Posts in the category "Health":

The folks at Air New Zealand have run the numbers, tallied the comments and somehow interpreted the pie charts and pictures from the in-flight focus group about jet-lag (and more) that I participated in on an ANZ flight from Los Angeles to London.

Here’s a handy infographic of our group’s advice on packing, dressing and preparing in-flight activities for a long flight, making the most of the in-flight time and merging seamlessly into the day once you touch down.

Categories: Health, Jet Lag, Travel tips, Uncategorized
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Although the American Heart Association celebrated National Walking Day on April 3rd this year, it’s a good idea to spend at least part of everyday walking.

And, with long, carpeted concourses and little-used stairways alongside most escalators, airports offer a great place to do some of that walking.

Here’s a list of some U.S. airports that have gone the extra step and mapped out cardio trails inside the terminals. Some airports, such as BWI, list the walking path info on their websites; paths for others, such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, can be found on the American Heart Association website.

The newest cardio trail is at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, which last week introduced two marked walking paths inside the Airport terminal.

The Terminal Loop is a 1K round-trip walk along the public side of the terminal’s upper level (the area with white tile floor prior to security checkpoints). Start anywhere along the upper level of the terminal and walk to the end of Concourse A, circle back to the end of Concourse E and return to your starting point.

The Concourse A/B Loop is a 1K round-trip walk inside the secured area of Concourse A and B. Start anywhere along either A or B Concourse. Walk to the end of Concourse A, circle back to the end of Concourse B and return to your starting point.

It takes about 20 minutes to walk each loop. Look for the BWI Cardio Trail logos on the walls, get a map from the information desk or download a copy of the trail map here.

Other airports with cardio trails include:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: The walk from Concourse A to Concourse E is .79 miles. See a map here.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: The path measures seven-tenths of a mile and follow the DFW Art Program floor medallions in International Terminal D. There are markings/signage between each of the twelve medallions between gates D6 and D40. To stretch the walk, there are two 55-foot high staircases that lead up to the Skylink stations.

Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport has a 2 mile Health Walk mapped out for passengers.

Indianapolis International Airport has a map with five walking paths marked on it.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has a 1.4 mile walking path and a downloadable brochure to lead the way.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has also paced off the mileage inside the airport: It’s a half-mile from the Central Terminal to the end of Concourse A. Walk the full length of Concourses A, B, C, and D and you’ll have traveled over two miles.

If you know of some other airports that have official walking paths through the terminals, please let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

Categories: Health
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Vermont’s Burlington International Airport (BTV) has joined San Francisco International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in offering passengers a space to meditate and practice yoga.

Evolution Yoga opened a yoga space on the second floor of Burlington International Airport, offering travelers a place to stretch out and relax before or between flights and enjoy a calm, quiet space.

That’s lovely to hear, but poking around the BTV website today I noticed some other welcome and calming amenities that were already available at the airport for passengers.

The airport’s mezzanine area is outfitted with couches, coffee tables and easy chairs and there are white rocking chairs set up in an area the airport calls the Skyway, so travelers can get a good view of the runway and aircraft. There’s also a green roof on the airport parking garage with plenty of alpine plants as well as benches and a picnic table. And – an added bonus: the airport has an Observation Tower and, located across from it, a family bathroom with a shower.

In addition to free Wi-Fi and power charging stations, BTV has a photography exhibit tracing the history of the airport and, on its website, offers relaxing activities such as a crossword puzzle, links to websites kids might enjoy and a link to a series of videos offering a few moments of guided relaxation at calm.com.

Categories: Health, Kids
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Achoo!

You don’t even want to know how many germs are on the surfaces of airplane seat armrests and tray tables and in the bathrooms.

So as flu season rolls in, you’ll want to be sure to get vaccinated.

No time? Busy travelers can get their flu shot at O’Hare International Airport (ORD), where the University of Illinois – Chicago Medical Clinic is once again offering flu shots through the end of the year.

If you’re traveling to or through O’Hare, you can get a flu shot at the UIC Medical Center from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The Medical Center is located on the secure side of Terminal 2, near the Kids on the Fly play area.

There UIC Medical Center is also setting up flu shot kiosks  in Terminal 1, in the B Concourse and in Terminal 3 near the H/K Concourse. The hours for the Terminal 1 kiosk are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday; closed on Saturday. The kiosk in Terminal 3 is open on from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday; and on Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

What will it cost you? $30

Cash, credit cards, Medicare and most insurance are accepted; and many insurance companies will reimburse you for the cost of the shot.

The clinic and the kiosk are O’Hare will also have pertussis (whooping cough) and pneumonia shots available at all locations. The fees are $85 per shot for pneumonia and $65 per shot for Pertussis.

Not going through O’Hare anytime soon? I’m poking around to find other airports offering this service. Please let me know if you find one.

Categories: Health
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With a special dedication event for this pink Boeing 767-400, Delta Air Lines is now ready for a month-long campaign to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Throughout October, Delta employees will be wearing pink uniforms and selling pink lemonade and pink headsets on board airplanes and in Delta Sky Clubs. All proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. So go ahead and buy something so none of us have to lose any more friends or family members to breast cancer.

Categories: Health
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