No Avião

No Avião:

Qualquer viagem em que esteja mais de duas horas sentado/a pode causar problemas circulatórios vários.

Antes da viagem siga os seguintes conselhos:

Se costuma sofrer com o jet-lag, vá a uma consulta de clínica geral antes da viagem e peça conselhos ao médico

Vitamina B3 é indicada para minimizar efeitos de jet-lag, dando energia. Deve tomar uns dias antes da partida

Vá correr ou nadar ou fazer uma aula de qualquer desporto em que dispenda energia o suficiente para activar a circulação. Ou vá á praia quando chegar.

Se não sofre de problemas digestivos, tome acido salicílico (aspirina, aspegic ou outro) na dose máxima de 100 mg( consoante as horas que vai passar na mesma posição)

Evite despedidas com álcool e estimulantes na noite anterior para não ter ressaca dupla na viagem. Durma muito e bem na noite antes.

No Aeroporto:

	Não deixe as pilhas dentro dos aparelhos para não começarem a tocar quando não interessa
	Ate uma fita ou cordão colorido invulgar á pega da mala para a poder visualizar a quilómetros
	Não fume antes de entrar para o avião

No Avião:

Se não fuma e não pediu no check-in peça á entrada do avião aos assistentes que o/a mudem de lugar assim que possível

Ao levantar e aterrar para não ter dor de ouvidos, mastigue pastilhas

Antes de levantar voo acerte o relógio para a hora do destino

Vista-se confortavelmente (algodão, lã natural e linho). Calce meias de descanso se a viagem demorar mais de duas horas.

Não vá de camisola de alças nem de camisola de gola alta; nos aviões é sempre Outono; nunca está calor e na hora de dormir a temperatura desce...

Compre uma almofada daquelas de encaixar o pescoço

Calce sapatos largos, ténis (nunca saltos altos, botas ou sapatos abertos)

Não se descalce durante a viagem (porque é falta de educação, porque pode cheirar mal dos pés e porque depois eles não cabem outra vez nos sapatos)

Levante-se em média uma vez em cada duas horas, ande pelos corredores ou vá inventar para a casa de banho( se não houver fila)

Não cruze as pernas no assento e movimente os pés em círculos

Beba água, sem exagero senão passa a vida a ir á casa de banho e evite café, bebidas gaseificadas, álcool, claro, e tomar estimulantes

Ginger-ale é bom para o enjoo

Leve creme hidratante para as mãos, batom, viseira e tampões para os ouvidos (imprescindíveis; os da natação são os melhores)

Coma só o que gosta e o que não lhe faz mal ( se não costuma comer carnes vermelhas, molhos ou outras iguarias indigestas)

Leve consigo uma garrafa de água mineral, analgésicos, pastilhas (para quando o avião descola), e se for o caso fruta ou sandwiches do que mais gosta

Não vá a cantar em altos berros as músicas no walkman porque os outros podem não gostar

Não vá fumar para a casa de banho porque é perigoso e proibido

Não utilize telemóveis ou outro equipamento electrónico porque interfere com os instrumentos de navegação do avião

Não incline a cadeira para trás porque o espaço do outro é igual ao seu; não o diminua

Não se levante na altura em que os assistentes de bordo andam a servir porque não há espaço e atrasa o serviço

Não seja galináceo com o parceiro do lado porque as pessoas á volta podem querer dormir

Não vá para a casa de banho retocar a beleza exterior porque pode fazê-lo no lugar com um espelho e sem causar filas

Não pense em filmes e notícias sobre desastres de avião

Ao sair do avião leve tudo que puder (cobertor, talheres, toalhetes ...)

There's been so much talk of the dangers of flying that perhaps cabin crew should hand out health warnings with the pre-take-off drinks. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and the possible, and we must stress possible, link with flying is the latest health scare to grab the headlines, but there are also concerns that frequent long-haul travelers may be at risk from cancer, bacterial or viral infections, and even poisoning from toxic fumes.

In truth, however, little is known about the risks to passengers' health and more research is badly needed to establish what they really are and how they can be avoided.

Take DVT, for example. All that is known is that sitting for a long time can allow life-threatening blood clots to form in the legs, but it has not yet been established whether air travelers are any more at risk from this than, say, passengers in a train or a car.

A possible link between DVT and long-haul air travel was first suggested by reports in medical journals in the 1950s but, according to the British Department of Health, it's still unclear how common travel-related DVT really is, what the risk factors are, and how it can be prevented.

In its latest advice on travel-related DVT, the Department of Health did say that passengers on flights lasting more than five hours might be at greater risk of developing blood clots. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that a link probably exists between air travel and DVT, but it has said that such a link is likely to be small and mainly affects passengers with additional risk factors.

In the absence of any conclusive evidence, WHO and the International Civil Aviation Organization are carrying out international epidemiological studies to establish if there is a link between flying and DVT and, if so, what is the size of the problem. These studies are likely to take at least another year or so.

In the meantime, anyone who might be at risk should take precautionary measures.

DVT: Who's more at risk? DVT: How to avoid it
(advice from the British Department of Health)
People over 40 years old See your doctor if you are in a high-risk group - they may recommend blood thinning drugs
Those who have already had blood clots Elastic stockings (available from pharmacies)might help
People with a family history of blood clots Bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes every half-hour during the flight
People with certain blood diseases Press the balls of your feet down hard against the floor or foot-rest to increase the blood flow
Those being treated for heart failure and circulation problems Upper body and breathing exercises can improve circulation
People who have had recent surgery, especially on the hips or knees Take occasional short walks
Those who have an inherited clotting tendency Get off the plane at re-fueling stops and walk about
Pregnant women and women who have recently had a baby Drink plenty of water
Women taking the contraceptive Pill Don't drink too much alcohol, which causes dehydration and immobility
Women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Avoid sleeping pills, which also lead to immobility
Don't take drugs, such as aspirin, without first consulting your doctor
After the flight, if you do develop swollen, painful legs, especially where one is more affected than the other, or breathing difficulties, see a local doctor urgently or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department

Another potential risk to air passengers is radiation from the sun, which gets stronger the higher you travel, and might cause certain cancers. A passenger on a transatlantic flight gets a dose roughly the equivalent to that of a chest X-ray, but the National Radiological Protection Board in the UK has claimed that even frequent flyers would not be exposed to unacceptably high doses.

Airlines are taking the potential threat to passengers' health seriously, however. Carriers within Europe have been measuring levels of radiation on flights for the past two years and eventually this information will be used to assess the real risk to both passengers and crew.

Until more is known about the effects of radiation, the International Commission on Radiological Protection has recommended passengers fly no more than 200 hours a year on trans-equatorial routes, where exposure is greatest.

Another concern is that air passengers could pick up bacterial or viral infections from fellow travelers, and there are fears that the poor quality of cabin air, a large proportion of which is recycled, could cause infections to spread more rapidly.

These fears could prove unfounded as, according to WHO, the risk on board an aircraft is no greater than in other confined spaces, but the longer the flight the greater the risk.

There are also new concerns that frequent flyers are being exposed to toxic organophosphate (OP) chemicals, which can cause confusion, nausea, loss of vision, panic attacks and even severe neurological breakdown.

OPs, which are used in engine oil, can leak into the engine from where they are sucked into the cabin air by the air-conditioning systems and absorbed through the skin, nose and mouth.

The UK government has launched a study to analyze the effects of low-level OP exposure on frequent flyers, following reports that pilots have been knocked out by toxic fumes, and the United States Congress has ordered an investigation into the quality of cabin air (SEE ARTICLE).

Ironically, jetlag, which is so often dismissed as nothing more than a minor irritation, could pose the greatest health risk. Most travelers will suffer from this condition at some time, and for many it will simply cause a few hours lost sleep, irritability and possibly forgetfulness. But for others, it could be much more serious.

A study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience last year suggested that repeated jetlag could lead to diminished brain power, including short-term memory loss.

Earlier studies have indicated that sleep disturbance, such as that experienced by jetlag sufferers as well as shift workers, could be linked to both heart disease and breast cancer.

WHO says it could take a week or even more to completely readjust after a long-haul flight, depending on the number of time zones crossed. It adds, "It should be noted that, with pressurization, the oxygen level and atmospheric pressure in the cabin of an airplane flying at an altitude of 12,000 meters are equivalent to conditions found at an altitude of 2,000 meters." This can lead to nausea, extreme fatigue and insomnia.

Jetlag: Who's more at risk? Jetlag: How to avoid it
Passengers crossing one or more time zones Make sure you get plenty of rest before your flight
Flying west to east may cause more jetlag than flying east to west Get as much exercise on board as you can
Daytime flights are worse than night flights Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol
Those who like a fixed daily routine are the worst sufferers Avoid airline tea and coffee as they have a higher than usual caffeine content
Women are affected more than men Ask a flight attendant to turn up the fresh air supply on board as stale air can cause headaches
Take a shower during extended stopovers
Don't take sleeping pills in flight, but a short-acting sleeping pill on arrival may help to readjust your body clock
Try the Feast-Fast-Feast-Fast Anti-Jetlag diet devised by Dr Ehret of Argonne's Division of Biology and Medical Research in the US