Long Live the Germs!

Our western world has a sick obsession with health . Advertisements
for vitamins and sleep aids and antidepressants and antibacterial soap
have infested our television channels and radio stations. Healthcare
is a limitless market, and the insurance and pharmaceutical companies
(and some doctors) that make so much money from our obsessions and
anxieties are delighted to make their contributions. People are
terrified of sickness and our world happily capitalizes on these
fears.

Although in the United States, health care continues to be an ongoing
battle, the rest of the world considers healthcare in the United
States to be of the highest caliber. It may not be affordable for all,
it may be difficult for many, but it is present. It exists. One of the
largest and most transformative differences in the health care between
our country and others is the presence of preventative health care.
Not having kids myself, I cannot be fully confident in my
speculations, but in the United States, aren't government-sponsored
programs available to ensure that all children receive the
now-mandatory immunizations and vaccines: polio, etc.? Isn't it true
that nearly all children are able to receive these preventative
measures, regardless of the income of their parents? The availability
of services such as these to children of the United States are
monumental.

Here in Africa, the ravaging effects of polio are rampant. Without
medical training, it took me some time to realize that Polio is the
cause of many deformities here. But visible symptoms are found almost
exclusively in the population of Africans older than 30 years. It
paints a picture of when government programs began, and perhaps marks
the time of foreign healthcare involvement.

When you watch the news, or the dramatic international welfare
programs, it's no wonder that most people obsess over staying healthy
while traveling. I don't discount the inclination of most travelers,
nor do I mean to discredit the wise advice of the CDC. But I happen to
have the immunity of a horse and always have. This doesn't mean that I
don't get sick, but I seem to be healthier than many people I know. I
credit this to parents who weren't especially germ-obsessed and who
packed my body full of freshly grown fruit, vegetables, and meat when
I was a child. And of course, being a family in the United States, I
received all of the recommended/required vaccinations and
immunizations as a child. We are lucky like that.

As a traveler, it is very easy to get yourself freaked out by
potential sickness. When you see disease and sickness and infections
running rampant through the places you travel, it is natural to get
nervous. But you have to fight that feeling, for ignorance can be
truly fatal, both to yourself and to the communities you visit. I have
watched foreigners in Africa who have refused contact with the
beautiful, friendly, happy children here. They pull away from hugs and
have their hand-sanitizer on the draw. This is heart-breaking to
watch…how do you think that child feels, realizing that someone they
desperately want to interact with is scared of touching them? What a
horrific feeling that must be for a child.

I have to admit, I have been a bit blasé about my travelers health. I
blame the lack of time, and the very expensive cost of healthcare in
the United States, and my even-more-blasé husband. But the truth is, I
just got lazy and hoped for the best. So far (knock on wood), our
health holds strong!

I have never received either of the Hepatitis vaccines (A or B). I got
a tetanus shot right before Hurricane Katrina, and they last 10 years.
Oh, and I did buy malaria pills while in India: only $2 for 24 pills!
We have taken them throughout Africa. Lesson learned: if your psyche
can handle the brief delay, buy your medications once you have arrived
abroad…you will save SO much money! Obviously, any country that has a
prevalence of malaria will also sell malaria pills, but at such a
savings!

I have a vivid memory of our first days in Tokyo, surrounded by a sea
of faces obscured by white medical masks. It took some time to realize
that the Japanese weren't simply obsessed with becoming sick (H1N1 was
still headline news), but also wore masks as protection against
pollution, and also to isolate their own sickness. Our first days felt
like a sci-fi movie.

Upon our arrival in Shanghai, we each had to pass through a body heat
scanner to determine whether we were carrying a sickness that was
accompanied by a high body temperature. We also were required to fill
our a health information card: checklist of symptoms, places traveled
in the six weeks prior to arrival, airplane seat number, contact
information, etc. Who would be fool enough to seriously check boxes
identifying symptoms? I think that the recourse of Chinese officials
would have been to detain you in quarantine for an undetermined period
of time.

Both Ethiopia and Ghana (and perhaps even Togo for that matter)
indicated mandates for Yellow Fever vaccine on their embassy websites.
"A visitor could be quarantined for a mandatory five days if entering
without a valid yellow fever vaccine certificate." I never received
the vaccine, and they never asked to see Nathan's certificate. So, I'm
glad we didn't stress about that one.

The things that will keep you safe while traveling are usually the
simplest things. Drink as much safe water as your body can hold and be
smart about the type of water you are consuming. Eat healthy food
while acclimating your body more slowly to local street food (if you
swing that way). Fruits and vegetables are safest when peeled:
carrots, oranges, bananas, cucumbers, melon, mangoes, etc. Wash your
hands, but don't be a freak about it. (Re) learn not to touch your
hands to your face, eyes, mouth, nose…didn't your mom teach you about
this? Take recommended medications, but do your research first and
don't let your doctor bully you into making a decision that is
ultimately yours to make. We travel with powdered electrolyte packets
(like Emergen-C, Gatorade, etc) and Imodium for the inevitable
'travelers stomach.'

But my general motto is…"Long live the germs!" The healthiest you can
be is when you allow yourself to be exposed to germs and bacteria and
bugs that will give your body a chance to build up immunities and
strength against similar and future strains.

It's cost-effective preventative health care y'all!!