On World Food Safety Day, it is imperative to note the importance of keeping our food safe, even when travelling. It’s crucial to prioritize food safety when on a road trip, when exploring new destinations, or simply taking a vacation.

Choose popular eateries, opt for cooked and hot food, avoid consuming raw or undercooked items, and ensure proper storage of perishable snacks. By adopting these practices, we can safeguard our health and make our travels a delightful and worry-free culinary experience.

Dr Edwina Raj, Senior Dietician, Aster CMI Hospital, says, “Nausea, motion sickness, vomiting, and diarrhoea are some of the most common symptoms observed among travellers. These illnesses usually subside in two to three days’ time and often travellers are susceptible to food infections. However, at times medical attention is needed.”

Your food intake is crucial to prevent any adverse impact on your health. Listing below some of the key precautions:

1. Observe hygiene protocols
   Follow hygienic practices like frequent hand wash and carry hand sanitizer (should not replace hand washing practices).
2. Go for piping hot foods
   “Food cooked at high heat is usually safe to eat. High heat kills most of the germs that causes travellers’ diarrhoea. Be cautious of food that is cooked and kept warm at room temperature. Same rule applies to hot beverages like tea and coffee too. Keep food warm by wrapping them in a foil or insulated containers. Homemade sandwiches work great,” says Rizwana Sayed, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Apollo Clinic, Pune.
3. Raw food can be risky
   Avoid cut up fresh fruits and vegetables. “Prefer fruits that can only be eaten when peeled such as bananas, citrus fruits, etc,” adds Sayed.
4. Dry food products
    “Choose cereals, and dry food products that have good shelf-life. Food items like chapati, breads and dry snacks like puffed rice/chidwa and papad are recommended,” adds Dr Raj.
5. No to uncooked foods
   Avoid consuming uncooked or half cooked foods such as raw salads, chutney, street chaats, dairy products, seafood, undercooked eggs / meat.
6. A big no to cold food
   “Avoid consuming cooked food that is cold, as it’s shelf-life is not more than 24 hours and the chances of such food getting spoiled are high and so are the chances of causing food–related illnesses,” states Dr Raj.
7. Stick to bottled water
   Avoid drinking water from taps in public places.
8. Avoid expired products
   If you are carrying packaged foods, double-check on the expiry date
9. Depending on your travel destination, it is advisable to check your vaccination status with your Physician before your travel.

How to have a disease-free vacation?

School summer vacations are on and this is the perfect time to travel around the world with your kids. You might have already booked all the tickets in advance and shopped for stylish new clothes to flaunt on your vacay. However, before you head towards that plane, train or highway, there are some important factors to keep in mind, so that your child remains at the top of their health during and after the trip.

Dr. Nihar Parekh, an established pediatrician, shares 5 easy tips to make note of when you travel with your children:

Avoid uncooked meals

When you travel, whichever part of the world, avoid uncooked meals. “No chutneys, no salads, no raw fish, no cold cuts, do not give them anything which is not cooked to eat.”

As for water consumption, he adds, “Unless you are in a part of the world where they drink out of the tap, boiled water or mineral water should be the norm.”

Don’t let them eat too much breads

Avoid excessive breads, pastas, pizzas, otherwise your child may develop constipation.

If your child gets constipation, it may ruin the rest of the vacation. Your child may not be able to “have fun, eat what they want, just continuously crying, holding their stomach, not being in the best of moods,” Dr. Parekh explains.

Carry a good sunblock

Carrying a good sunblock on your trip is a must. “Your child should be enjoying the pool, out in the sun. If they get sunburned or have painful skin rashes, they’re not going to have fun anymore,” he explains.

Carry all necessary medications

“You want to make sure that you carry all the medications that you need for travel, and that must include a backup antibiotic that your pediatrician gives. Getting your hands on an antibiotic abroad is next to impossible without a prescription. If your child ends up getting a fever, it is always extremely handy to keep a backup antibiotic,” Dr. Parekh says.

Don’t be a party-pooper

Precautions are essential, but don’t fret too much or there won’t be any fun left. Let your child have a free, fun time. “Don’t restrict those candies, ice cream, chocolates, Let your kids have a blast. Make amazing memories. Please don’t carry your daily routine multivitamins which you give here. You can always restart when you get back. Have a blast so that the kids remember this for a lifetime,” Dr. Parekh signs off.

We often get lax on our diet and exercise routine when on vacation. But, eating healthy is as important.

Vacations are all about being free – being free of stress, being free of mundane reality, being free of all the rules that we keep ourselves on. It is about relaxing and enjoying the beauty around. In this hustle, culture is important to take that break. However, when on vacation, we splurge when it comes to food. We tend to go loose on dietary practices and enjoy all the junk, all the fun food. This often results in vacation weight gain and bloating.

However, it is not necessary to be that way. There is also a way to enjoy the holiday mood and not completely compromise on food. We often get lax on our diet and exercise routine when on vacation. But, eating healthy is as important.

Here are a few health tips to enjoy guilt-free eating

1. Start your day with nuts and seeds to get going for the entire day. A healthy start for the day is important to keep the body energised for the day of exploration.
2. Staying hydrated during the holiday helps reduce holiday bloating.
3. Yoghurt will keep your gut functioning well, especially if you tend to overindulge during the holidays.
4. Try to choose a snack or meal that has fibre and protein
5. Avoid too much caffeine.
6. Dessert is every year during the holiday season. Just focus on your favourites and ditch the rest
7. Limit liquid calories.
8. Maintain your electrolyte level: Consuming lemon water, and coconut water to load on electrolytes and lower chances of dehydration.

So, just be mindful of a few health tips while you wish to devour the vacation food!

Switzerland will certainly take a first-time traveller’s breath away, but they should know these tips before they visit the country

There is no denying the popularity of Switzerland as a travel destination. Thanks to the beautiful grandeur of its lakes and Alps, the country has left its stamp on the minds and hearts of thousands of tourists worldwide. However, if you are considering a journey to the country, you should be prepared for it in advance. So let’s look at five important tips for first-time visitors to Switzerland.

Don’t Stress About The Transportation

In Switzerland, getting around is relatively easy. Unless you plan some extremely off-the-beaten-path adventures, you do not need to rent a car. In the country, taking trains is the norm. Consult the concierge at your hotel for advice on how to get from the airport to the hotel, navigate the city, etc. With the Swiss Rail Pass, travelling throughout Switzerland is made simple. Most buses and trains are included with this ticket. You can also “check” your luggage at the start of your trip and retrieve it when you finish the line. You can board and exit the train during the day without hauling your suitcase around.

Plan A Wellness Day

Excellent spas can be found throughout Switzerland; you should include them in your schedule. You will not only enjoy the treat, but it will also hasten your jet lag recovery. Visit the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, located right on Lake Geneva’s shore, for a taste of city life.

Hit The Slopes

It’s no secret that Switzerland transforms into the ultimate ski resort in Europe throughout the winter. Even though Zermatt is the most well-known, more than 300 ski areas are spread throughout the country. For instance, Wengen is a quaint Alpine ski resort among the lakes Thunersee and Brienzersee. It is well-known for its Belle Époque architecture, the Jungfraubahn Railway, which leads to Europe’s highest elevated rail station and its accessibility to glaciers and waterfalls.

The Language And Currency Is Diverse

Depending on which direction you take the train, you can determine which language is spoken in Switzerland. It might be Italian, Romansh, Swiss German, or French. The country has four official languages because of its cultural diversity. Although merely in terms of tint, the Swiss franc is likewise diverse.

Research About Food

Switzerland is an expensive country, and costly food and restaurants are examples of this. Soup is the best alternative cuisine, and grocery stores and cafes are the most suitable places to visit. In Switzerland, soups are less expensive and cost only 50 per cent as much as restaurant meals with bread. The farmer’s market and mountainside cafes have more affordable prices for guests.