Eight Helpful Hints On Avoiding The Dreaded Travelers Trots

You've heard the horror stories about traveling on vacation only to end up holding down that porcelain throne in your hotel room. It's known by many names such Montezuma's Revenge and Traveler's Trots. The bottom line is that no matter what you call it, you could be at risk at contracting traveler's diarrhea.

You can contract traveler's diarrhea anywhere in the world where drinking water is not potable or even by eating food that has not been properly cooked or stored. What happens is that your body has antibodies that protect you from germs. However, when you are in a new place, your body does not have the antibody yet to fight back, ergo traveler's diarrhea.

When you plan to travel to a third world country or a place where you suspect the water may not be clean enough to drink, be sure to consult with your doctor before leaving. You could get special medication such as antibiotics or anti-diarrhea remedies to take with you as a precaution. Some type of vaccination could be in your future as well, depending on your vacation destination. In addition to seeking the advice of your doctor in advance, there are several things you can do to try and prevent the dreaded traveler's diarrhea.

1. Drink only bottled water while traveling and do not brush your teeth with water flowing from the tap. Avoid icy drinks unless you know for certain that purified water or bottled water was used to create the ice.

2. Eat only pasteurized dairy products like milk and cheese.

3. Do not eat any food that you can buy from street vendors.

4. Eat only fresh vegetables that you can peel yourself. Also, do not eat salads or fruit dishes as they could be contaminated.

5. Do not eat sushi or other raw seafood or meat. They should be cooked to a minimum temperature to kill any harmful bacteria.

If you are staying in a hotel with a kitchenette, you can boil your own water to kill the diarrhea-causing germs. You need to boil it for at least two minutes and allow cooling for your needs. So now you know what you should avoid eating and drinking to bypass the dreaded traveler's trots. But do you know what you can eat and drink and still keep your tummy troubles to a minimum? Here are a few ideas that might help you make the right decisions:

1. Carbonated or canned drinks like sodas are typically safe for you to drink.

2. Hot tea and hot coffee are generally safe and tummy trouble-free.

3. Bottled water that is still tightly sealed. (Some enterprising street urchins collect water bottles and refill them from the local water supply and try to resell them to unsuspecting tourists so beware!)

4. Eat only vegetables and fruits that you can peel yourself or that have been cooked safely.

5. Eat meat and seafood that has been cooked properly.

Even if you take every precaution, you could still develop traveler's diarrhea. So if you experience loose stools at least three times within one twenty-four hour's period, you likely have it. You may also experience fever, cramps, vomiting and occasionally blood in your stools. The most important thing to do is stay hydrated; keep those fluids coming. You may also want to take an anti-diarrhea medication as well as antibiotics to kill any errant bacteria. Within a few days, you should feel more human.

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