Traveler's diarrhea, or "turista", is a very common condition when traveling to a country with poor hygiene conditions. It is most often infectious, transmitted through food. A few precautions can help prevent it and ensure a peaceful stay.

WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD I TAKE?

The basic hygiene rule is frequent hand washing. Wash them or use a hydroalcoholic solution or gel several times a day, before each meal and before handling food.

Depending on where you are going and your state of health, remember to also prepare a suitable medical kit. However, hand hygiene will be the same for everyone!

WHAT FOODS SHOULD I FAVOR?

You should avoid salads, raw vegetables, and fresh fruit, which may come into contact with dirty water, unless you can either peel them or wash them yourself with clean water.

Only eat food that is sufficiently cooked and served hot, especially meat, fish or shellfish. Avoid cooked food served lukewarm or cold, as well as eggs, mayonnaise or similar sauces.

Avoid dairy products, including cream cakes and ice cream.

You will enjoy your stay much more by paying attention to your diet on site, which will not prevent you from tasting some local dishes, hot!

WHAT CAN I DRINK?

Only drink bottled water or industrial drinks that you have opened yourself. However, avoid putting your lips to it directly, use a glass or a straw.

If you are forced to drink tap water, filter it first if it is cloudy with a filter purchased from a pharmacy, three coffee filters one inside the other or a clean cloth.

You are going to the tropics or a hot country. You may develop a taste for hot, thirst-quenching and safe mint tea.

Then purify it, using the method of your choice:

• with specific tablets sold in pharmacies or drugstores following the manufacturer's instructions,
• or by boiling it for a little over a minute.

Store this water in a clean, hermetically sealed container.

Ban ice cubes.

Avoid fresh fruit juices (sometimes diluted with contaminated water).

Milk must be boiled or pasteurized. You can consume hot drinks (coffee or tea) provided that unboiled or unpasteurized milk is not added.

HOW CAN I BRUSH MY TEETH?

Do not use tap water. Brush your teeth with clean water, from an uncapped bottle or treated by yourself.
Even if they seem simple, these precautions are sometimes restrictive and require constant vigilance. Only at this price will you avoid the unpleasantness of infectious diarrhea while traveling.

Author: Alix du Couëdic