We’re all going on a healthy holiday

THERE'S nothing worse than spending a fortune on your well deserved summer holiday, only to be struck down with an illness. Unfortunately, it's not that unusual - a colossal six out of ten Brits will be unwell while they are away this year, according to new research by Tesco.

Whether it's headaches, insect bites, sunburn, diarrhoea or heat rash, summer holiday ailments can make you feel miserable. Here, experts from the Tesco Health Council tell us how to deal with the problems so we can get on with enjoying our break.

BEFORE YOU GO

MAKE sure you purchase travel insurance before you go anywhere abroad, so you are covered if you become unwell. If you're in Europe, a European Health Insurance Card will also ensure you get the same medical treatment as a local.

If you're going slightly further afield than the Mediterranean, see your GP at least six months before you are due to go.

One of the first things you should pack in your suitcase is a first aid kit, according to Penny Beck, superintendent pharmacist at Tesco.

There's nothing worse than feeling terrible and trying to make yourself understood in a foreign language,'' she says. My top five recommended items to include in a holiday first aid kit would have to be anti-diarrhoea tablets and rehydration sachets, painkillers, an insect repellent and anti-histamines, along with heartburn and indigestion remedies.''

TRAVEL SICKNESS

EVER been stuck in a car, boat or plane and started feeling queasy?

Travel sickness is a very common problem, particularly in kids.

Symptoms include feeling sick, dizzy and suffering from headaches, and occur because the brain is receiving mixed messages from your eyes and the balance mechanisms in your ears. There are ways of preventing it though.

Have a small snack before you leave home, as this will help to keep the stomach settled,'' Beck says. When travelling, drink regularly (but avoid fizzy drinks) and don't read.

Sitting in the front seat of the car will help - having a good view of the road in front helps the brain understand the movement sensed by the body. The middle seat in the back of a car also works well.

On a boat, sit on the top deck and face the direction of travel, looking out at the horizon. On a plane, try and get a seat over the wings. Sucking on a sweet during take off and landing can also help ease the pressure on the ears.''

SUNBURN

THE best way to avoid a nasty case of sunburn is to use the right sunscreen for your skin, avoid being out in the sun in the middle of the day and ensure you never fall asleep under the rays.

You should apply lotion at least half an hour before you go outside, but how do you know what factor to get for you and your family?

As a general rule, if you normally stay out in the sun for five minutes in the UK before your skin starts to turn pink, an SPF of 15 could offer 75 minutes (15 x 5 minutes) before your skin would start to burn,'' explains Dr Joe Walls, a plastic surgeon who specialises in the effect of sun on the skin. At this point, putting on more SPF15 won't give you any further protection, nor will it stop you burning.

If you stay out in the sun for longer, you must increase the SPF level of your sun protection.

Remember when you're abroad, the sun's strength can increase substantially so you need to choose a much higher SPF level than you would normally use.'' If you do burn, there are ways to relieve it. Have a cold shower and apply lots of soothing aftersun lotion, drink plenty of water and don't go out in the sun again until the redness has gone.

PRICKLY HEAT

IF you've ever suffered from prickly heat, a red skin rash that causes a prickling or burning sensation, you'll know how uncomfortable it can be.

It happens when sweat glands are blocked by dead skin cells and bacteria, so when your body tries to cool you down by perspiring, it becomes trapped, causing the itchy rash and sometimes even blisters, usually under the arms and around the waist.

Put on loose cotton clothing, keep the room temperature cool, have cool baths and try using aqueous calamine cream,'' Walls recommends.

He says many people get the condition muddled up with polymorphic light eruption, a reaction to the sun, because it causes very similar symptoms.

Significantly though, it appears on sun-exposed skin, unlike prickly heat,'' he explains.

Typical sites are chest, face, legs and arms. Staying out of the sun will prevent PLE, as will using a high protection sunscreen and protective clothing.''

INSECT BITES

GETTING bitten on holiday can be an annoyance. But in some countries, there can be more serious consequences, such as malaria, dengue fever or Lyme disease.

To avoid being bitten, cover yourself in insect repellent when you're outside, particularly from dusk until dawn in malarious areas, and try to wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.

You should also avoid wasp and bee stings - one per cent of people living in the UK have a life-threatening allergy to them,'' says Dr Ron Behrens from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

If you have a severe allergic reaction to a sting you should seek medical advice urgently. If not and you can see the sting, you should remove it.

Scrape it off with the back of a knife or a credit card. Don't use tweezers as this drives the venom into the skin,'' Behrens says.

TUMMY BUGS

THERE are ways of avoiding an upset stomach on holiday, including washing your hands before eating, choosing food that has been cooked from fresh and is served piping hot, avoiding dairy products, shellfish and food left uncovered, and drinking bottled water instead of from the tap.

However, if you do become a victim, make sure you drink plenty of water and take an anti-diarrhoea product.

However, if you have a fever, blood loss or are vomiting continuously with your diarrhoea, you should see a doctor immediately,'' says Behrens.

* For more information on, log on to www.travelhealth.co.uk