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Christie Erdman, a guest contributor to the Healthy Travel blog, is a recent graduate of the University of Richmond with a degree in Economics and Marketing. She enjoys traveling, and had the opportunity to spend a semester studying at Universita Bocconi in Milan, Italy during her junior year.

Sick After a Flight? Blame Other Passengers Not Airplane Air

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 by

Travelers who end up with a cold after taking a flight frequently believe that the air on the plane is to blame for their sickness.  According to a recent MSNBC article, however, the real culprit is fellow passengers who are already sick and spread their germs through coughing and sneezing on board.   In reality, the air on an airplane is no worse than the air circulating in a typical office building. 

Many passengers believe that they are breathing the same air from the time the cabin doors close to the time they open at the end of the flight.  However, airplanes take a mix of air from the cabin and fresh air from the outside that is heated by the engines.  This air is then passed through HEPA filters to be sterilized before it flows back into the passenger cabin.  The air on the planes is refreshed more frequently than in most offices.

The biggest concern for travelers trying to stay healthy is sitting near a sick passenger on the flight.  The germs from a cough or sneeze can easily travel to nearby rows and live for up to twenty-four hours on commonly touched surfaces, such as arm rests or tray tables.  According to the article, airlines have no protocol or requirement to clean these surfaces between flights, which means there are germs present when travelers board the plane.

The best bet to stay healthy is to avoid sitting near a sick passenger. Charles Gerba, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona at Tucson, recommends that travelers ask to be moved to an open seat if they are placed next to someone who is coughing and sneezing.  If there are no seats available, Gerba suggests that travelers turn the air vent to medium flow and point the air current just slightly in front of their face.  This will help to push away germs from a cough or sneeze.  Passengers should also try to stay hydrated by drinking 8 ounces of water for every two hours in the air.  The most important thing for travelers to remember, however, is to keep their hands clean and avoid touching common surfaces as much as possible.  Following this advice will help travelers stay healthy after a flight.

Photo from the CDC.gov.

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Posted in Air Travel, Travel Tips | Comments »

Study Abroad Students Double Alcohol Intake While Overseas

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 by

Study abroad programs offer increasing numbers of college students the opportunity to be immersed in a new culture, learn a foreign language and travel around the world.  According to recent studies, study abroad programs also afford them the opportunity to increase their alcohol consumption. 

In a study following 177 overseas scholars, University of Washington researchers found that students doubled how much they typically drank, with underage students nearly tripling their alcohol intake. When surveyed before they departed, students reported consuming an average of four alcoholic drinks per week. That number jumped to eight drinks per week while abroad.  Local culture influenced the results, with those traveling to Europe, Australia or New Zealand drinking more heavily than those who studied in Africa, Latin America, Asia or the Middle East.

In Europe, meals often include a glass of wine or beer, which could easily lead to drinking more than while at home. At the same time, study abroad students could be in a “spring break” mindset while traveling, contributing to binge drinking. A recent NPR article detailed that the increased number of reports of widespread binge drinking and rowdy behavior by American students studying in Florence is causing concern among locals witnessing these “students gone wild” antics. 

Along with the risks of binge drinking in general, study abroad students face broader dangers.  Students are unfamiliar with their surroundings and may face a language barrier.  In addition, a lack of knowledge about the laws or local customs can lead to legal trouble or dangerous situations. If students lose all their inhibitions, unfortunate drinking experiences can subvert the overall great opportunity to expand their personal horizons.

Photo by I Woke Up Today.

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Posted in Students Abroad, Traveling Responsibly | 1 Comment »

New Tools Help Women Fight Harassment in Streets Worldwide

Thursday, March 10th, 2011 by

When CBS news correspondent Lara Logan was sexually attacked last month in Cairo, it made global headlines. But whether it is cat calling or something much worse, sexual harassment in public is the norm for women worldwide. Numerous surveys find women cannot escape verbal abuse, and a shockingly high percentage has suffered physical abuse in trains, buses or other crowded public spaces. Female business travelers, often on the road alone, typically bear the indignation rather than report the incident to authorities or employers. Now that attitude is changing.

Last week, travel columnist Joe Sharkey of The New York Times reported on a new movement driven by women around the world that draws attention to street harassment.  This burgeoning effort aims to use social networking and mobile technology to expose the location and nature of street harassment in a bid to end it. He cites three specific online and mobile initiatives trying to make a difference:

Ihollaback.org is a new website that encourages women to share stories and details of street harassment, and the incidents are then placed on a map. The site is using social networking, blogs, apps and maps to build a case that street harassment is a worldwide problem.

Smartwomentravelers.com  is the work of a business consultant who has been victimized while traveling, and believes that the specter of sexual harassment inhibits many women from truly enjoying their destinations when traveling alone.

Stopstreetharassment.com  offers suggestions for ways women can deal with street harassment on an individual and grassroots level, including tips for what to do in the moment, how to be prepared and how to recover.

This groundswell has the feel of a long overdue revolution. Let’s help human dignity take a giant stride forward and heed the call to action sounded by these sites—“Join an international movement of women and men who are working to make public places safe and welcoming for women.”     

Photo by Alex Castro.

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Posted in Women's Health and Safety | Comments »

Traveling with A Medical Condition? Help the TSA Be Discreet

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 by

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has taken a step to improve the screening experience for travelers with medical conditions.  Following complaints from travelers who encountered embarassing or uncomfortable situations during security screenings, the TSA has issued health condition notification cards that travelers can fill out and discreetly hand to a TSA officer before going through the screening device.  The card, which does not exempt the traveler from screening,  states “I have the following health condition, disability, or medical device that may affect my screening:” followed by a blank area where travelers can fill in the name of their condition or choose to leave it blank. 

The back of the card reads “TSA respects the privacy concerns of all members of the traveling public.  This card allows you to describe your health condition, disability or medical device to the TSA officer in a discreet manner.  Alternate procedures which provide an equivalent level of security screening are available and can be done in private.”  The cards were distributed in October on a very limited basis but are now widely available. Visit the TSA website under “Travelers with Disabilities & Medical Conditions.” 

Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org reports that the airline consumer organization receives complaints daily from people with disabilities who feel “completely disregarded and/or violated during their security check.”  These cards are a step in the right direction in making the security process as easy and private as possible, and the TSA is looking to make even more improvements in the future.

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FAA Urges Parents to Buckle Up Babies

Friday, December 17th, 2010 by

The Child Passenger Safety in the Air and in Automobiles forum was held last week in Washington.  Here members of the NTSB, the FAA and the Association of Flight Attendants all agreed that a young child is safer when buckled into a safety restraint on an airplane than when just held in a parent’s lap.  Despite this consensus, the FAA has never required parents to purchase a separate airplane seat for a child under two, and it has no plans to change this policy.  The reasoning seems to be that such a requirement would discourage air travel for families with children under two and put more cars on the road, where the likelihood of harm is statistically far greater. 

Many flight attendants have stressed the difficulty of being able to safely hold onto a child during turbulence or a crash.  In a plane crash, a 20-pound baby can fly with the force of a 100-pound missile, putting other passengers in danger.  The Child Safety on Airplanes document on the FAA website states that an approved child restraint system (CRS) is the safest place for a baby on an airplane, and offers these guidelines:

  • Children weighing less than 20 pounds use a rear-facing CRS
  • Children weighing from 20 to 40 pounds use a forward-facing CRS
  • Children weighing more than 40 pounds use an airplane seat belt

The FAA suggests that parents ask the airline about a discount when booking an extra seat for their baby.  They also recommend that if the parent decides to hold the child, they should check with a flight attendant after boarding to see if there is an empty seat that could be used to secure the child.

Photo by Up Your Ego.

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Posted in Traveling with Children | Comments »

Use Your Head on the Slopes: Wear a helmet

Friday, December 17th, 2010 by

Head injuries on the ski slopes have decreased due to increased use of helmets and improved equipment, and the sport could be made even safer if everyone used the equipment properly.  In the 2009-10 season, a total of 25 skiers and 13 snowboarders died in a span of 59.8 million skier/snowboarder days, making the sport relatively safe—after all, 46 Americans died last year after being struck by lightning.  Skiing has about 2 injuries per 1,000 skier visits, says Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology who has studied skiing and snowboarding injuries for 40 years.  Snowboarding has a 50-70% higher injury rate than skiing, but the death rate is about one-third lower.   

Thanks to the growing popularity of helmets on the slopes, head injuries have declined by 50% in the past ten years.  More than half of all skiers and snowboarders in the US wear helmets.  Unfortunately, the average number of people who die on America’s slopes each year has held steady at around 40, and the nature of the fatal crashes—high speed encounters with fixed objects, usually trees–have led researchers to believe that it is unlikely that deaths can be eliminated from the sport.  

According to Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, the key to avoiding injury on the slopes is to follow these guidelines:

  • Wear a helmet
  • Ski or ride in control
  • Be able to avoid objects and other skiers/snowboarders
  • Never test the effectiveness of the helmet

Responsible skier and snowboarder behavior is crucial for staying safe.  When jumping on the lift this winter, remember to follow what Berry calls the “responsibility code”:   Be sure to stop in safe places, look uphill and yield before going downhill or merging onto a trail, stay off closed trails and know how to use lifts. Oh, and ski under control.

Photo by kandyjaxx.

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New Health Survey: Eating in the Air

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 by

Eating healthy while traveling can be difficult, especially when on a plane.  Thankfully, the nutrition website DietDetective.com has made this easier by conducting an annual airline nutrition survey.  Charles Stuart Platkin, the author of the survey and visiting assistant professor at CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, has ranked eight popular airlines with a “health score” based on the variety of healthy offerings and cost.  Coming out on top is United Airlines, with a wide selection of healthy options, and at the bottom is US Airways, with poor choices and not much variety.

Listed below are the rankings and some of Platkin’s recommendations for the healthiest choice on-board:

1. United Airlines (4 Stars)

Best Snacks: “Tapas” (553 calories) or “Lite” (430 calories) options . Both have a variety of healthy, balanced ingredients for shorter flights.

Best Meal:    Turkey sandwich (310 calories), sundried tomato aioli (140 calories), Kettle cooked chips (150 calories). Total = 600 calories

2. JetBlue Airways (3.25 Stars)

Beat Snack: “All Nuts” roasted cashews (170 calories)

Best Meal:  “Shape Up – Wild Garden”: Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus (63 calories), New York Style Pita Chips (130 calories), Sheffa Zesty Snack Mix (118 calories), Emerald Natural Almonds (100 calories), Sun-Maid Raisins (45 calories), Brothers All Natural Asian Pear Fruit Crisps (28 calories). Total = 484 calories

3. American Airlines (3.125 Stars)

Best Snack: Cheese & Cracker Snack Tray – Two Pepperidge Farm two-cracker packs (95 calories), 0.75 ounces of cheese (75 calories), one 1-ounce box of raisins (90 calories), and one 1-ounce bag of mixed nuts (170 calories). Total = 430 calories Platkin recommends skipping the cracker packages.

Best Meal: Boston Market Chicken Caesar Salad with SunChips and dressing – Romaine lettuce, chicken and Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheeses. Served with creamy Caesar dressing and SunChips on the side (470 calories)

4. Delta Airlines (3 Stars)

Best Snack: Breakfast — – Breyers Light Yogurt (assorted flavors) (250 calories), Nature Valley Oats ’n Honey Granola Bar (90 calories), Fresh Banana (90 calories). Total = 430 calories

Best Meal: Fruit and Cheese Plate (Available breakfast, lunch and dinner) Aged Cheddar, Havarti and Smoked Fontina, Green Grapes, Pecan Halves, Dried Apricots and Crackers. Total = 475 calories

5. Continental Airlines (2.5 Stars)

Best Snack: (Meant to be shared) Savory Snack Box – Stoned Classics Tortilla Chips (180 calories), Mild Salsa ( 14 calories), Wild Garden Hummus (, 63 calories),  Marinated Olives (153 calories), Azar Fruit and Nut Mix ( 330 calories), Organic Chocolate Chip Granola Bar (, 140 calories), Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (160 calories). Total = 1,040 calories

Best Meal: Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad – Grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes and button mushrooms over spinach and romaine lettuce, topped with crispy onions and served with Italian vinaigrette. Chicken packaged separately for a vegetarian–friendly option (345 calories)

6. Southwest Airlines (2 Stars)

Best Snack: Honey or dry–roasted peanuts (70 calories)

7. Virgin America (2 Stars)

Best Snack: Veggies and Hummus – Crunchmaster crackers, pickled and garden–fresh veggies including broccoli, radishes, summer squash and tomatoes. Sweet peppadew hummus and curry dipping sauce. Total = 275 calories

Best Meal: Homestyle Chicken Sandwich – Chicken salad, vine–ripened tomatoes and crisp lettuce on hearth–baked nine–grain bread. Served with a Toblerone chocolate. Total = 325 calories

8. US Airways (1.75 Stars)

Best Snack: CaféPlus – Bumble Bee cranberry chicken salad (110 calories), Freshers cream crackers (140 calories), Bare Fruit cinnamon apple chips (43 calories), Emerald Natural almonds (100 calories), Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies (120 calories), Toblerone Mini (66 calories). Total = 579 calories

Have you done any of your own research or would you like to share your opinion with us?

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Posted in Food and Diet | Comments »

Travel Bulletin Egypt: Rare Shark Attacks Keep Tourists Out of the Water

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 by

Management for the seaside resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the popular destination for scuba divers, has advised visitors to stay out of the water following five shark attacks in the past week.  The attacks left one woman dead and four others seriously injured.  Egypt’s tourism ministry closed beaches after a 70-year old German woman was killed while snorkeling, and they are to remain closed until the white tip shark assumed responsible for the attacks is captured or killed. 

The Chamber of Diving and Watersports has asked its members to “stop any snorkeling activities happening from any boats or shore,” and travel companies in the area have suspended all water-based excursions.  According to the UK Foreign Office website, “Attacks by oceanic white tip sharks are extremely rare, and shark attacks of any kind are very unusual in the Red Sea.” Officials are unsure about what triggered these attacks.  Hesham Gabr, head of the Chamber of Diving and Watersports, stated that the attacks were probably triggered by an activity, such as illegal fishing or feeding in the area.  The chamber has invited four U.S. shark experts to “assess and advise on the best course of action” following the attacks.

Volunteer dive expeditions have been organized in an effort to find the white tip shark responsible for the attacks.  Two sharks were caught and killed near the South Sinai National Park on the Sharm el-Sheikh coast on Friday, but they did not match pictures taken by someone diving with one of the injured snorkelers.  In the meantime, many areas in Sharm el- Sheikh will be open for experienced divers with at least 50 logged dives.

Photo by sharkbait.

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Posted in Destinations, Water Safety | Comments »

Are Airport Body Scanners Safe?

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 by

Amid the controversy surrounding the new full-body scanners at airport security checkpoints, an important question has been raised: Are the new scanners safe?  The scanners emit a small amount of radiation, and according to an article in the New York Daily News, many frequent fliers and airline pilots are worried about the dangers of this radiation.  

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) holds that the scanners are extremely safe and that the level of radiation a person is exposed to is minimal.  They say that radiation from one scan is approximately equal to what a person is exposed to when flying for three minutes in an airplane at 30,000 feet, where atmospheric radiation levels are higher than on the ground. The American College of Radiology estimates that 1,000 scans a year equal one chest X-Ray, although there are others who gauge equivalence at a much lower threshold.

In a letter to the White House, the FDA stated:        

“The potential health risks from a full-body screening with a general-use X-ray security system are minuscule.  Several groups of recognized experts have been assembled and have analyzed the radiation safety issues associated with this technology.  As a result of these evidence-based, responsible actions, we are confident that full-body X-ray security products and practices do not pose a significant risk to the public health.”

However, another group of experts — a panel of doctors and professors from UC San Francisco — believe that the scanners need to be studied for potential health consequences before they are adopted for mainstream use.  In a letter to the White House, the panel expressed their concern that the scanners could increase the risk of cancer and cause other problems, especially for passengers who are older, have a weaker immune system, or are pregnant.  Other scientists worry that the scanners may malfunction in some way, resulting in too much radiation being emitted. 

In the absence of long-term studies, there is no conclusive proof one way or the other.  The FDA believes that the risks are minimal, estimating that the risk of fatal cancer from the maximum allowable dose would be 1 in 80 million per screening.  Doses from a single scan are considerably lower than the maximum.  Frequent fliers, do you have concerns about the long-term safety of body scanners?

Photo by dawning.ca.

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Posted in News and Trends | 2 Comments »

Travel Bulletin Tehran: City shuts down for two-day “air pollution holiday”

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 by

Authorities in Tehran have declared the second government holiday in a month due to deadly air pollution.  All schools, public offices, and banks will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday December 2nd and 3rd because conditions have been determined to be “polluted and unhealthy.”  Children, the ill and the elderly have been urged to remain indoors, and all sports and other outdoor activities have been cancelled.  The air in Tehran is some of the most polluted in the world, largely due to the growing traffic congestion and the geographical location of the city.

The city of Tehran is rapidly growing, and there are a high number of cars on the roads.  The level of pollutants is well above the standard set by the World Health Organization.  According to the Tehran mayor’s office, the 1.4 million vehicles in the city pump an estimated 5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year.  Many of the cars are old which increases the amount of pollution being emitted.  In addition, the city is located between mountains which trap the pollution when there is no wind or rain to clear it. 

Health experts say that many Iranians suffer serious health problems as a result of the pollution. Iran’s Health Ministry reported that there has been a 30% increase in admission of patients suffering from breathing problems in the past few days.  It is estimated that thousands of deaths a year are caused by heart attacks and respiratory illnesses brought on by this pollution.

In the long-term, Iranian officials are working to try to reduce the pollution by expanding public transportation, enforcing more strict traffic laws, and requiring vehicle emission inspections.  Authorities are also working to convert heating systems to natural gas. In the short run, breathing in Tehran can be dangerous.

Photo by Hulivili.

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Posted in Destinations, Environment, Travel Bulletin | Comments »

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