Holiday eating

We wait what seems like forever to go on holiday and probably make a great many sacrifices to finance it.  At the end of it we want to feel rejuvenated and ready to face the day-to-day matters with which we all have to deal.  What we don’t want is to come back from our holiday feeling unwell – or worse, having suffered ill health whilst we were away, which leaves us only with poor memories of what should have been a good experience.

There are many reasons why we get sick on holiday; but the most common is dietary indiscretion.  Do we know what to look for in terms of good healthy food when we are away?  How many of us in the relaxing ambience of a foreign holiday, eat foods we would never touch here in the UK?

There are some very basic rules, which if we remembered them, would mean that far fewer of us would ever become ill whilst travelling or relaxing.  We at MyHealthPortal have put together some of the more important ones so that you can enjoy a healthy (and therefore much happier) time when away on holiday.

Hotels and Restaurants

We pay for the best accommodation we can afford when we go on holiday, but it may surprise you to know that even five star locations are not immune from kitchen hygiene problems; nor are they protected from staff with health problems in the kitchen, who may pass them on to the guests.  There are several simple rules which will go a long way towards ensuring you do not fall prey to these circumstances.

If the hotel has a buffet, arrive as early as possible when the it is still fresh.  Eat hot dishes which are really hot and cold food which has been kept cold.  Buffets which are kept at room temperature are especially risky.  Salads are also a potential source of illness.  Avoid mayonnaise and cream, which research has shown, are often put out day after day.  Sometimes it is possible to order food freshly cooked as is often the case with eggs at breakfast.  If you do have this choice, it is a good idea to take advantage of it.   Fresh fruit should always be peeled.  If ice is made from water of a dubious quality it is a risk.  Contrary to popular belief, freezing does not kill bacteria.  Unless you are very sure that ice has been made with safe water, take your drinks without it.

Do not drink the tap water unless there are signs to say it is safe to do so.  Brush your teeth using bottles water if there is any doubt about the quality of the tap water.

When eating in a restaurant, look out for signs that the place is well run from a hygiene perspective.  Don’t eat in places which have many flies or signs of overflowing rubbish bins.  Check out the staff appearance.  Do they look clean and tidy and give the impression they take pride in their work?  If you are not happy when you have chance to size up the situation in a restaurant, leave rather than take the risk.  Many of the International restaurant chains may be less adventurous, but they do normally share good food sourcing and hygiene practices.

Out and about

When out and about, try to eat from recognised companies.  Ditto for soft drinks.  Do not drink locally-bottled beverages which may have come from dubious manufacturers.  When purchasing bottled water, ensure you break the seal.  Unscrupulous traders have been known to keep bottles and refill them with tap water. Do not eat food from street traders.  Past research has shown that street food may contain all kinds of contaminants.

Protection

Make sure you have received the hepatitis A vaccine.  Hepatitis A is transmitted via food and drink and is endemic in many locations.  Whilst it is not such a serious illness in itself, it can cause many weeks of misery, time off work and there is no effective treatment.  You can obtain the vaccine by visiting your GP or a travel clinic before you go away.  The first dose will give you at least a year of immunity, but taking another dose after one year will give you many years of protection.  Similarly, typhoid vaccine is recommended for many locations and your doctor or travel clinic will advise you if this is recommended for the location you are to visit.

You may benefit by regularly taking probiotic capsules, a supply of which you can purchase prior to departure from a pharmacy or healthfood shop.  You should follow the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.  However, do not rely on these as a preventive.  They may well help your gut flora to stay healthy which will aid your immunity, but they will not stop you from becoming ill if you suffer an overwhelming dose of bacteria or virus. 

After return

You may enjoy a wonderful holiday but become ill after your return.  Some intestinal problems may not manifest themselves for a while after travel, but, if they do, you should always consider your recent travel as a possible source of illness.  If symptoms develop after your return, always seek the advice of your GP or a travel clinic as they may require you to undergo investigations to establish the cause.  

Finally, it is possible to have an enjoyable holiday and minimising the chances of becoming ill with a food-related illness is a good way to start.  Sensible eating and responsible food purchasing are very effective ways of making sure your holiday is healthy.