for ice on the roads, and be sure your vehicle is using the correct tires for your specific conditions. If you are involved in an accident, stay with your vehicle. This will provide you with additional protection and warmth that won’t be available in the wild. Tie a brightly colored cloth to your antenna to signal distress, and consider leaving on a dome light in the vehicle if it is nighttime. Dome lights use little power and can be a good signal to other motorists and potential rescuers.

Warm Up!

Before hitting the slopes or trails, be sure to warm up. Stretching is one of the best methods making sure you adequately prepare your legs and core, the two muscle groups you are most likely to use. When doing these warm ups, however, try not to sweat. Sweat can leave a wet mist on your body and make you excessively cold once you get outside, leading to other problems.

Stay Hydrated!

Amazingly enough, cold weather is one of the times where you are at highest risk for dehydration. Often when people are in cold climates, they do not realize that they are sweating and losing water, but dehydration is indeed still happening. Be sure to drink lots of water on a regular basis as you go about your winter activities. Being excessively thirsty is one of the first signs of dehydration. If you start to feel excessive thirst, electrolyte products like Ceralyte can be a great help!

Know Your Limit

‘One more run’ is when you think that one more trip down the mountain won’t hurt you; however, it can. If your legs are feeling heavy, it’s better to head back to your lodge or vehicle than to continue pushing through your activity. Doing just one more when you are exhausted and less able to control your body can lead to injury. Be safe and skip that last run; your body will thank you when you are able to do more the next day!

Avalanche Warning

On average, 22 skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers die each year in backcountry avalanches in the United States. While this isn’t a high statistic compared to the enormous number of people that go into the forests each winter, it still represents more deaths than there should be. Surprisingly, many of these victims are experienced outdoors people. Always be careful! Stay on designated trails if you are at a resort. If you are making your own way in the backcountry, time your activities. Morning is better than the afternoon and cold days are better than warm ones. Use good judgement. If there is a doubt about your slope, come back another day; one run isn’t worth a tragic accident.

What winter trips do you like to take and how do you prepare for them? Comment below or on our Facebook page and let us know!