The wrong food and drink can upset more than just your
stomach. Avoid an upset holiday with our
guide to avoiding food poisoning
. We'll help you enjoy the best the world has to
offer.
Give your body a chance
Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, taking plenty
of exercise and getting plenty of sleep for a couple of
weeks before you set off is a good start. It'll help
your immune system prepare for the sudden changes in diet,
the times of day you eat, and it'll help you fight off
bacterial infection from poorly prepared food.
No ice, thank you
As tempting as a tall drink with plenty of ice can be on a
sunny day, avoid the ice part unless you trust the local tap
water. Ice cubes are a common cause of upset stomachs on
holiday. If the locals don't have ice in their drinks,
ask yourself why…
Eating out
Wherever you eat, make sure your meal is well cooked and
piping hot when it arrives. Avoid dishes that are being kept
warm, or food that's been cooked in a hurry. As hungry
as you might be after a hard day at the beach, food
poisoning can be serious – sometimes it can land you
in hospital.
Avoid salads
If the local tap water isn't fit for drinking, a salad
might not be the healthy option. The restaurant has to rinse
your lettuce and tomatoes in something, and it's
probably not bottled water. You're often better off
going for cooked vegetables.
… and ice cream
Ice cream from street-vendors is best avoided. It's
convenient, but all too often it has melted and been
re-frozen, which gives bacteria a great place to live and
breed. If you insist, go for recognised brands in packaging
instead of whipped ice cream cones produced from a machine.
Easy on the beer and cocktails
Excess alcohol makes your stomach more susceptible to the
effects of 'bad' bacteria, and can significantly
lower your immune system's ability to fight off
infection. Not only that, it can affect your ability to make
decisions – including those on what's good to
eat! Have fun, but don't ruin the holiday for
yourself.
Some of the most common travel insurance claims are for the
treatment of, and knock-on effects of food poisoning while
abroad. Make sure you're adequately covered - check
the policy details before you purchase.
