WELLNESS

ENJOY YOUR TIME AWAY FROM THE BUMP AND GRIND WITHOUT THE RUMBLES AND SQUIRTS.

When you travel abroad, you leave behind your body’s adapted immunity to environmental allergens and tolerance to local food and water supplies. Some people can tolerate a variance in bacteria from the food and water in different areas of the world, others cannot. You probably know which one you are. Getting food poisoning or having a case of traveller’s diarrhoea can turn your amazing holiday into a very unpleasant experience getting intimate with your accommodation’s porcelain.

As a chiropractor, you’d think I’d talk about making sure you move around on long-haul flights and ensuring that you sleep in proper positions on all the different beds you may be “sleeping” in while on holiday. However, most of my patients have worse problems with their digestive systems while overseas.

Gastroenteritis is most commonly attributed to poor hygiene and food preparation. Although more common in developing countries, “gastro” can strike anyone, anywhere at anytime. The biggest problem is that it makes you very dehydrated. It’s also exceptionally distressing if you’re on a plane or in transit and can’t safely lock yourself in a sound-proof bathroom.

Thankfully, there are ways to ensure you’re in tip top shape to enjoy your holiday. The secret is prevention, so shield yourself from getting gastro with these top tips…

MAKE YOURSELF GASTRO PROOF

1. Always wash your hands before you eat. 2. Only drink bottled water. 3. Avoid ice in your drinks as this is made from the local water supply. 4. Brush your teeth with bottled water because you can still catch the gastro bugs from rinsing your mouth with contaminated water. 5. Avoid buffets. Most of the food has been sitting for too long and not kept at proper temperatures. Besides – buffets, seriously? 6. If you are having trouble identifying what the food source is, don’t eat it. Usually this pertains to “meat”. 7. If it doesn’t look fresh, avoid. 8. If it smells a bit off, avoid. 9. Eat fruits that you can peel yourself. The peel is where most contamination is concentrated. Wash your hands after you peel it as well. 10. Avoid street vendors in most developing countries. These can be breeding grounds for a nasty case of gastro.

GOOD GRIEF – RELIEF.

If you come down with gastro, act as quickly as possible to get your plumbing up and running. 1. If you have consistent vomiting and diarrhoea, seek medical attention straight. You may have a severe case that needs medical intervention. 2. Hydration is essential. Drink copious amounts of bottled water to stay hydrated and allow your body to flush out all the toxins. 3. Add electrolytes like magnesium, sodium, phosphate and calcium to your bottled water. These usually come in powders that can be purchased at most chemists or convenience stores. The next best option is a sports drink. 4. Sleep. Your body is great at repairing itself while you sleep so ensure you take a day or two to allow your body to recover. 5. Get to a pharmacy and ask for any medications they have that will help treat “traveller’s tummy”.

more: Dr Cody Hanish holds the internationally-accredited title of Certified Chiropractic Wellness Lifestyle Practitioner. Find Dr Cody at Thrive Health, 185 Victoria Street, Potts Point, Sydney. Tel (02) 9331 8661 or 0430 340 038 or thrivechiro.com.au. Or go to drcody.com.