Tips to Stay Healthy in India.

Travel to India or other foreign countries does not have to mean spending a few days battling a gastrointestinal illness. With a few tricks it is possible to avoid having a vacation or work trip interrupted by excess toilet time.

Most traveler’s diarrhea is caused by a change in the bacteria of the stomach, although it is also possible to contract a variety of viruses or parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium.

Eat and Drink Carefully To Stay Healthy

Most traveler’s diarrhea comes from eating food or drinking water that is contaminated. So the best way to reduce the chance of getting ill is to watch what you eat and drink. Eating only well cooked foods that are served hot is one of the safest ways to get your meals. Ideally choose a restaurant that looks clean and don’t be afraid to take a look in the kitchen to see how sanitary it looks. Avoid food off the streets or from anyplace that appears unsanitary.

Raw foods are best avoided, but sometimes it can be hard to resist the wide array of fruits and vegetables that can be found in India or many other subtropical or tropical countries. In this case stick with foods that can be peeled and wash them well before consuming.

And while ice cream may seem appealing it is not always made from pasteurized milk and thus carries a higher risk.

Treat Water to Avoid Illness and Reduce Trash

Avoid drinking untreated water from taps and in restaurants or find out if the water is filtered or not. Many travelers drink only bottled water to stay on the safe side. Of course, as depicted in the movieSlumdog Millionaire, there is always the chance someone will pull a fast one. Drinking bottled water also contributes to the garbage problem and in many countries plastic water bottles can be found littering almost every nook and cranny.

For these reasons some travelers choose to treat their own water. The SteriPEN works well for this and can be used to treat a variety of water sources. While iodine, chlorine and filters can be used they are often not as effective as the SteriPEN in treating the variety of things that can be found in the water

Wash Hands Often to Stay Free of Germs

In India and many other countries it is a good idea for travelers to wash their hands frequently. This helps assure any germs that may make it onto your hands don’t make it any further. In fact, one good idea is to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pockets that can be pulled out anytime your hands come in contact with anything suspicious.

Eat Garlic

While there is no hard scientific data that shows garlic’s benefits, some travelers will swear that taking a garlic pill every day or with every meal has helped them stay healthy. It certainly can’t hurt although the prudent traveler should probably focus more on eating well, drinking safe, and keeping their hands clean.