Traveler's diarrhea diet

Recommendations:

Preventing Traveler's Diarrhea:

• Water:
  • Do not use tap water for drinking or brushing teeth.
  • Don't use ice made from tap water.
  • Use only boiled water (at least 5 minutes) for mixing baby formula.
  • For infants, breast-feeding is the best and safest food source. However, the stress of traveling may decrease milk production.

• Other beverages:
  • Drink only pasteurized milk.
  • Drink bottled drinks if the seal on the bottle hasn't been broken.
  • Carbonated drinks are generally safe.
  • Hot drinks are generally safe.

• Food:
  • Do not eat raw fruits and vegetables unless you peel them.
  • Do not eat raw leafy vegetables (e.g. lettuce, spinach, cabbage); they are hard to clean.
  • Do not eat raw or rare meats.
  • Do not buy food from street vendors unless you watch them cook it and then you eat it immediately.
  • Do eat hot, well-cooked foods. Heat kills the bacteria. Hot foods left to sit may become re-contaminated.

• Sanitation:
  • Wash hands often.
  • Watch children carefully. They put lots of things in their mouths or touch contaminated items and then put their hands in their mouths.
  • If possible, keep infants from crawling on dirty floors.
  • Check to see that utensil and dishes are clean.

Treatment:
If you or your child get diarrhea, continue eating and drinking. Dehydration presents the most critical problem. Use only those medicines prescribed by a physician.

Signs of dehydration include:

• decreased urine (fewer wet diapers in infants)
• dry mouth
• sunken eyes
• few tears when crying

Oral rehydration fluids are advised for children who are dehydrated, or to prevent dehydration. These fluids contain salts (mainly sodium, potassium and chloride) with small amounts of glucose (a form of sugar). They replace lost fluids and minerals. Most stores in the U.S. sell rehydration fluids in the infant section. In third world countries, many health agencies stock packets of salts to mix with water.

If rehydration fluids are not available, you can make an emergency solution as follows:

• 1 level teaspoon table salt
• 8 level teaspoons sugar
• 1 quart water

Measure carefully. Too much salt is dangerous; the fluid should taste like tears--no saltier. Give the child small amounts to drink often. Small amounts decrease the likelihood of vomiting. One guideline is to give one cup of fluid for every loose stool passed. Urine output can also serve as a guide; severely dehydrated children have a decreased urine output. Have a health care provider exam the child if diarrhea persists or other symptoms occur.

For foreign travel, check with embassies or consulate offices. Many guide books list organizations that help travelers.