Travel Clinics Australia have just released their latest newsletter - Winter 2008.

Traveller’s Pocket Medical Guide

Travel Clinics Australia is about to release the 7th edition of the popular Traveller’s Pocket Medical Guide. This handy booklet, which includes an internationally recognised vaccination record, has helped thousands of travellers protect their health over the last decade. Each new edition is thoroughly reviewed and updated to include new vaccines, medications and travel health advice. Succinct information on common travel health issues such as gastro (traveller’s diarrhoea) and malaria prevention and management are packed into this travel resource.

Jet lag, travelling with children and other special risk groups, medication guides, first aid and a comparison of disease and vaccines are some of the topics covered in the passport sized booklet.

Every new traveller is given a free copy of the pocket guide with their first travel consultation. The booklet is popular with GPs all over Australia. Many companies also use it as an OH&S resource for staff. Pocket Guides can be purchased at clinics.

Looking After Your Ears

It is well known that sucking lollies, yawning and swallowing help equalize air pressure or ‘unblock ears’ when a plane descends. Yet, sometimes these measures are not enough to prevent distressing ear pain or barotitis, particularly in the young traveller.

It is estimated that up to 25% of children and 5% of adults will develop barotitis while flying, with many at risk of developing injury (temporary and permanent) to their ears. In addition to discussing other options, your Travel Clinic doctor may recommend a product called ‘Earplanes’ to help avoid barotitis.

Earplanes® are a special silicone and ceramic ear plug that helps regulate changes in airline cabin pressure. They are suited to people with a history of ear problems such as blocked eustachian tubes, which are more prevalent with winter colds, as well as for those with allergies and sinus infections. Earplanes® come in adult and children’s sizes and retail for around $22 a pair. They can be purchased from TCA clinics and through our website.

Travel Clinics Australia recommends all travellers with ear problems or a history of ear problems see one of our doctors prior to flying.

Bushwalking and Camping

Typhus is a disease caused by fleas, lice, mites or ticks. There are different types of typhus, found overseas and in Australia. Epidemic typhus, spread by body lice, was responsible for killing thousands of people during the world wars. It is mainly found in parts of Africa, South America and Europe.

Tick typhus, spread by ticks, is associated with dogs, cattle and wild animals. It is found in Mediterranean countries and Africa. Scrub typhus, spread by mites, occurs in Southeast Asia and PNG, and rarely, in some parts of northern Australia. Typhus causing insects usually attach to passing humans and transmit an infection by a bite. Travelling campers, bushwalkers and those staying in the affected areas are most at risk. Symptoms include fever, rigors (uncontrollable shaking), headache and a rash. Some people require hospitalisation. Fortunately, typhus is easily treated by antibiotics.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Shortage

Due to a world wide shortage of the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, many Australian travellers are unable to access the injection prior to going overseas. Japanese Encephalitis, a relatively rare disease spread by mosquitoes, is seen in only a few parts of Asia and Papua New Guinea.

We recommend you speak to your Travel Clinic doctor prior to travelling to a country endemic with Japanese Encephalitis.

Unfortunately, not all mothers are able to breastfeed their babies, but when it is physically possible, mothers should try to breastfeed for at least 6 months. Experimental evidence suggests that, with few exceptions, human breast milk is the best source of nourishment for human infants. Experts still disagree about how long breastfeeding should continue to gain the most benefit and how much extra risk is involved in using breast milk substitutes. However, breastfeeding does benefit both mother and child physically and psychologically. Nutrients and antibodies are passed to the baby while hormones are released into the mother’s body. The bond between baby and mother can also be strengthened during breastfeeding.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

• Breast milk is highly nutritious.
• The baby has a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
• The baby has a lower risk of many other diseases.
• Suckling encourages the development of teeth and speech.
• Breast milk contains amino acids required for brain and nerve development.
• Breastfeeding helps mothers return to their pre pregnancy weight.
• Breastfeeding mothers have less risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer.

Protection from Diseases

A baby which has been breastfed is at lower risk of contracting the following health problems and diseases:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Bacterial meningitis
• Breast cancer
• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Diabetes
• Eczema
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Multiple sclerosis
• Obesity
• Respiratory infections
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Urinary tract infection

New Scientist writes about the benefits of older mothers breastfeeding:

Women who delay pregnancy past their mid-twenties may reduce their risk of breast cancer later in life by breastfeeding their children, a new study suggests.

Previous research has shown that women who have their first child in their thirties have an increased risk of breast cancer, regardless of how many children they go on to have. But the new study found this link only among older mums who did not breastfeed.

So breastfeeding is especially important for older mothers.

Many reports show that drinking green tea can be very beneficial to our health, which is not surprising considering that green tea has been used as traditional medicine for so many years. In areas such as India, China, Japan and Thailand, green tea has been used to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.

Benefits of Green Tea

The potential benefits of consuming green tea have, for the most part, not been proven by scientific research, however, some research has credited green tea with the following health benefits.

• Preventing cancer.
• Treating multiple sclerosis.
• Stopping diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• Neutralising the spread of free radicals.
• Reducing the negative effects of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Raising metabolism.
• Encourages the formation of scabs if applied directly to a wound.

Negatives of Green Tea

The major concern with drinking too much green tea is the caffeine it contains. Too much caffeine can cause nausea, insomnia or frequent urination.

New Scientist points to recent research has shown consuming very large quantities of green tea can be dangerous as it can cause damage to the liver and kidneys:

Green tea is good for you, but only if drunk in moderation. While the polyphenols in green tea are credited with preventing heart disease and cancer, it seems they can cause liver and kidney damage if consumed in very large quantities, a review of studies into the toxicity of polyphenols has shown.

He stresses that up to 10 small cups of green tea a day is fine. Problems are likely in people who take supplements, which can contain up to 50 times as much polyphenol as a single cup of tea.

In summary, keeping drinking green tea for its numerous benefits but the benefits of taking supplements may outweigh the risks.

It’s time for the April roundup. These are the top 5 articles written last month, based on page views. If you haven’t read them yet, take a look. Don’t forget that comments are welcome and encouraged. If you have something to add to the article or don’t agree with what I wrote then say so in the comments.

1. Japanese Encephalitis

The Japanese encephalitis virus is one of the most common travel related diseases with around 50,000 cases per year. It is spread by infected mosquitos found primarily in South East Asia and the Far East. There is a vaccine available to prevent this potentially fatal disease, so it is advised to see your travel doctor well before travel to high risk countries.

2. Are Fruit Juices Healthy?

We all know that fruit is good for us and we should be eating two or three services of fruit per day. Again, it’s common sense really. Fruit juice contains important vitamins and antioxidants but you’ll lose most if not all of the fibre. Fibre is extremely important and it is recommended that we eat around 30 grams of fibre per day.

3. Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

For most of us, we just need to add a couple more servings of fresh food daily and we’ll be right but don’t forget the fish, nuts, and olive oil to get the real benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

4. Health Benefits of Coffee

So should you be drinking coffee? Well, as usual, moderation is the key. A couple of cups of coffee per day should be fine for most healthy people.

5. Quit Smoking

According to studies on smokers, if you smoke1 pack of cigarettes a day for 10 years you lose 2 years of your life. If you smoke2 packs in 10 years time you lose 4 years. If you have smoked one pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years you lose 4 years off of your life and if you smoke2 packs a day in 20 years you lose 9 years off of your life.

Around 3% to 4% of people suffer from epilepsy at some stage of their life, making it a fairly common condition. Epilepsy is a neurological condition that is characterised by recurrent, unprovoked epileptic seizures. These seizures are signs of abnormal or excessive neuronal activity in the brain. An epileptic seizure can cause changes in sensation, awareness, and behaviour, or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms or loss of consciousness, depending on where the seizure starts and spreads in the brain. Seizures can last a few seconds to a few minutes. Most seizures are over in less than three minutes.

There are many causes of epileptic seizures and a recent study suggests that the repetitive nature of teeth brushing can be a cause:

Tooth brushing can induce seizures in people with epilepsy, a new case study of three people with the condition has found.

“Brushing your teeth is very rhythmic. Our idea is that it causes a rhythmic over-activity in the brain, which feeds back on itself – similar to the effect of strobe lighting on people with photosensitive epilepsy,” says neurologist Wendyl D’Souza of St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne

Thankfully, seizures brought on by teeth brushing are very rare:

Seizures bought on by a benign stimulus such as tooth brushing, reading or strobe lighting – called “reflex” seizures – are rare, D’Souza notes.

Tooth brushing seizures can last up to 90 seconds:

The tooth-brushing seizures were smaller and included jerking of the mouth, eyes, and face; tongue cramping; and excessive salivation, lasting for up to 90 seconds.

Although epilepsy is not curable, it can can generally be treated with medication or in some circumstances, with surgery.