Food and drink on your trip

Many holidays are ruined by food poisoning or by drinking the water.
So-called 'Spanish Tummy' or 'Delhi Belly' is responsible for ruining
thousands of holiday makers fun every year, and this can be largely avoided if you follow a few simple rules.

1. Firstly you should never assume that other countries have the same levels of food or water hygiene as we have in the UK.
2. Always wash your hands after using the toilet and before eating any food.
3. Be careful of shellfish, make sure it's not undercooked or it hasn't been left out of the refrigerator for too long. In particular it’s a good idea to avoid it in a buffet as you can never be sure how long it has been left out for.
4. Make sure that any meat you eat has been well cooked.
5. Clean your teeth with bottled water just in case you swallow any of the tap water.
6. Avoid having ice in your drinks as this will almost certainly be frozen tap water.
7. Always make sure you wash fruit and vegetables in bottled or cooled down boiled water before consuming them too.
8. Even if it is safe to drink the water from the tap, it may be advisable to stick to bottled water, as your resistance to waterbourne illnesses will be less developed than the locals.
9. Avoid eating foods from street or hawker stalls ñ as the levels of
hygiene can be particularly dubious.

If you do get an upset stomach drink plenty of bottled water to make sure you replace lost fluids and don't get too dehydrated. While you have diarrhoea it's a good idea to avoid spicy foods and alcohol, too. If the condition lasts for a while it is advisable to take rehydration salts, but if it lasts for more than a couple of days contact a doctor.

But don't let the above stop you from enjoying the local delicacies,
embracing the foods of a nation is one of the most pleasurable and
interesting parts of a holiday. And in many cases sticking to local foods rather than their poorly interpreted versions of our food can be a way to avoid stomach upsets.