We make Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) light. How much light exposure you need will depend on where you live, the time of year and your natural skin type. We need to balance our sun exposure to ensure we get adequate Vitamin D with the adverse effects of UV exposure and the risk of skin cancer. So, try and get sunlight on your skin before mid-morning and ensure you have sunscreen on if the UV index is above 3.

The risks associated with Vitamin D deficiency depend on how old you are and how low your levels are. Severe Vitamin D deficiency in childhood causes rickets which is characterised by bone deformities. Later in life a deficiency leads to weaker bones but often no specific symptoms. Most people will only discover they are deficient in Vitamin D when their doctor orders a routine blood test to investigate tiredness or low mood.

How to increase your bone strength

In addition to Vitamin D, we need a diet high in calcium and we need to strengthen our bones through exercise.

Our bones are strongest around the age of 25-30, and after this age there is a slow decline in peak mass. However, we can take steps to reduce this natural bone loss and prevent the brittle fragile bones that occur with osteoporosis. The key to strong bones is a combination of a diet high in calcium and regular weight bearing exercise. Strength training with weights or body weights should be performed twice a week. Some of us will also need medication to assist with bone strength.

Men develop bones that are wider and stronger in comparison to women whose bones are usually shorter with a thinner outer layer and smaller diameter. Because of this, women are far more vulnerable to the natural loss of bone as we age – and at greater risk of osteoporosis resulting in bone fractures.

It is no surprise that accordingly to the most recent National Nutrition and Physical Activity survey 73% of females and 51% of males did not eat enough calcium. Those at greatest risk of inadequate calcium are people who do not eat diary foods. If you do not eat enough calcium your body will start to drain the stores of calcium in your bones, making them weaker and weaker and susceptible to fractures. If you are not eating a diet with enough calcium talk to your GP about supplementing with calcium tablets. 

The Evolving Landscape of Travel Healthcare

Remember the days when travelling abroad meant stuffing your money belt with foreign currency, emergency contact numbers, and insurance policy documents? For many globetrotters, the anxiety of potential medical emergencies in foreign lands has long cast a shadow over their adventures. The combination of unfamiliar healthcare systems, language barriers, and concerns about upfront payment requirements has historically been enough to make even seasoned travellers think twice before embarking on their journeys.

But what if you could travel with the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can access quality healthcare anywhere in the world without reaching for your wallet? This isn't a hypothetical scenario from some distant future—it's the reality of today's cashless healthcare revolution that's transforming international travel.

The Traditional Travel Healthcare Nightmare

Picture this: You're exploring the charming streets of Lisbon when suddenly you slip on those famous Portuguese cobblestones and twist your ankle rather spectacularly. What follows is often a stress-inducing ordeal—finding a local hospital, attempting to communicate your medical history through a language barrier, and then facing the dreaded moment when you're asked to pay upfront for treatment that could cost more than your entire holiday budget.

The traditional approach to handling such situations typically involved:

• Paying for medical expenses out of pocket
• Collecting and safeguarding receipts and medical reports
• Filing claims with your insurer after returning home
• Waiting anxiously for reimbursement that could take weeks or months
• Potentially dealing with denied claims due to paperwork errors

This system left travellers vulnerable, stressed, and sometimes financially strained at precisely the moment when they needed support the most.

Enter the Cashless Healthcare Revolution

The concept of cashless healthcare abroad represents a fundamental shift in how travellers interact with medical services when they're far from home. Rather than functioning as a mere financial safety net, modern travel insurance has evolved into an active healthcare facilitator—connecting travellers directly with quality care providers through streamlined digital platforms.

At its core, the cashless system eliminates the need for travellers to pay out of pocket for covered medical treatments. Instead, your insurer communicates directly with the healthcare provider, handling all payment arrangements while you focus on recovery.

How Cashless Healthcare Works

The beauty of cashless healthcare lies in its simplicity from the traveller's perspective:

Pre-travel preparation: You obtain a comprehensive travel insurance policy with cashless benefits and download the provider's mobile app.

During an emergency: You contact your insurer through their 24/7 assistance line or app, explaining your situation and location.

Guided care: Your insurer directs you to the nearest appropriate medical facility in their network and alerts the facility of your arrival.

Seamless treatment: Upon arrival, you present your digital insurance card. The healthcare provider confirms your coverage directly with your insurer.

Focused recovery: You receive necessary treatment without payment concerns, while your insurer and the healthcare provider handle all financial arrangements.

Continuous support: Throughout your treatment, your insurer remains engaged, often providing translation services, keeping your family informed, and coordinating follow-up care if needed.

This streamlined process transforms what was once a potentially holiday-ruining experience into a manageable situation where you can focus entirely on recovery.

The Technology Driving the Revolution

Behind this seamless experience is a sophisticated technological ecosystem that connects insurers, assistance companies, and healthcare providers worldwide. Mobile apps now serve as the traveller's healthcare companion, offering features like:

• GPS-enabled hospital locators showing network facilities nearby
• Virtual insurance ID cards that eliminate the need for physical documentation
• Teleconsultation services for minor concerns
• Automated pre-authorisation for treatments
• Real-time claim status updates
• Medical translation services

These innovations have made the process nearly frictionless for travellers while simultaneously reducing fraud and administrative costs for insurers—a rare win-win situation in the complex world of healthcare finance.

Beyond Emergency Care: The Expanding Scope

While emergency medical situations first drove the development of cashless healthcare systems, the scope has expanded considerably. Today's comprehensive solutions often cover:

• Routine outpatient visits for minor illnesses
• Prescription medications
• Dental emergencies
• Mental health consultations
• Maternity care for expectant mothers
• Chronic condition management

This expansion reflects a deeper understanding that travellers need comprehensive healthcare support, not just emergency intervention. Whether you're a digital nomad working abroad for months or a holidaymaker on a week-long beach break, the security of knowing you can access healthcare without financial stress adds immeasurable value to the travel experience.

The Human Element Remains Essential

Despite all the technological advances, the most progressive insurers recognise that healthcare is fundamentally human. Behind the apps and digital systems are dedicated teams of medical professionals and assistance coordinators who understand the unique vulnerabilities of receiving healthcare abroad.

These professionals serve as advocates, translators, and guides through unfamiliar healthcare systems. They can explain unfamiliar medical practices, help bridge cultural differences in healthcare delivery, and provide the reassurance of a friendly voice during stressful situations.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Travel Healthcare

The cashless revolution shows no signs of slowing down. As technology continues to advance, we can anticipate even more seamless integration between travel insurance, healthcare providers, and travellers themselves. Developments on the horizon include:

• Wearable devices that can alert assistance teams to medical emergencies automatically 
• AI-powered symptom checkers that help direct travellers to appropriate care 
• Blockchain-based medical records that can be securely shared with providers anywhere 
• Expanded telemedicine networks offering specialist consultations regardless of location.

Embracing the Revolution

For today's travellers, the cashless healthcare revolution offers an unprecedented level of security and convenience. It removes one of the most significant sources of travel anxiety and allows people to explore the world with confidence that should the unexpected happen, quality care is accessible without financial burden.

As we continue to witness the evolution of this remarkable system, one thing becomes clear: the days of travelling with folders full of insurance documents and emergency cash reserves are rapidly becoming a relic of the past. In their place stands a sophisticated, human-centred approach that delivers on the true promise of travel insurance—not just financial protection, but genuine peace of mind wherever your adventures may take you.

Tips for choosing a protein powder that is best for you

• Protein per serve – choose a protein powder with 20-30gm protein per serve
• Sweeteners – many contain syrups and sugars to improve the taste. Choose one with stevia
• Essential amino acid profile – plant based powders may not have all the essential amino acids. Ensure there is 2-3g of leucine per serve.
• Type of whey – whey protein is derived from milk and comes in two forms: whey protein concentrate WPC (70-80% protein) and whey protein isolate WPI (90% protein). WPI has less carbohydrates and less fat so you will be getting more protein per serve. WPI is more expensive, but you are paying for better quality.
• Stimulants – avoid those containing caffeine or pre-workout or stimulants
• Ingredients list – the shorter the better! If you do not recognise any of the ingredients, it is best to put it back on the shelf. Avoid artificial flavours and colours.

In many places, generic medicines must have the same active ingredient in the same amount as the original brand. Before you purchase generic medicines, ask your doctor if they are safe and effective. You may notice they differ in size, colour and taste to the original brand. They may also have some different fillers so they are not 100% the same tablet – it should be the drug content that is the same.

You may wonder why the generic versions are cheaper, does this mean they are not as good? The company that invented the original medication will have spent considerable money on creating the medication, testing its safety and applying for patents. Once the patent runs out, other drug companies are free to make the equivalent medication (the generic drugs) without the costs associated with creating the original version. Hence generic versions are cheaper.

In general, most people can safely take generic drugs. However, the generic version may contain inactive substances that you may be allergic to. Not all drugs have cheaper generic versions. Drugs that are not commonly prescribed are unlikely to nor will those drugs with the original patent still active.

As always, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see if generic brands are right for you.

Are sleep trackers accurate?

Sleep trackers claim to measure the total amount of sleep we have each night; the time spent in different stages of sleep (light, deep and REM); our sleep schedule and provide an overall sleep score.

Sleep trackers rely largely on movement to detect if we are asleep. Most trackers overestimate the duration of sleep because if you lie in bed, it thinks you are asleep. Newer watches have additional technology to measure heart rate, breathing and heart rate variability to estimate sleep stages. A study in 2021 examined 7 sleep trackers and found the devices were fairly accurate at detecting whether we are awake or asleep but not accurate at detecting the different stages of sleep. Another study in 2023 looking at 11 sleep trackers had similar findings – the accuracy of sleep stages falls well short of data from sleep studies conducted in a sleep lab.

So, are sleep trackers helpful or harmful?

For most people, sleep trackers provide some interesting sleep data with minimal effort on our part. Trackers certainly have the capacity to be very helpful if they lead to consistent behavioural change that means we sleep longer and wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

The downside to sleep trackers is that for some people they create a new anxiety about sleep that was not previously there. For example, you wake up in the morning feeling pretty good, reach for your phone and check your sleep data from last night. Your app tells you that your sleep quality was poor and you did not have enough REM sleep. You are now worried about being tired at work. You worry at night time that you might have another poor night’s sleep and so it takes you longer than usual to drift off. And so, begins the worry cycle about sleep. Checking data too often and feeling anxious about sleep is the potentially harmful impact of sleep trackers. If you notice this happening, it is time to take your watch off when you go to bed and rely on how you feel in the morning to know whether you got a good night’s sleep.

Keep it cool

• Cool and cover leftovers and put them in a fridge or freezer within 2 hours (see the 2-hour/4-hour rule below).
• Splitting leftovers into smaller portions aids faster cooling, which prevent bacteria growth. It also helps with portion control and meal planning.
• Always store leftovers at less than 5 degrees Celsius and keep them separate from uncooked foods, such as raw meat.
• Eat leftovers stored in the fridge within 3 days. Cooked rice and pasta should be eaten within 2 days.
• Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of defrosting.
• Throw away leftovers if they have been out of the fridge for more than 4 hours.
• For opened canned food leftovers, follow the manufacturer’s directions for storage and use and take the same precautions as you would for fresh food.

Reheat to eat

• Always reheat leftovers to steaming hot (at least 60 degrees Celsius). Reheating leftovers kills harmful bacteria that may have grown since it was cooked.
• Stir microwaved food while heating to ensure it is hot all the way through.
• Never reheat rice and pasta more than once and make sure it is steaming hot.
• Take extra care with takeaway rice. It should be eaten soon after purchasing as some businesses may pre-cook rice and re-heat it before it is served.

The 2-hour/4-hour rule

Temperature control is very important to prevent harmful bacteria from growing in certain types of food. Food poisoning bacteria grow best between temperatures of 5 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius – also known as the ‘temperature danger zone’.

To minimise your risk of food poisoning, follow the 2-hour/4-hour rule. If your leftover food has been out of the fridge for:

• less than 2 hours – use it now, or put it back in the fridge for later
• between 2 and 4 hours – use it now or throw it out, and
• after 4 hours, throw the food out.

Some companies market them as the safer alternative to smoking, but how safe are nicotine pouches?

Because they are still a newer product, research is still ongoing into their long-term effects on the body. However, we do know the short-term effects.

Concerningly, a 2024 study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has revealed that when using nicotine pouches, 97% of participants reported one or more side effects. This included 48% reporting mouth lesions, 39% reporting upset stomachs and 9% reporting nausea.

And because the pouches are placed on the gum, it can cause significant gum recession. This is when the gum tissue pulls away from your teeth, revealing roots and raising the chances of cavities.

Although the nicotine in these pouches do not directly cause cancer, research shows that nicotine is a tumour promoter which can make the cancer more aggressive. On top of that, nicotine can also cause heart, lung and stomach problems, create issues relating to fertility, raise your blood pressure and weaken your immune system.

So if you are thinking of making the switch to nicotine pouches, make sure you consider all the health risks and remember that it is better to quit nicotine altogether.

31May is World No Tobacco Day

Most OTC supplements are a mixture of herbs

A browse along your pharmacy shelf will reveal a plethora of sleep supplements available to buy without a prescription. The labels boast a variety of specific benefits including “beauty sleep” “deep sleep” “fall asleep” “sleep recovery”. However if you read the ingredients labels, most of these preparations contain a mixture of similar herbs.

Common herbal preparations in sleep supplements include: valerian, kava, wuling, hops, chamomile, passionflower and St. John’s wort.

Most claims are not backed up by science

Very few scientific studies have examined the effectiveness of these herbal ingredients. The studies that have been done focus on a specific herb rather than the combination you will find in a supplement. Overall, the evidence that herbal supplements will actually help you sleep is “low” (stronger ratings would be “moderate” or “high”). There is, however, some promising research that three herbs may help reduce anxiety: kava, passionflower and chamomile. Anxiety often contributes to poor sleep so these may be of some benefit.

Magnesium supplements

In the last year, there has been an explosion in the availability of supplements containing magnesium for sleep. Although magnesium is crucial for muscle and nerve function, the studies report only a minimal impact, if any, on sleep. A healthy balanced diet will provide you with the recommended amount of magnesium and adding more is unlikely to be helpful. If your diet is lacking vegetables and wholegrains then perhaps a magnesium supplement would be beneficial. Remember it is always better to obtain vitamins and minerals from food rather than a tablet.

Melatonin

Melatonin is not a herbal preparation. It is a natural hormone produced by the brain that signals it is time to go to sleep. Levels of melatonin increase at night, hence it is often referred to as the hormone of darkness. Melatonin is useful for treating jet lag and specific sleep syndromes.

Depending on your country, melatonin may be able to be purchased over the counter as a supplement rather than as a pharmaceutical drug. These supplements are available without a prescription, but they contain such a small amount of melatonin they are very unlikely to help you sleep. It is important to understand that the over the counter preparations are not considered “drugs” and are therefore not subject to the same rigorous testing for quality and effectiveness that prescription medications undergo.

In some countries, melatonin tablets are available by prescriptions to treat certain sleep disorders and depending on your location, may be available for people aged over 55 without a prescription. You should discuss with your pharmacist and doctor if melatonin is likely to help you as for many individuals it will not be effective. Focusing on lifestyle changes can often have a more significant impact on your sleep.

Can sleep supplements be harmful?

Herbal supplements are not tested for safety. There have been reports of serious liver disease from the use of kava while hops are known to cause skin rashes and changes to the menstrual cycle. High doses of magnesium are likely to cause gut side effects and may be dangerous. You should always be cautious with any over the counter product – we often mistakenly think they are safer because they are natural or herbal. They can also interfere with any other medications you may be taking, so be sure to ask your GP before starting to take a supplement.

Understand the real reason you cannot sleep

The first step to improving your sleep is to complete a sleep diary. These are freely available on the internet. Complete the diary for one week. You will observe connections between things you do during the day and the quality of your sleep. For example, it took you a long time to fall asleep when you spent several hours scrolling on your phone in bed; or you had a good sleep on the night you did yoga after work. Noticing will allow you to make specific changes to your daily routine.

Fish is an excellent source of healthy fat and protein and is considered an essential part of a healthy diet. However most adults are not eating the recommended amount. Tinned fish is extremely nutritious, has a long shelf life and is much cheaper than buying fresh fish. A great addition to your weekly shop!

We can obtain many types of fat from food, but most adults consume too much red meat which contains unhealthy saturated fat and not enough fish which contains healthy unsaturated fat. A specific type of unsaturated fat that we must obtain from our diet is called Omega 3 fat. Omega 3 fats are needed to build the cell membranes, produce hormones and are very important for their anti-inflammatory properties – reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Oily fish are the best source of Omega 3. Tinned salmon, mackerel and sardines (and to a lesser extent tuna) are rich sources of this essential fat.

A recommended serve of fish is 100g -  which is the size of most small cans on the supermarket shelves. This makes a serving of fish a very budget friendly option.

The healthiest tinned fish are those with the fewest ingredients on the label.