“Food poisoning” A common illness

Avoiding food poisoning is tricky

Everyone knows not to drink tap water, but it’s not just avoiding the water in your hotel room or hostel. There are many other sources of food contamination that we often ignore or never really think of.

Here are some of the main food types to avoid

• No Fresh Leafy Greens – Unless you are absolutely sure it has been washed with filtered water. It is best to go with the cooked greens. In the same vein don’t eat raw unpeeled fruits or vegetables unless you wash it with filtered water.
• Food Not Made To Order – Bubbling boiling soups, freshly made Pad Thai and freshly grilled meat are what you need to stick with. Avoid anything that looks like it’s been sitting there for a while, especially in the sun.
• Ice – Most restaurants/hotels/bars in touristy areas use ice that comes from frozen mineral water and they have it delivered daily. Better to ask first if the ice is made from tap water before ordering anything with ice in it, however.

As our parents always said, “Wash your hands clean before serving any kind of food into your mouth”. Use antibacterial cream to reach maximum safety. And always drink bottled water. Unless you enjoy Russian Roulette never drink tap water in developing countries.

Cure It Yourself

What to do if you get food poisoning?

Sometimes bad luck hits you and there you are, sitting on the bathroom floor with your head on the toilet seat.

• Make sure you replenish fluids and electrolytes by drinking lots of safe beverages.
• Most cases of food poisoning are caused by bacteria. if the food poisoning is severe, taking an antibiotic aimed at intestinal bacteria can be very effective, depending on the bacteria and its sensitivity.

Contaminated food and water may look perfectly harmless. Just because it doesn’t smell rotten or you can’t see green fuzz growing on it, doesn’t mean it is safe to eat. The point is that you never know so always be cautious about what you consume while you are traveling.