When you go to places you’re not used to, especially due to their food and your own lack of hygiene practice, diarrhea (or traveler’s diarrhea, the way your doctor refers to it. Or you might be having food poisoning too, which is even worse) is likely to occur. So when it hits you, there are a few simple things that can be done here.
**Note: diarrhea is defined as when you have frequent passage of loose watery stool. Sometimes there might be mucus (slimy stuffs) and blood in the stool, cramped feeling or discomfort in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, and fever (seldom to rare).
First, while you still have not gone to the nearest local clinic, between the times of toilet visit,
- Drink plenty of fluid, preferably clean water, or fruit juice. Avoid caffeine.
- Soft and watery diet: porridge, bread, soup. Go lean on vegetable, protein and dairy products.
- Avoid spicy, oily food.
- Rest
- Wash hands properly with soap after using the toilet.
- Keep stock of toilet paper in your traveling kit
- Trace back what and where you’ve eaten prior to the onset, since the doctor may find this useful (there are certain endemic strain which is localized in certain area)
- Any swimming or contacts with river?
- Trace who else is having the same problem since it can be contagious.
When you see your GP / doctor, they will likely give the same advice as above plus medication of course. Do not delay seeing one as diarrhea, simple as it may seems, can cause (severe) dehydration without proper attention especially in children.
Signs of dehydration may include:
- Dry lips, tongue and skin
- Feeling thirsty
- Palpitation (rapid heart beat)
- Dizziness (and sometimes, fainting)
- Cold, clammy skin (moderate to severe)
- Rapid, weak pulse (severe)
- Disoriented (severe)
- In young children: crying without tears, sunken eyes
So whenever you reach a new town find out the nearest GP clinic t your accommodation. There are some foreign GPs in Kota Kinabalu city but most local doctors too are proficient in English so language should not be a problem. It’s not necessarily for attacks of “the runs”, you may have other problems too like malaria or dengue. If you have your own prescription, looking out for a pharmacy or stocking up prior travel is another option.
Others;
- Hygiene: hand washing with soap
- Check the hygiene of the eatery, try to take a peek at their kitchen if you can (usually this can be an appetite killer too). The city council grades cleanliness of a premise by the grade A,B and C so check for it in any place you choose to eat.
- Be cautious when picking up a place for eating seafood
- Eat hot, freshly prepared food.
- Drink boiled water or bottled ones.
- Canned food and drinks are safer options when you are stranded in a remote area.
- Fruits that need to be peeled off is better option than the readily chopped up ones exposed to the air
- Some vaccines are available for certain disease so check up with your GP prior traveling to tropical areas
Have a nice trip!
