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Health
Note: Traveling overseas can turn ugly if
you're not careful
Your overseas
dream vacation can quickly turn into a
nightmare if you don't take certain
precautions during your
trip.
Traveler's diarrhea
is a common problem for international
travelers going to developing countries in
Latin America, Asia, Africa, and parts of
the Middle East. This condition occurs
when the normal balance of the
gastrointestinal tract is invaded by
bacteria, viruses or parasites found in
contaminated food and water. Each year
nearly 10 million people develop
traveler's diarrhea.
"If you have a
minimum of three watery stools within a
24-hour period during your vacation, you
have traveler's diarrhea," said Debra
Amos, a travel health nurse with The
Methodist Hospital Wellness Services in
Houston. "The condition might be
accompanied by bloating, abdominal cramps,
nausea, headache, fatigue, a low grade
fever (100 or below) and an urgency to use
the restroom.
"People at highest
risk of contracting this condition include
young adults, immunosuppressed persons,
persons with inflammatory bowel disease or
diabetes, and those taking H-2 beta
blockers.
One way to avoid
traveler's diarrhea is to wash your hands
thoroughly with non-contaminated water
before every snack and meal. There are
also other ways to stay away from this
illness:
• Drink only
purified or bottled carbonated water. Use
the same water when brushing teeth or
taking medications.
• Eat foods
that are thoroughly cooked, and piping
hot. Avoid buffets, quiches, and
casseroles.
• Avoid salads
made with raw vegetables.
• Do not use
ice cubes in beverages.
• Eat and drink
dairy products made from pasteurized
milk.
• Avoid
shellfish or raw, undercooked
seafood.
• Do not eat
food sold by street vendors.
"My motto when
traveling overseas is always 'boil it,
cook it, peel it, or forget it," Amos
said. "In other words, make sure you know
how your food was prepared before eating
it. Taking a little time to know what you
are eating and drinking might just save
you a lot of pain and suffering on your
vacation."
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