Healthbeat by Deirdre Cox Baker

Despite the crummy economy and decreased dollar value, millions of Americans are expected to travel to many countries around the world.

Some of them may be dangerous to your health.

A travel expert from St. Louis University, in Missouri, suggests a visit to your doctor first. “Your doctor can tell you about any necessary precautions or recommended vaccines,” Dr. H. Thomas Johnson said in a prepared news release recently sent to me.

We travel about once a year, and the worst experience I had was a severe burn on my foot during a beach outing. Yes, I’d slathered on the sunscreen, but it washed off one foot and that just got fried and blistered. There was no real medical care to be found at our remote location, so I just tried hard to keep it clean. I’ll never forget that incident.

But I did get a tetanus shot today because I’m traveling to New Orleans to help rehab some homes this summer. That does seem to be a sensible decision.

Here are some other travel suggestions from the St. Louis University expert:

1. Pack smart. Bring plenty of your regular medications, both prescribed and over-the-counter, in your carry-on luggage. But controlled substances must be in their original pharmacy containers and over-the-counter liquid medications must meet the guidelines set by the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.

This means that liquids are in 3-ounce containers or smaller, and fit into a one-quart-sized clear plastic bag. I’ve seen appropriate-sized containers for sale in local drug stores.

Don’t forget basic medications like pain relievers, medicine for nausea and heartburn, bandages, anti-bacterial ointment and hand wipes.

2. Enjoy the sun, safely. Take my word for it: Nothing ruins a nice vacation more quickly (or causes a more painful memory) than a sun burn on the first day. Use a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF in the tropics.

3. Keep the bugs away with spray that includes 30-50% DEET, especially if your locations have malaria.

4. Be cautious about what you eat and drink. Johnson said that just avoiding water is not enough, the general rule is that you should avoid it if it’s not peeled, boiled and cooked. Be cautious with street vendors, and watch to see that seals are not broken on water bottles.

5. Bring personal health information, in case something does go wrong. This would list all prescription and over-the-counter medications you currently take, chronic conditions and vaccine information to help the physician who treats you if you have an emergency. Store the information in a safe place, and tell someone else where it is, in case you are unconscious.

Such “Health Facts Cards” have been distributed this year by both Genesis and Trinity hospital organizations. These cards should be available in local doctor’s offices and at area drug stores.

Chances are, you won’t need to pay too much attention to your health during a dream vacation. But it is important to be prepared … just in case.

As a Baby Boomer who recently turned 50, I think I like the idea that I’m actually considered 40 in some circles.

The National Center for Health Statistics says two-thirds of us feel younger than we actually are, but half of those in the 55-64 age group have high blood pressure, and two in five are obese.

There are signs, however, that we Baby Boomers realize we actually need a regimen of cardio, strength, flexibility and balance training to enjoy comfortable retirement years. The International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association reports the number of members over age 55 in its 4,000 facilities climbed from 7.3 million to 7.9 million from 2000 to 2005.

I haven’t hit the local YMCA for a few weeks because of a hectic schedule at home, but I’m working out with a DVD as often as possible. I have several which stress exercise dance, but that’s hard to do on the carpeted floor of our rec room. I have better success with a Hollywood exercise specialist named Amy Dixon, who is affiliated with the Women’s Health organization. I am delighted I’m able to keep up with Ms. Dixon and her troops, all of whom look very toned on the videotape.

As Baby Boomers age, fitness experts advise that exercise facilities to focus on their many needs, including tai shi and low-impact aerobics to help those with arthritis and balance problems.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association urges Baby Boomers to keep up regular exercise routines as we age. Current recommendations from these two groups are the same for adults, ages 18-64: Moderately intense cardio exercise 30 minutes daily five days a week, or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Add to that: 8-10 strength-training exercises, 10-15 repetitions each, 2-3 times a week, as well as balance exercises.

A person who exercises regularly noticed that when she switched work-out clothes from plain cotton tee-shirts to cloth made of more modern materials, there was a unpleasant side effect: Smell.

Yes, these microfiber garments are expensive, and the exerciser was trying to treat herself and inspire confidence, according to Vicky Hallett, a columnist for the Washington Post. The athlete said the smell was so embarrassing she almost decided against going to the gym for a thorough work-out.

Microfiber feels wonderful against the skin, but it also can become more pungent than 3-year-old cheese, Hallett reports. The cloth is designed to wick moisture away from the skin, but it is true that it does not do much for odor.

Ways to help: Wash with one of the new sports detergents on the market, including brands like Win and Penguin Sports-Wash, or do a pre-wash with a couple of teaspoon-fuls of white vinegar in a quart of water.

Some work-out clothes also come with anti-microbial treatments, which supposedly kill the bacteria that causes odors.

I still take the cheap route with ratty tee-shirts and shorts. They don’t look too good, but they don’t stink too publicly either.

The women I know juggle many tasks, including jobs at home, jobs away from home, children’s demands, relationships, personal needs … and on and on.

One thing many of us don’t think about enough is our own health. But you know, personal health is the real bottom line — if you don’t have your health, what type of life do you expect? It’s much easier to stay healthy, if possible, than to treat chronic problems which might be prevented..

We are in Women’s Health Week, and none other than the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued five tips to help women improve their health and prevent disease:

1. Schedule routine exams and screenings.

2. Get moving and exercise, and eat healthy foods.

3. Know your personal and family health history.

4. Increase your personal safety (for example, don’t smoke, and engage in safe sexual practices.)

5. Pay attention to mental health, which includes getting enough sleep and managing stress.

There are two main events In the Quad-Cities for Women’s Health Week. The folks at Trinity have sponsored a series of bone health screenings which actually measure the amount of Vitamin D in your system. For more information on these tests, call Trinity’s My Nurse at (309) 779-2000.

United Neighbors has organized its fourth “Ladies Night Out” event Friday night at The Lodge, Bettendorf. Dress is very casual as audience participation is expected. Call United Neighbors at (563) 322-7363, or the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, Bettendorf, at (563) 355-0824.

If you don’t take steps to help yourself, who will?

You’re SOB! Not a rock! But at least you lgfd!

Text messages? Nope, it’s jargon from the world of hospitals, according to a story on today’s Chicago Tribune Web site. Medical educators are trying to teach students not to use the verbal shorthand, worrying that it promotes a negative message that’s unnecessary, and particularly unhelpful in a hospital environment.

SOB, by the way, is “shortness of breath” rather than the perjorative term that’s more widely known. A “rock” is a patient who’s condition does not change, and “lgfd” is kind of positive as it’s short for “looks good from the door.”

Much of the jargon first appeared a generation ago, reporter Jeremy Manier wrote. Those were the days when residents endured horrible working conditions like long hours, shift changes and crushing workloads.

Other possible sources: “The House of God,” a fictional account of one doctor’s view of medical training, That is were “gomer” came from — or “get out of my emergency room,” aimed at sickly senior citizens who have challenging, chronic illnesses.

More common is a doctor or nurse’s shorthand when referring to a patient as the illness, such as the “gall bladder who was admitted last night.”

Let me know if you remember any medical slang; I’d like to hear the term, and what it means. In the meantime, I’m going to avoid ever being referred to as my gall bladder.

I’m the first to agree that working out is pretty boring. It takes valuable time out of the day, and it can often be difficult to measure benefits.

But working out is also necessary to a healthy lifestyle. I know this, and I’ve known this for 25 years, but it is certainly hard to get started, and to maintain a regular fitness habit.

So I was doubly happy to see a recent study that shows even mundane, not-too-active exercise is a component of overall physical fitness. According to research by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., “non-exercise activity thermogenesis,” or NEAT, may be key to maintaining overall fitness.

This is the kind of action people get when they choose to climb stairs rather than to take the elevator, or they park a long way from the door before entering the workplace or store.

The Mayo Clinic did the NEAT study for eight weeks with a large group of both lean and obese “couch potatoes.” None ever went for walks or took part in sports.The basic calorie requirements were determined for each participant at first. All were then over-fed by 1,000 calories each day.

The number of excess calories, obviously, contributed to weight gains in every person, and that gain was measured. Each participant was also monitored daily in terms of NEAT, or that non-exercise activity.

Both groups had about the same jobs, most which involved desk work. But researchers found that lean group moved around more — they paced while talking on the phone, they walked outside to take breaks, they used the stairs more often.

Researchers estimate that with good faith efforts to develop NEAT habits like this, a person can burn an additional 100 calories each day, or 36,000 calories per year. This translates to a easy way to keep fit without too much trouble, a concept anyone can embrace.