Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
In May of 2005, while staying at the InterContinental in Goa, I was introduced to Forest Essentials bath and body products. It has since become my absolute favorite line of skin care and I wanted to share more about this company that has changed the course of beauty.
The Forest Essentials products were developed after years of research with Ayurvedic physicians. According to the Forest Essentials website, the company uses “age-old Ayurvedic formulations from scholars who practice an austere code and devotion to their incredible font of knowledge. They supply us with many of our herb ingredients, oil formulas, and Vedic treatments. This is then interspersed with the understanding of a modern biochemist’s point of view to create, with our team, products that have their basis in India’s oldest science but presented in an easy-to-use manner.” Also, Forest Essentials own spring water is used in each product, with therapeutic properties that have been certified as being rich in mineral deposits.
A few of my favorite Forest Essentials products are the Mashobra Honey and Vanilla Bath and Shower Oil, Rose and Cardamom Butter Soap, Kashmiri Walnut Gel Facial Scrub, Jasmine Madurai Diffuser Oil, and Cane Sugar and Tamarind Body Polisher. Of course, this is just a condensed list – there are so many wonderful items. I also love how the products are not mass produced in industrial factories. Instead, the company employs local labor in the villages of Uttaranchal. Forest Essentials is available in many luxury hotels throughout India and also at select retail stores.
I recently came across an interesting article in Little India by Lovejeet Alexander that explores how a small village in India has the highest number of twins compared to anywhere in the world. The village, Mohammadpur Umri, is located near Allahabad at the confluence of the sacred Ganges and Yamuna Rivers. Of the 300 households, there are 54 pairs of twins. As Alexander writes, “… in India there is a 1 chance in 80 for a mother to deliver twins and 1 in 300 for delivering identical twins. In Umri, however, one of ten deliveries result in identical twins… The village boasts a twin monozygotic (MZ) or identical twin birth rate that is 300 times the national average and perhaps the highest in the world.”
Scientists, doctors, and the villagers have differing opinions about why there are an unusually high number of twins in a concentrated area. The phenomenon started about 40 years ago at around the same time that an Air Force Base was set near the village. Some believe the station’s experimentation machinery causes the twinning. Others believe there is something in the soil and water, or that it is “God’s Gift.” Perhaps even more fascinating is that Umri also has twin cows and buffaloes, as well as hens that lay eggs with double yolks.
For more on the Umri community, check out the article in its entirety at Little India.
One of the most common questions we receive is regarding vaccinations and/or medications to the Indian Subcontinent. Immunizations are not required to visit India. (Exception: If you are traveling from an area infected with Yellow Fever, you must have a certificate.) We do encourage all travelers to be current on routine immunizations. Sodha Travel also strongly recommends the Hepatitis A vaccine, where exposure occurs through contaminated food and water in developing countries.
The vaccine decision is truly a personal one and the opinions vary among travel clinics, doctors, and travelers. The Center for Disease Control offers an updated list of outbreaks and recommended immunizations, based on the region of travel. Here is their current list of vaccine-preventable diseases in India:
| Vaccination or Disease | Recommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases |
| Routine | Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc. |
| Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) | Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with “standard” tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident). |
| Typhoid | Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in South Asia, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water. |
| Polio | Recommended for adult travelers who have received a primary series with either inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) or oral polio vaccine (OPV). They should receive another dose of IPV before departure. For adults, available data do not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV. |
| Japanese encephalitis | Recommended if you plan to visit rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis, see country-specific information. |
| Rabies | Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks (such as veterinarians), for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites. |
There is also the debate about malaria medications. Although it is recommended for certain regions, many people have an adverse reaction to malaria meds – myself included. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and hallucinations. There are antimalarial alternatives, including spraying repellent on exposed skin and taking vitamin A and zinc supplements. Adventure travelers are usually more at risk, due to the nature of their activities and the remote locations.
Depending on the season and region of travel, Sodha Travel will recommend preventative measures. Please consult with your health care professional to decide the best medical plan.