| Question |
What is the best way to avoid getting sick while traveling and eating, if you want to enjoy local food?
Obviously, I could avoid eating street food but if I want to enjoy local food that isn't McDonalds I would like to. I once heard that eating yogurt while traveling can help with stomach maladies.
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| By
Nick M |
Posted on
05/02/07 Total Answers
8 |
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| Answers- |
| Well just like food in your own refrigerator. If your not sure smell it good look it over and if your still not sure eat a very little or nothing until you feel confident. |
| Answer by :
Scott On Date
2007-05-02 11:40:06 |
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| I find that water is often the cause of illness - avoid not just tap water, but also ice cubes and wet glasses.
As for street food, just be a bit picky about which street foods you eat - cooked beef/pork/lamb is usually safe, chicken is more risky (although barbecue or rotisserie chicken is most often safe). Soup is a bad idea because it's often stored overnight without refrigeration. Avoid lettuce and other un-peelable veggies.
Only patronize places that are very popular with locals - they know the good from the bad. |
| Answer by :
nomadic On Date
2007-05-02 11:41:15 |
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| I travelled in central america, and got sick once. I found that drinking a lot of water (bottled!!!!) and keeping some pink bismuth tablets on me all the times would help. If you order a drink in a restaurant/bar, get it in the bottle - unopened. You are going to be eating food that is probably not cooked properly or is not prepared in a "food safe" environment, you have to accept that, and just enjoy it! I found that not "asking" what the food was helped me not have a "psychological" ailment :P |
| Answer by :
vega_five On Date
2007-05-02 11:44:28 |
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| Yes, it is true that eating yogurt for a week or two before travelling can help increase the levels of "good bacteria" in your stomach and help to prevent traveller's diarrhea. While it is not recommended, you can also take strong antibiotics prior to and during your trip to greatly decrease your chances. Any of the usuals (Cipro, Levaquin, Septra) would suffice. Just tell your doctor you accidentally ate a piece of raw meat and want an antibiotic. You should avoid taking antibiotics because it helps bacteria become resistant to it. Also, these infections (E. Coli, Hepatitis, etc.) are VERY serious and you should still try to avoid possibly contaminated food and water (BOTTLED ONLY).
P.S. - Take along the antidiarrheal medicine (Immodium or generic) anyway! There are many ways to get diarrhea besides an infection. This includes overeating, eating spicy foods, or eating foods you're not used to. |
| Answer by :
Randy On Date
2007-05-02 11:48:26 |
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| The best easy way to start is to get Hepatitis A vaccinations and any others recommended such as cholera, typhoid etc. Then check any travel web sites for tips about what that area of the world is known for (disease-wise); a travel doctor can also help. You can tell your doctor you will be traveling & they can prescribe the "travelers" cocktail ( you don't need to lie to them)--pepto bismol and cipro usually. Then, boil all water or drink bottled; no ice, no vegies with out peeling (they are washed in water); eat well-cooked food, avoid raw eggs, meat etc, nothing that has been sitting out in the sun not chilled (Salmonella & shigella lurks here). You might want to pack some electrolyte replacement packs (available at travel & outdoor stores like REI) in case you do get sick. You can even get small heating coils that heat & sterilyze water--to brush teeth in or use bottled here too. Use alot of common sense. But sometimes it can't be helped--you can get sick just swimming in some areas so when you get home & if you are still ill seek medical attention & tell them exactly where you went. Travel eating is always a risk--just look at how many get sick just in the US! |
| Answer by :
Diane A On Date
2007-05-02 12:02:23 |
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| Gee I got a bad stomach in Munich of all places, but that could have just been the copious amounts of beer I was drinking at Oktoberfest.
I feel that if you eat where the locals eat it will benefit you in 2 ways.
1. You are experiencing the 'real' food of the country, not the naturalised version you will find at home eg chinese food in the US tastes alot different from that in China
2. You will probably get a cheaper meal.
Just keep a packet of imodium handy, dont drink the tap water, and ask for a straw when drinking out of a can. |
| Answer by :
Suzieq On Date
2007-05-02 20:37:51 |
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| All of the above are good suggestions. Two more that seem to have worked for me:
1. Always wash your hands before eating. If soap and water are not available carry some individually packed hand wipes. Hand sanitizers like Purell are good but don't go crazy about germs. Just wash your hands before eating and you will do well.
2. Consume high dose Vitamin C. Use crystals and dissolve in bottled water. I say that it's because viruses hate acidic environments but I don't know if that's true or not. I just know that I've traveled extensively in dodgy situations and don't get sick. You have to work up to the high dose, otherwise you'll get diarhhea. Start a couple of weeks before your departure so that you get to 2,000 mg three times per day.
Actually I did get sick once and it was my own fault because I ate a sandwich [a torta] at a cafe where I didn't know whether the mayonnaise was refrigerated. It wasn't and I paid the price. Lucky for me it wasn't serious.
In dodgy places you are better off eating from street vendors than in restaurants. This is because you can see the condition of the food and the habits of the vendor. Most street vendors buy small quantities of fresh food as they don't have the money to buy backstock. When you eat in a restaurant you can't go back and see the condition of the kitchen and you don't know whether or not the electricity has been out and the meat you eat is spoiled.
Have fun! |
| Answer by :
Tammy Blue On Date
2007-05-04 08:15:14 |
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| Before I decide to eat in a restaurant I visit the LADIES ROOM..if its clean and stocked well with SOAP and TOWELS then likely management is interested in the hygiene of the restaurant. Sneek a peek into the kitchen if you can too. |
| Answer by :
yackycritter On Date
2007-05-05 16:16:07 |
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