If you don’t want to spend your trip sitting on the toilet, pay special attention to what you put in your mouth. Waterborne illnesses are often present in developing-world countries, and in many places you may not be able to drink the tap water (find out where at CanIDrinktheWater.org). If you have any doubts, stick to bottled water or use a portable purifier to treat your H2O.
You also don’t want dining out to be a hazardous activity, so keep these tips in mind:
- If it’s a fruit or vegetable, make sure it has been thoroughly washed, peeled or boiled.
- Eat at popular establishments with high customer turnover. The food is more likely to be safe in these places and the high turnover assures that it won’t be sitting out for too long.
- Pay attention to hygienic conditions at street food stands. If it doesn’t look like a good idea, it probably isn’t.
- Eat food served hot – and if it’s not, don’t be afraid to send it back. A lukewarm meal may be harbouring bacteria that you do not want in your gut.
Even apart from the food safety issue, you’ll want to keep your diet from getting too out of kilter. Poor nutrition can make you sluggish and prone to illness. Try to eat at least some fresh fruits and veggies throughout the day; it’ll give your immune system a boost and keep your energy levels up. If the local cuisine rarely features fresh produce, pop into a supermarket and pick up a few things you can snack on. And of course it goes without saying that when it comes to alcohol, overdoing it is bad for both the immune system and your judgment (and therefore potentially your health).
Read more in our post 7 Travel Health Tips for Your Next Trip.
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