There are few things worse than being sick when traveling. For those of us who travel for our living, it’s inevitable that we’ll get sick. Colds, flus, bumps and bruises are things we can’t see coming so we just have to deal with them. However, food poisoning is one of the most common maladies for travelers and we can do a lot to avoid it.
Through unfortunate experiences in many countries, and advice from my doctor, I’ve learned a few TravelTrix that have kept me free of food borne illnesses for most of the past decade. I hope these are helpful for others.
Water – Bacteria common in food poisoning most often comes from tap water that has not been sanitized. Backpackers know to guard against giardia bacteria found in streams and know to sanitize water before drinking it. But those of us who live in modern cities just expect water from the tap to be sanitized. Not so. Through many bouts of tummy turbulence, I’ve adopted standard practices for places where water sanitation is suspect.
- Drink only bottled water that you open yourself. Restaurants around the world, US included, refill water bottles from the tap.
- In hotels, brush your teeth with bottled water and keep your mouth closed in the shower.
- In restaurants drink tea or other beverages that are steaming hot when served.
- Ice issues are commonly known but I wanted to be complete. The ice in your drink likely came from the tap.
- If you need a cool drink buy refrigerated sparkling water in the bottle. Even though there are now devices that carbonate tap water, most places won’t waste the time especially if they are already over charging you for bubbles.
Raw fruits and vegetables – This is related to water. When you have any raw vegetable, it’s likely been washed in tap water and this doesn’t just apply to salads. Two experiences to note:
- We were in one of our foreign offices and a few folks wanted American fast food. The nearby options were pizza and sandwiches, both US franchises. We chose sandwiches which came with lettuce, tomatoes and other fresh vegetables. By early evening none of us could leave our hotel rooms. The vegetables were washed with tap water.
- We were flying from Asia to Europe on a US airline. We were all fine when we got on the plane. Dinner was our first meal and it included a salad. We all ate and by the time we landed in Europe we were all sick with traditional food poisoning. The salad ingredients were washed in tap water at the airport.
If in doubt, if it isn’t steaming don’t be eating.
Pre-cooked food – Whenever you order a restaurant dish that includes pre-cooked servings, make sure it’s steaming hot. At many restaurants, in the US, they cook things like beans, rice and vegetables, in the morning and serve it all day long. They typically reheat the food in an oven or microwave which is why servers often warn us about the hot plates. You want this.
- We were in a Mexican restaurant in a small town in Washington (my home state). We’d been there many times but this time I noticed the beans and rice were not steaming, as was normal. Everything tasted great but by that evening I was so sick I had to go to the hospital. When the doctor learned where I’d eaten he said it was the pre-cooked beans, and that the place had been fined many times for not properly storing and reheating their pre-cooked foods.
Again, if it isn’t steaming don’t be eating.
As a precaution I carry medications with me in the event I do get sick. My doctor prescribes medication that stops diarrhea and an antibiotic that can shorten the duration of the illness. (Note: I am not a doctor so you should ask your physician which medicines, if any, are best for your situation.)
Again, these are lessons learned by a person who has spent more than 50% of the last decade on the road in many foreign countries. I hope my experiences help you avoid my experiences.
©2013 Rick Wong – The Five Abilities LLC
