Travelers Stomach What to Do IN THE EVENT THAT YOU Get Sick Abroad

Exotic locations in Latin America unfortunately often come with their share of exotic problems. read more of us are happy to avoid the pleasure of wailing right into a toilet pan at 2am each morning after an ill-advised 'seafood experience', but if you are determined to get out and 'live it local' then eventually it is something you need to deal with. If you're planning an action packed itinerary to make the most of your vacation in Latin America, the final thing you need would be to get sick, so here 's some advice to help you spend more time enjoying your trip than cursing from the comfort of one's en suite bathroom.

The food in lots of parts of Latin America, particularly Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico is excellent. However make sure you take the advice of your travel company to avoid any real health issues and maximise the enjoyment of your vacation.

Plan the worst - Travel Insurance

Along with stomach trouble, it is possible to pick up many different unpleasant conditions if you're getting stuck directly into your destination; its always best to have it covered if things fail. Ensure that your travel insurance, if purchased independently, includes medical care. Ask an insurance advisor or your tour operator if you need any destination-specific advice , nor simply depend on the cover distributed by your credit card as this is not adequate!

Get a portable medication kit for your destination

A destination guidebook, your tour operator or your doctor will be able to advise on the contents of a straightforward portable medical kit to cover the most common ailments while abroad, including digestive issues. It shouldn't take up an excessive amount of packing space and could make life far more bearable while you are tearing frantically through your luggage looking for something to help ease any discomfort.

Go on it easy the week before leaving

Your body is pretty incredible; in many cases it has the ability to resist disease, infection and the variety of nasty things that you put into it. However, if check here 've been burning the candle at both ends to get all your work finished before your vacation or attending a string of leaving parties before flying out, your disease fighting capability could be weak, causing you to much more susceptible to problems.

Clean hands

A terrific way to pick up germs and all manner of nasties is from your hands. A straightforward alcohol or anti-bacterial gel or spray to clean them before meals or after likely to the bathroom will reduce the opportunity of something unwanted finding its way into the mouth area.

Careful cuisine

You can find common culprits which have brought unwanted bacteria and diseases to the stomach lining of travellers over time. Whilst if can be quite a great experience to eat vendor food out on the road of a foreign country, if you don't have a couple weeks to go through the roller coaster of allowing your stomach to adjust it is probably worth taking a safer option. Typically dubious options for food are raw or undercooked meat, poultry, raw fruit and veggies and milk products. Water is often a source of problems in many Latin American countries, so make an effort to stick to water in bottles and prevent ice, as this is made from plain tap water. When you are determined to eat local snacks, make an effort to do so earlier in the day when they are still fresh.

Hopefully you're not scanning this on a Blackberry whilst heaving in a toilet cubicle, but it's good to have a plan if things fail; remember these simple steps to get on the road to recovery fast.

1. Get back to your hotel and rest

2. Tell your tour company local contact, a friend or someone at reception to help keep an eye on you and tell them of any medication taken or allergies in the event a doctor needs to be informed

3. Drink plenty of water and use re-hydration salts from your own medication kit. Have a handful of painkillers if necessary.

4. Many stomach problems could be resolved in 72 hours, but if your condition is still the same after 3 days or there is any blood involved, contact your physician as recommended by your tour operator, guide or hotel.

Getting sick is certainly not an outcome anyone wants from their trip, but at the very least you can take comfort in the truth that going on a global adventure is pushing you out of your comfort zone and developing you as an individual.