oxygen

Planning a trip with oxygen

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planning a trip abroad

Medical oxygen is an essential element in the treatment of various respiratory conditions. If you are someone who requires oxygen therapy, you may be wondering if it is possible to travel with your medical oxygen equipment. The good news is that with some planning and preparation, it is possible to travel with medical oxygen and still enjoy your trip.

First, it is important to consult with your doctor before planning your trip. Your doctor can advise you on the best ways to manage your oxygen therapy while traveling and can also provide you with a letter that explains your medical condition and the need for oxygen therapy.

Next, you will need to contact your airline and inform them that you will be traveling with medical oxygen. Airlines have specific policies and procedures in place for passengers who require oxygen therapy, and it is important to follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and comfortable journey.

When packing for your trip, be sure to include all necessary oxygen equipment, such as a portable oxygen concentrator (POC), extra batteries, and any accessories. It is also a good idea to pack a backup oxygen tank in case of an emergency.

During the flight, it is important to use your oxygen equipment as directed by your doctor and to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. You should also be aware of any changes in altitude, as this can affect your oxygen therapy.

Finally, when you arrive at your destination, it is important to have a plan in place for obtaining additional oxygen if needed. Your doctor can provide you with a list of local medical supply companies that can provide oxygen equipment and supplies.

In conclusion, traveling with medical oxygen is possible with the right planning and preparation. By consulting with your doctor, following airline guidelines, packing the necessary equipment, and staying vigilant during your trip, you can enjoy your travels while still managing your medical condition.

5 foods that help lung function

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apples
  1. Apples – this fruit has been said that it will help to reduce the condition of developing COPD or asthma due to its antioxidants and vitamin C. An apple a day…
  2. Green Tea – full of antioxidants but also anti-inflammatory properties too. Great for people who have Pulmonary fibrosis
  3. Yoghurt- calcium could help improve lung function as well as featuring potassium too
  4. Tomatoes – this food product can help to decrease inflammation in our airways so those who suffer with asthma may see better breathing function
  5. Oysters – the zinc and B vitamins in oysters are associated with great lung function and for smokers who lack B and B12 vitamins

Facts about oxygen

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Time to go back to another popular post from a few years ago where we talk about facts. Facts of oxygen…

Oxygen surrounds us and is fundamental for life and yet we can take it for granted and not realise that it’s a lot more than just a component of the air.

  1. Our atmosphere today contains around 21 percent oxygen. About 300 million years ago oxygen levels reached 35 percent and insects were able to grow super-large- think  dragonflies with the wingspans of hawks.
  2. Oxygen does not actually burn as people think it does. However it does support the combustion of other substances and without a supply of oxygen, combustion ceases. If you  think about it, if oxygen itself actually burnt, simply striking a match would be enough to burn all of the oxygen in our planet’s atmosphere.
  3. Almost two-thirds of the weight of living things comes from oxygen, mainly because living  things contain a lot of water and 88.9 percent of water’s weight comes from oxygen.
  4. Oxygen (O2) is very unstable in our planet’s atmosphere as it is very reactive and must be constantly replenished by photosynthesis in green plants. Without plant life, our atmosphere   would contain almost no oxygen. If we discover any other planets with atmospheres rich in  oxygen, we will know that life is almost certainly present on these planets as significant  quantities of oxygen will only exist on planets when it is released by living things.
  5. The Northern (and Southern) Lights: The green and dark-red colours in the aurora Borealis (and Australis) are caused by oxygen atoms. Highly energetic electrons from the solar wind split oxygen molecules high in earth’s atmosphere into excited, high energy atoms. These atoms lose energy by emitting photons, producing awe-inspiring light shows. These usually occur in the polar regions because solar electrons will accelerate along our planet’s magnetic field lines until they hit the atmosphere in the polar regions.
  6. A common urban myth is that hyperventilation is caused by breathing in too much oxygen. When we hyperventilate, we breathe too quickly, and this can lead to symptoms such as headache, light-headedness, dizziness, chest pains, tingling, slurred speech, fainting and spasms. Hyperventilation actually causes us to get rid of too much carbon dioxide from our bodies. The trouble with this is that we need carbon dioxide in our blood to stop it from becoming too alkaline. When we hyperventilate, we lose too much carbon dioxide, which disturbs the balance of substances in our blood, causing its pH to increase; this causes the blood vessels leading to our brains to get narrower, slowing the blood flow and decreasing the amount of oxygen reaching vital organs, leading to the symptoms of hyperventilation.
  7. As a gas, oxygen is clear. However as a liquid, it’s pale blue. If you’ve ever wondered what  swimming in a pool of liquid oxygen would be like, the answer is very, very cold,(according to Carl Zorn of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility). Oxygen must get down to minus 297.3 F (minus 183.0 C) to liquefy, so frostbite would be a bit of a  problem.

References: http://www.chemicool.com/elements/oxygen-facts.html and http://www.livescience.com/28738-oxygen.html

Why is it so important to have a local contact person for oxygen delivery?

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IMPORTANT: A local contact for you airbnb, hotel or villa reservation

OxygenWorldwide arranges the delivery of oxygen before you arrive and collects it again after you leave.

To achieve this we will always need a verifiable local contact person who can accept the materials on your behalf.

In the event that you do not have a local contact person because you made a booking through an online travel operator such as Airbnb or booking.com or alternative travel website and you have to let yourself in with a key or with a code, we can in only in some cases make a delivery on your arrival day or the day after.

The materials will then be collected before you leave.

Important: this last option is not available in all countries.

To enquire about medical oxygen delivery with our expert team please contact us here.

3 tips for you and your oxygen

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clouds and blue sky
  1. Always plan ahead; whether you are going away for a short day trip or a long vacation. Always plan your oxygen needs in advance to allow time for suitable arrangements.
  2. Speak with others in forums or through specialists teams – these will give you good guides, tips and advice on the best services, hotels, at home tips with your medical oxygen.
  3. Don’t let it stop you. Always stay as active as you can at home and out and about. Portable medical oxygen allows patients to have a normal life and its so important for your mental wellbeing to see friends and enjoy your hobbies.

If you are travelling with oxygen or planning to at some point; feel free to see our range of resources and links over at OxygenWorldwide and speak to our specialist team for enquiries and advice. They have over 20 years experience of travel with oxygen across many countries.

A thought for next Christmas – rent your tree!

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christmas tree in the snow

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the Christmas trees; real and artificial once the festive fun is all over?

A couple have started up a business to let people rent their Christmas trees as part of Oxygen Project. This helps to reduce the amount of trees that simply end up in the landfill. Your tree gets replanted for you ready for next year.

On average, one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year. You may feel an artificial tree would be better as they are re-used each year but ultimately once disposed of they take a long time to decompose in a landfill. Recycling your real tree is the most environmental option to take.

10 ways to help increase oxygen levels

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oxygen levels - diver in sea

It may have been a few years since this article was published but due to a popular interest of wanting to find some simple tips, we have decided to re-publish for our new readers!

Using supplemental oxygen will increase your oxygen levels but there are other tips that can help increase your oxygen levels, its circulation and your body’s ability to take up the additional oxygen and utilise it more efficiently.  Take a look at these ideas as in conjunction with your home oxygen therapy a little change could greatly increase your oxygen levels and quality of life.

These 10 ideas will help to improve your oxygen levels:

1.    Open your windows. Fresh air will bring additional oxygen into your home and even if you are constantly breathing in oxygen through a cannula, whenever you talk or open your mouth fresh air containing higher oxygen levels can be drawn into your body. If you live in a smoggy area then you could consider investing in an air-filtration system.
2.    Plants. They are the opposite of us as they take-in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen. Thereby increasing the foliage and plants in your home will decrease the carbon dioxide and increase the oxygen levels in your home.
3.    Aroma. Many of the chemical-filled candles and various other incense type products actually contain carcinogens. Instead it is better to burn all-natural beeswax candles as then you’ll have better luck breathing in oxygen.
4.    Exercise. Even a small amount of exercise will help to improve your respiration ability, as your breathing rate increases and deepens your lungs can absorb more oxygen.
5.    Increase your water intake. Water is made up of oxygen so by increasing your water consumption you can increase the amount of oxygen in your body.
6.    Go Green. Eating more fresh, raw green juices is beneficial as they are full of vitamins and minerals which your body utilises to aid in the uptake of oxygen.
7.    Meditation.  Daily meditation or just simply sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing and taking deep breaths for a few minutes can greatly help in reducing stress and improving your oxygen intake.
8.    Eat lron-rich foods. Your diet can seriously impact your oxygen levels. Certain foods can help improve your oxygen levels in the blood naturally. Target iron-rich foods such as meats, poultry, fish, legumes and green leafy vegetables as they can improve iron deficiency, which in turn improves blood oxygen levels.
9.    Cut out Salt. A diet low in sodium can lead to increased oxygenation via the kidney and the blood.
10.    Eat green raw foods. Oxygen-rich foods can naturally increase your blood oxygen levels. Try eating more green vegetables like kale, broccoli and celery in order to boost your oxygen levels and hopefully breathe easier.


References: http://lunginstitute.com
Blog article first published 2015

Letting your lungs live longer

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Eating nutrient rich foods is an important part of your diet when you need oxygen. For those who may have lung health issues or respiratory medical conditions diet is just as important. If you suffer from asthma, COPD, bronchitis or other lung illnesses then take a look at what foods can help enrich your lung function.

Always remember that water is also important part of your daily routine as well as getting enough sleep and exercise.

Here are some food which are recommended to improve lung function:

  • Apples are great!!
  • Broccoli
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Flaxseeds
  • Turmeric
apple

Where to travel to next???

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Deciding where to travel to for your next holiday, vacation or just wanting to get away can be a long research process depending on your wants and needs from a relaxing beach holiday to exploring culture and sightseeing. Throw in your medical condition and this makes planning so much more difficult with trying to find out if you can get to your accommodation easily, what is the terrain like if you need help with mobility, can oxygen even be delivered and how reliable would the service be if something went wrong?

Luckily the team at OxygenWorldwide have over 20 years experience and some of their top recommended places to travel are:

  • London
  • Berlin
  • New York
  • Paris
  • Sydney
  • Istanbul

Medical oxygen can be delivered to over 120 countries and to see a full list of countries where medical oxygen can be supplied please visit our website.

How to keep breathing

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We all needs to breath 24 hours a day, every day so some much needed support from oxygen suppliers is needed. The working day may be 9 to 5 and people go home and switch off but when you have an essential, vital need you cant have this added worry especially when travelling abroad with medical oxygen.

That’s why OxygenWorldwide offers a 24 hour service for all its customers in English, Spanish, German, French and Dutch. Now that is service and a company that understand and with its years of working in this field they care and understand their customers.

When travelling you would not want the added worry, stress or even language barrier if something went wrong with your oxygen supply or concentrator so let OxygenWorldwide put you at ease for you next holiday.