okay, i know this is probably not only a repetitive question
but a embarassing one, what is the deal with all of the
stomach upset my girfriend says i am going to experience in
asia. We are going to bangkok and veitnam along with some
other places that i have yet to pronounce. My diet usually
includes lots of pasta, fruit and fruit juices, and chicken,
with the occasional junk food binge. She told me that i am
going to be eating alot of rice, which is not a problem, and
alot of vegetables, which is also not a big deal. So where
are the stomach issues going to arise from?
Also what are some ways to keep occoupied during a seriously
long plane ride with several layovers?
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well, not everybody gets an upset stomach here, but most
people do at some point in time. the main reasons (this is
an amateur guess) are: 1. strong spices 2. dirty water
used to clean veggies and meat 3. lack of chilled storage
facilities for foods. our sheltered, virgin stomachs are
not used to as many impurities as the locals. i lived in
bangkok for 4 months and often had the splatters, but then
i was pretty gung ho about trying any and every kind of
food i met. but a swig of Pepto Bismal was all i needed
and it went away super fast.
Firstly, I agree with what was said above. Strong spices
are often the cause of a little bit of upset, but it is
mainly eating food you are not used to. Your stomach may
have a little bit of adjusting to do. Also, if youa re
going to be eating from street vendors, their levels of
hygiene may not be the same as in restaurants etc. I did
not have nay problems, but did see evidence of less than
sanitary food prep. The main thing is to take lots of
Imodium and don't let it get you down. Besides, you may not
have any problems at all!
LOng flights? Reading, some crosswords, and maybe a
sleeping pill!!!!!!
My Doctor told me to chew 4 Pepto Bismal tablets a day,
along with taking the usual precautions (no ice, drink only
bottled water (or soft drinks), eat only if it is cooked or
pealed). Did fine.
Jessica,
I have the same concerns as you do, and I'm leaving in a
couple of weeks with 4 boxes of Pepto Bismal! Don't know if
it's available in BKK or not, but somebody advised me to
take one or two before each meal in Cambodia. The dodgy
meals at least. Call me paranoid, I'm going to give it a
shot!
-
As for the flight, drink drink drink. And I don't mean
fruit juice :) I used to travel back and forth from the W.
coast of the US to the UK, 3x a year, and each time a
couple of champagnes would knock me right out!
-
On the more sober side, I recommend a really good book. The
time will whiz by, and you'll be ready to lighten your load
as soon as you arrive! A Walkman doesn't hurt either.
-
Julie
My guideline is to eat at mealtimes when you see the locals
eating. If you go too early, you might get the leftovers
from the day before. If you go too late, your food may have
been sitting there for quite a while. I also try to choose
places where the vendor looks healthy, and at the stalls
that are busy with local people. PeptoBismol and Imodium
also come in very handy.
I agree with most of the advice so far: eating well-cooked
food, drinking bottled or boiled water, buying whole fruit
and washing or peeling it yourself, and, if you're not used
to the chilis, take it easy at first. I don't eat meat and
have gotten direly ill (including a hospital visit) a couple
of times from uncooked vegetables that just looked too good
to subject to heat. I would add that using your own
chopsticks (in those countries that use them) is also a good
idea and, if possible, rinsing and/or drying dishes,
glasses, and tableware yourself (in China, many people rinse
glasses and bowls with hot water or tea) also helps reduce
contact with microbial nasties...#1 is right, generally the
water used to clean your dishes has been used to clean the
prior 100 customers' dishes and soap is a bit of an anomaly.
I would disagree with #4 on the drinking advice especially
if your objective is to hit the ground running. I've found
that drinking alcohol in flight really exacerbates the
effects of long-distance travel and jet lag. Everyone is
different, but I've never really suffered from jet lag when
I load up on water inflight whether west-east or east-west,
so for me, I guess it helps.