Yvette McQueen MD, A Global Traveling Physician

ILLNESS AFTER VACATION Yvette McQueen MD, Travel Doctor If you should get sick after your travels, please see a medical provider as soon as possible.  Let them know you were recently traveling, where you traveled and if anything occurred like injury, insect bite, foods eaten, body fluid exposures, medical procedures [Medical Tourism], tattoos or piercing.  We can alter the physical examine and tests according to diseases not usually occurring; or search for unusual sources of the illness. Possible post travel symptoms include: DIARRHEA FEVER BLOOD CLOTS RASHES SUNBURN TRAVELER’S DIARRHEA:  One of the main reasons for dehydration in a traveler.  Diarrhea can be caused by eating or drinking contaminated food/water with bacteria. Your gastrointestinal system is not immune to the local bacteria therefore you develop diarrhea and can lose a large quantity of your body’s water. Many of the developing countries of the world does...

I gave a travel tip a while back about wearing comfortable shoes while traveling.  It will save you muscle aches AND may save you money.  Why? In Europe [and YES the UK/England is part of Europe] many of the older areas, the parts of history you like to tour, the streets are cobblestone and slabs of stone.  The steps can be uneven, different width & depth, even worn grooves from centuries of footsteps.  The comfortable, flat cushion shoes will protect your soles and demand less stress on your calf muscles.  And ladies, spiked heels will get caught in the grooves between the stones. But this blog is not about shoes and cobblestones. As I was exploring London today, I took a header to the ground; my face almost met the slab stone personally.  I was "looking cute" with chunky heel boots and didn't noticed the bottom step was shorter than the others.  So I fell face forward to the ground; and the typically response is the arms outstretche...

Hello Travel Fans. I started my journey 36 hours ago on the east coast of the United States.  I traveled from Florida to London and experiencing JET LAG!!!  I have wrote articles and given tips on how to avoid jet lag, and did not take any of my advice this time.  A great way to start my birthday vacation but I will catch up soon. How to Avoid Jet Lag: 1. Transition your hourly clock a few days before your travel to the time zone.  Exposure to sunlight helps you adjust when you arrive.  If going east, afternoon light.  If going west, morning light. *** I worked night shift 2 days before I traveled east. WRONG!!! It would have worked well if I was traveling west.  I did not gradually adjust my time zone to London 5 hours ahead of EST.  And when I landed, I stayed up for 2 hours then took a nap.  Due to London weather, sunlight was not available. Most flights from USA east coast to Europe leaves at night; you arrive at 6:00 am to 9:00 ...

7 Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling Hello from the Travel Doc. These are some tips I use while traveling the US and beyond to stay healthy so I can enjoy my adventures. 1.  Hydrate - remember to drink plenty of water before and during your travel.  Hydration keeps your energy high.  Hydration will help to avoid blood clots.  Hydration will help to prevent jet lag. 2.  Avoid gaseous food before flying - don't eat beans, broccoli, cabbage, etc. 24 hours before flying.  The pressurized compartment causes your abdomen to become expanded, bloated and discomfort.  Bubbly drinks also are in this category. 3.  Remember to pack your prescription medications - take your medications with you and stay on schedule.  If you are in the USA and forget your medications; and they are filled through a national brand pharmacy, you can contact the pharmacy to get a limited day supply.  If you are out of the USA, you may not be able to f...