Actually intended as a recovery from Christmas stress and cold: vacation travel to the warm south. Unfortunately, our bodies often do not play along, because temperature differences, long flights, time difference and bacterially contaminated food can be a serious health hazard. This is especially true for tourists with busy schedules, who rush to the first sightseeing spot right after the flight. Studies have proven: The longer the flight, the greater the risk of blood clot formation (thrombosis), especially in the legs. If the clot reaches the heart or lungs, the outcome could be fatal: if a vital artery is blocked, a pulmonary embolism or heart attack can result.
A study conducted during a long-haul flight from Frankfurt to Kyoto showed that taking horse chestnut seed extract reduces leg swelling. Wearing compression or support stockings and drinking plenty of fluids (no alcohol or caffeinated beverages), as well as regularly rocking your feet, have also been shown to prevent the condition.
Sauna “extreme”
Although the alternation hot-cold is beneficial to health to some extent (e.g. sauna), our circulatory system is overloaded at high temperature differences (e.g. Canary Islands in winter). Especially people with cardiovascular diseases are at risk. Our skin also reacts much more sensitively to UV rays in winter. If a time difference is added to this, the tourist must reckon with a weakened immune system, which makes him more susceptible to diarrheal diseases. This also increases the risk of catching a cold when the vacationer returns from the warmth to his cold home country.
Diarrhea included
In faraway destinations such as India or African countries, the risk of diarrhea is 50 percent compared to five to eight percent in Europe. The rule of thumb has proven to be: No water from the tap and no unpackaged ice cream, only cooked food, so do not eat salads, vegetables, eggs, fish, meat or shellfish raw. Fast food from the roadside or ice cubes in drinks should be avoided. Teeth should also be brushed with mineral water as a precaution. People with acute illness, impaired kidney function or chronic intestinal disease should not fly to the tropics, as they have an increased risk of diarrhea.
Tips for long-distance travel in winter
- No stressful program on the first day
- Horse chestnut seed extract and compression stockings lower the risk of thrombosis
- Possibly vitamin supplements, as fruit and vegetable consumption is limited
- For fluid balance in an emergency: 1 glass of fruit juice, 5 tbsp. sugar, 1.5 tsp. salt to 1 liter of boiled water, ready-made preparations from the pharmacy.
- Also think about the vaccination and malaria protection!
