Health
FOOD
There is an old colonial adage which says: “If you can cook
it, boil it or peel it you can eat it ... otherwise forget it.” This
is the basic number one rule for how to decide what is ok to eat while
in India.
Fruit
is fine to eat as long as it’s peeled. Make sure you wash your hands beforehand
and peel your own fruit (vrs ordering fruit salad). After you peel the fruit,
be sure to wash your hands before touching the meat of the fruit; parasites often
live on the skins.
Beware of ice cream which is sold in the street or anywhere it might have been
melted and refrozen; if there's any doubt (eg a power cut in the last day or
two) steer well clear. Yogurt is usually fine to eat.
Shellfish such as mussels, oysters and clams should be avoided as should undercooked
meat, particularly in the form of mince. Steaming does not make shellfish safe
for eating. It is safest to adhere to a vegetarian diet and avoid meat altogether.
WATER
The number-one rule is be careful of the water .
If you don't know for certain that the water is safe assume the
worst.
You want to stay hydrated so drink lots of water. The best
way to tell if you’re drinking enough water is if your pee comes out clear
or only slightly colored. If your pee is dark in color, you need to drink much
more water.
Drink only bottled or boiled water. Reputable brands of bottled water are available
in most locales. Make sure the bottle is sealed as merchants have been known
to fill bottles with local water. Alternately, invest in a good water purification/filtration
system -- see packing for links.
Avoid
getting the local water in your mouth; use bottled water when
brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth and keep your
mouth closed when taking a shower.
Women should not douche
with the local water.
Fresh fruit drinks should be avoided as they are often blended with local
water or the fruit has been washed in local water. One day my friend drooled over some fresh orange juice and four hours later he was, well....., very sick. Fresh coconut juice, however,
is
ok; ask the vendor to open a fresh coconut for
you.
Hot tea and coffee are safe choices because the water has been boiled.
Avoid going in fresh water as parasites can enter through the skin on your feet.
RESTAURANTS
There are a few rules to follow while ordering in restaurants.
1. Always always always wash you hands before eating or putting your hands
to your
mouth. The number one way disease is spread is through dirty hands.
2. Wipe off any water on plates, glasses, or utensils before using them.
3. If you order bottled water or soft drinks, make sure the bottle is open
in front of you. Wipe off the top of the bottle before drinking from it or
ask for
a straw.
4. Order all drinks without ice. Ice is often made from local water and hence
can be contaminated.
5. Stick with busy restaurants. The food in busy restaurants is cooked and
eaten quite quickly with little standing around and is probably not reheated.
Avoid
food that has been sitting around or
that is not hot.
SANITATION
Sanitation in India is like medieval Europe was, and you will see piles
of discarded rubbage and in some places open sewers. Some street scenes will
be shocking to you; the wandering animals leave their dung everywhere; people excrete in open ditches by the side of the road. One day I was passing a little hut in Varanasi and a little girl bound out of her house, smiled at me (oh how cute I thought!), pulled down her pants to took a dump in her front yard.
Now
you know why shoes
are dirty in India, and taken off when you enter homes and temples!
Don't even think ecology in India, standards are completely different and you
will just make yourself upset. Actually, they have their own recycling system,
because a variety of scavenger animals (cows, goats, and pigs) pick through the rubbish piles until
little is left including plastic bottles.
Don't touch dogs in India, because
they
are not pets; almost all are wild scavengers, very dirty, and can have rabies. Similarly, avoid contact with monkeys for the same reason.
CUTS
Cuts must be attended to immediately. Keep them well cleaned with an antiseptic
and covered with a band-aid. Cuts
on
the
feet
are
especially
prone
to
infection
and must be kept clean. Calloused and dry skin on the feet tend to crack
so keep feet moisturized with a lotion and you can use a pumice stone to scrape
away thick callouses.
ANIMALS BIG & SMALL
Avoid approaching or touching any animal. Monkey and dogs are major carries of rabies. If you are bitten or scatched, you must start rabies treatement immediately.
Mosquitos need to be avoided. Those that fly during dawn and dusk can trasmit malaria and those that fly during daylight hours can trasmit dengue fever and chikungunya. There have been recent outbreaks of dengue fever and chikungunya in India. Reduce the risks of being bitten by applying DEET (30% to 50%) before you go outside any time day or night. If there are mosquitos in your room at night, leave the fan on or sleep under mosquito netting.
GREAT RESOURCE
For a comprehensive guidelines for staying healthy during your travels, see the CDC website on Traveler's Health.
