13 tips for navigating food poisoning when traveling

16.05.2024 - 17:21 / thepointsguy.com / David Slotnick

There are few things worse than getting sick while traveling.

TPG has collected tips from both medical experts and seasoned TPGers with firsthand experience to help you minimize your chances of getting food poisoning. We've also collected advice on what to do if you find yourself ill while on vacation.

Here are 13 things to remember if you get food poisoning while traveling.

Understandably, travelers with dietary restrictions and chronic conditions may find themselves at higher risk for foodborne illnesses. They should be more mindful of where and what they eat, particularly when dining at street stands or night markets.

"Individuals have different tolerances," Dr. Jenny Yu, a medical advisor at Healthline, said. "It's best to understand what one can tolerate while considering food choices."

Yu also advised travelers to stick to drinking bottled water and be wary of raw food such as fruit and vegetables if they're unsure how the produce was washed.

It's difficult to ensure that all of the food you eat while traveling has been prepared safely and won't give you food poisoning. However, there are other precautions you can take to lessen your chances of getting sick.

"Precautions such as hand washing and wiping down of eating surfaces are the things a traveler can control," Yu said. "Dependent on travel destination, traveling with portable utensils may be advised."

If you have time before you travel, consider making an appointment at a private doctor or travel medicine clinic, such as Passport Health. It provides travel immunizations, vaccines and medicines, such as anti-nausea and traveler's diarrhea meds.

"If it's a big trip, I make an appointment with Passport Health well in advance," TPG senior product manager Gabe Travers said.

Gabe also always travels with over-the-counter and prescription medications that were shipped directly to his door via Duration Health. Duration makes a personalized kit for users following a doctor consultation. If you cannot make an appointment at a clinic, try CVS Minute Clinic.

If you can't get a prescription, throw some Tums, Pepto Bismol or other anti-diarrhea medicine into your suitcase just in case. However, make sure any remedies you take are the right ones to address your illness. "While anti-diarrheal medications can be useful for symptom control, if a fever is present, anti-diarrheal medications may not be the best option," Yu noted.

As we've previously reported, just be sure to double-check local laws regarding medication.

"I know Immodium is illegal in at least one or two countries since it acts on opioid receptors," TPG senior aviation reporter David Slotnick noted. "That's just a good practice in general with any prescription and OTC meds when traveling abroad