How to Prevent Traveller’s Diarrhoea?
€Prevention is always better than cure,€ and in order to prevent such illness like traveller's diarrhoea, this old adage is 101% true and applicable.
Traveller's Diarrhoea (TD) or also called as bali belly, delhi belly, Montezuma's revenge among others is basically a condition marked by increased frequency of loose bowel movements, urgency to go to the toilet, abdominal cramps and bloating, mild fever, nausea and vomiting. This condition however is self-limiting and clears up after a few days. To think that this illness can cause utter inconvenience and ruin your important trip is just so alarming that every traveler from developed countries spending days or weeks to developing parts of the world€"as they are the primary victims of traveller's diarrhoea€"must take action in order to prevent this illness even before it attacks them.
To prevent diarrhoea or traveller's diarrhoea, there are few words to always bear in mind: COOK IT, BOIL IT, PEEL IT, OR AVOID IT! Since ingestion of contaminated food is the number one cause of acquiring TD, and there are numerous ways of possibly getting them, taking precautionary measures on the food that you consume is a simple step that can take you a long way.
€ First of all, if you are not sure or in doubt of the cleanliness of the water supply, don't dare drink it, and this also applies to ice cubes and other iced drinks since you don't have absolute assurance where the water used on making them came from. It's best to drink sealed bottled, purified or carbonated water€"and even use them for cleaning teeth. And when you are going to use regular water, be sure to boil it for one minute before consuming it.
€ Cook thoroughly any food, especially meats and seafood and see to it to serve them piping hot. Remember that undercooked meats have high-risk of microorganism contamination, and foods left long enough in room temperature have high possibility to be contaminated.
€ Avoid eating uncooked vegetables and fruits that are already peeled. It is best to choose raw fruits and veggies that you can peel yourself and salads made by you, just to prevent diarrhoea.
€ Avoid unpasteurized milk and other dairy products, as much as possible. Boil milk before consuming it and take care with local cheeses and ice cream.
€ Wash all the dishes and cutlery in clean hot water before using them and of course, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water and don't forget to dry them before eating or handling food, and always after using the toilet, holding money and touching possible contaminated objects.
€ Seek hot, not just warm food and avoid foods sold in stalls in streets and places with poor hygiene.
It is also best to avoid alcohol and coffee as they can contribute to even worse case of traveller's diarrhoea.
In your mission to prevent diarrhoea, practicing good hygiene is your best weapon above anything else. This can further reduce the risk of acquiring the said illness so it must be taken into consideration. Washing your hands after going to the toilet and before eating or preparing food is your best defense against microorganism-causing TD. Also, make sure any dishes and other utensils are properly cleaned and dried before use. In the event that you really have to eat outside during the course of your travel, its best advised to head to reputable restaurants with trusted hygienic environments and proper food handling and preparation.
Traveller's Diarrhoea (TD) or also called as bali belly, delhi belly, Montezuma's revenge among others is basically a condition marked by increased frequency of loose bowel movements, urgency to go to the toilet, abdominal cramps and bloating, mild fever, nausea and vomiting. This condition however is self-limiting and clears up after a few days. To think that this illness can cause utter inconvenience and ruin your important trip is just so alarming that every traveler from developed countries spending days or weeks to developing parts of the world€"as they are the primary victims of traveller's diarrhoea€"must take action in order to prevent this illness even before it attacks them.
To prevent diarrhoea or traveller's diarrhoea, there are few words to always bear in mind: COOK IT, BOIL IT, PEEL IT, OR AVOID IT! Since ingestion of contaminated food is the number one cause of acquiring TD, and there are numerous ways of possibly getting them, taking precautionary measures on the food that you consume is a simple step that can take you a long way.
€ First of all, if you are not sure or in doubt of the cleanliness of the water supply, don't dare drink it, and this also applies to ice cubes and other iced drinks since you don't have absolute assurance where the water used on making them came from. It's best to drink sealed bottled, purified or carbonated water€"and even use them for cleaning teeth. And when you are going to use regular water, be sure to boil it for one minute before consuming it.
€ Cook thoroughly any food, especially meats and seafood and see to it to serve them piping hot. Remember that undercooked meats have high-risk of microorganism contamination, and foods left long enough in room temperature have high possibility to be contaminated.
€ Avoid eating uncooked vegetables and fruits that are already peeled. It is best to choose raw fruits and veggies that you can peel yourself and salads made by you, just to prevent diarrhoea.
€ Avoid unpasteurized milk and other dairy products, as much as possible. Boil milk before consuming it and take care with local cheeses and ice cream.
€ Wash all the dishes and cutlery in clean hot water before using them and of course, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water and don't forget to dry them before eating or handling food, and always after using the toilet, holding money and touching possible contaminated objects.
€ Seek hot, not just warm food and avoid foods sold in stalls in streets and places with poor hygiene.
It is also best to avoid alcohol and coffee as they can contribute to even worse case of traveller's diarrhoea.
In your mission to prevent diarrhoea, practicing good hygiene is your best weapon above anything else. This can further reduce the risk of acquiring the said illness so it must be taken into consideration. Washing your hands after going to the toilet and before eating or preparing food is your best defense against microorganism-causing TD. Also, make sure any dishes and other utensils are properly cleaned and dried before use. In the event that you really have to eat outside during the course of your travel, its best advised to head to reputable restaurants with trusted hygienic environments and proper food handling and preparation.
