How To Stay Healthy When Travelling In India
Everyday Health Tips For A Holiday In India
May 19, 2009
Some holidaymakers survive their Indian beach holiday without even as much as a bad stomach, but those travellers who stay in India for months and get off the beaten track are likely to get sick at some point. For many it is either a common cold or a stomach bug. Indian cities can be very polluted and respiratory problems are common just like stomach problems.
This article gives simple tips on everyday health for travellers in India, but please note that it is not written by a healthcare professional. Any tips given here are not intended to replace advice given by a healthcare professional.
Everyday Travel Health In India
It takes time to adapt to a different climate, different food and different hygiene standards. There is no guarantee against getting sick in India, but one of the simplest ways to prevent disease is washing hands regularly. Especially before eating.
Indian food is usually eaten by using only hands (use just the right hand and save the left hand for the toilet). Some travellers carry chemical hand sanitizers, but all restaurants, even the smallest shacks, have a sink for hand washing.
What Is Safe To Eat In India
Many Indian restaurant kitchens would make a Western hygiene inspector faint. Generally restaurants that look busy are a good choice. Foods that are cooked to order are always safer than food that is left to stand in the heat for hours.
Vegetarian food keeps better in the tropical heat than meat. Salads are a different matter since it is difficult to know if the vegetables were washed at all, or if they were washed in contaminated water. When it comes to fruit, the old British rule was to eat only fruit that can be cooked or peeled.
What Is Safe To Drink In India
Tap water is generally not safe to drink. Bottled purified water is available everywhere, but plastic water bottles add to environmental problems in a country that does not recycle much. Many grocery stores sell 20-25 litre water canisters and even arrange a home delivery, making them a good choice for those who stay longer in one place. Buying large containers works out much cheaper than small bottles. Water can also be made drinkable by boiling for at least ten minutes.
Teas, coffees and other hot drinks should be safe as the water is boiled. Ice cubes in cold drinks are sometimes made with tap water, and many travellers order their drinks without ice.
What Medicines To Bring To India
Western medicines are widely available in India. From antibiotics and antihistamines to analgesics, many medicines can be bought over the counter at pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription, and for a fraction of their cost back home. When looking for a specific medicine it is good to know the name of the medicine itself instead of a Western brand name.
Everyday health items such as oral re-hydration salts, cold and flu medicines, plasters (band-aids) and antiseptic creams are also available from pharmacies. However, prescription medicines should be brought from home, including anti-malaria tablets for those who choose to take them.
Staying Healthy In India During Summer And Monsoon
It is important to drink enough fluids, especially during the hot season. Fresh coconut water, widely available in South India, is excellent against dehydration.
During the monsoon it is very easy to catch a cold when walking around in rain. If travelling in India during monsoon, bring waterproofs and warm clothes as well as a mosquito net and good mosquito repellent.
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