Health and Fitness
Health and Vaccinations
Travel Medicine is not our area of expertise, but we believe it is very important to get the right advice and preparation to ensure you have a successful journey Many adventure destinations expose people to unfamiliar environments. These risks are easily managed provided you have up to date pre - departure health information and maybe even immunisations, and a travellers medical kit.
We strongly recommend all our clients seek EXPERT advice about the best way to safeguard their health while away. These days there are specialised Travel Medicine Doctors that are familiar with the exact risks in the various countries, regions and itineraries etc and how to best manage those risks. For example: ...Did you know that new research has shown that the best way to deal with travellers diarrhoea is to take a special antibiotic. Which antibiotic depends on where in the world you are visiting. If your GP does not have a special interest in travel medicine you will get much more up to date advice from a doctor with more knowledge in that area. Also some destinations require Yellow Fever vaccination which is not given by GP's.
Ideally you should seek advice at least 6-8 weeks before departure, to allow adequate time for courses of vaccines, for vaccines to take effect, and for any side effects to subside, and to test any medications you may need before departure. Good organisation skills are essential to the modern women, and organising your health is no exception. Google is a great tool, but the best way to get good advice is to consult a travel medicine doctor in person not to trust lists off the internet.
Yellow Fever vaccine information - includes maps of where the disease occurs - www.yellowfever.com.au
Here is a wonderful resource - Dr Debs Travel Medicine Centre
An excellent source for expert independent travel medicine providers around Australia, the Travel Medicine Alliance.
Another very good resource is The Travel Doctor TMVC, Here is a link to their web page: The Travel Doctor
Fitness
Our adventure holidays do require a basic level of fitness where you are required to carry your pack on and off trains and buses, up hotel steps, etc.
Your itinerary may include activities such as treks of 3 to 4 hours per day carrying a day pack in hilly terrain, flat water kayaking or a day's bike ride, in conditions which are likely to be hot and muggy. You will raise your heart rate on these trips, so a basic level of aerobic fitness is required.
With trekking, the key is ENDURANCE ( a term which means " the ability to perform over long periods of time resisting fatigue). ENDURANCE TRAINING then would require that the client exercise (walking on a treadmill on a gradient of at least 3.0 or using a stepper or cross trainer or even outdoors using flights of stairs) for a minimum of 20 mins in any given session but building each time to go for longer and longer until up to an hour is achieved.
How to get fit for your next adventure...click here
Trekking At Altitude ... more info here
