How To Avoid An Upset Stomach When Traveling!

One of the biggest issues some of us travelers encounter is getting an upset stomach or even worse – traveler’s diarrhea.  Travelers diarrhea can certainly put a major damper on our travels, yet there are ways we can try to prevent this common foe.

Since I have experienced this issue first hand with my fiancée at the time now husband, we looked into the issue to see what we can do differently next time during our travels to prevent this from happening again. During our research we have discovered that we normally get T.D. by drinking water and consuming food that contains germs.  In fact, the Center for Disease Control reports that T.D. is the most common illness for travelers.  An estimated 20 to 50 percent of international travelers (approximately 10 million people) develop T.D. each year.  The people who live in the areas being visited do not get sick because their bodies are used to the germs and those visiting the country are more likely to get sick because they lack the infection fighting agents to attack the nasty germs. 

It’s no secret that everyone needs to have a substantial population of healthy, good bacteria in their stomach because it is essential for proper digestive health.  However, when you travel to warmer climates where the water may not be clean, your good bacteria can take a severe beating.

Here are a couple of naturopathic and physician recommended ways to help keep your stomach healthy.

  • Take a travel friendly version of acidophilus (good bacteria for your stomach), available at most health food stores.  Be sure to purchase a non-refrigerated version and take one capsule daily on an empty stomach.
  • Do not drink tap water and do not even use it to brush your teeth.
  • Consider taking an oregano oil capsule that is anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic.  Take the supplement on an empty stomach but do not take the oregano at the same time as you take your acidophilus supplement.
  • Only use ice made from purified water (you can tell by the shape of the ice cube if it is purified).
  • Ask at restaurants if your fruits and vegetables have been washed and not just rinsed.  Some people only consume fruits and vegetables with a removable peel as an extra precaution.
  • Do not eat rare or raw meats and fish.
  • Only drink milk and eat dairy products that are pasteurized.

Even with these measures, you may still encounter T.D.  Here are the symptoms:
  • Three loose stools in 24 hours – and you may have one of the following symptoms as well:

    • Fever
    • Stomach cramps
    • Bloody stool
    • Vomiting

If you do have T.D., it will typically subside in four or five days.  Remember to drink lots of purified water and other clear liquids to ensure you don’t get dehydrated.  If dehydration is a concern, there are many re hydration products on the market that will help replace the fluids and electrolytes you may have lost when you were sick.  In addition, you might ant to choose to take over the counter medicines or antibiotics in order to feel better quickly and to start enjoying your vacation.  If your case seems severe or you aren’t getting better, you should seek help from a medical practitioner.

I hope my past experience and information helps make your next vacation a healthy and safe one!

The above mentioned information was found on The Center for Disease Control website.

Posted by on 08/17 at 11:01 AM

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