As the saying goes, health is wealth and without it life can be pretty rough. As you can imagine, traveling around the world presented some significant obstacles to staying healthy and eating a balanced diet. Besides exposure to disease and limited medical resources, we also had to take into account the availability of fruits and vegetables. In some countries eating a variety of foods was easy, but in others we had difficulty finding anything remotely colorful or nutritious. The key was getting back to the basics.
Be Conscious of What You Eat. Your body will generally tell you through cravings what it is missing, but be aware of the fuel you’re giving it. Although fresh juices sound nice, they’re often heavily loaded with sugar. Make sure to eat protein, in many cultures the local cuisine is very heavy with starches and grains. Think of the food pyramid at meal times. Soups are a safe and easy way to get vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, don’t eat something spicy or potentially suspicious before you get on a long bus ride.
Eat Local. Your best bet to avoid a stomach bug and stay healthy is to eat the local cuisine. If you don’t see the animal/vegetable/fruit in the market, the locals don’t eat it and probably don’t know how to prepare it. Often local cuisine is more balanced than the “western” food you’ll find at a tourist hotel and in my opinion it’s usually safer. Choose a restaurant or food stall that is busy and where you can see the preparation. We ate street food in 50 countries and never suffered illness from a food stall. We did get sick from a tourist restaurant in Ethiopia. Go figure.
Try a Variety. Try new fruits and vegetables as much as possible. Remember that color is your body’s friend. Get a little out of your comfort zone and try the most colorful fruit in the market, or ask for a sample. Explore the market and see what is on offer. If you have a food allergy or special diet, the market is a great place to get ideas about what is available to eat. Ask someone to write down the names of grains, vegetables and fruits that you can eat. In rural Africa we had a problem finding a variety of fruits and vegetables and ended up taking a weekly multivitamin.
Brush Your Teeth. Ok, so this isn’t food or nutrition, but it is an important factor to keeping you happy and healthy. Trust me, the first time you meet a person missing 90% of their teeth you’ll never forget to brush and floss again. In all seriousness, oral health is really important and a toothache can ruin your trip just as fast as a broken leg. We were able to find international brands of toothpaste everywhere, although we were warned by many other travelers about buying counterfeits. With their misspelled labels and strange packaging, these were easy to spot.
liz says
Ah Ethiopia, it’s the gift that keeps on giving isn’t it? Have to admit I’ve been craving Ethiopian food lately – well veggie Ethiopian food. Won’t be the same without you two and your dancing. Oddly London has loads of Eritrean restaurants but few Ethiopian restaurants (i think they’re all Ethiopian restaurants but the owners got sick of the Brits making jokes about famine food, but I digress)
Oh and to make sure I add some value rather than just a little walk down memory lane, I’ll add something about dental care.
Most expensive toothbrush and toothpaste I ever purchased was in Rwanda. $10 each for a tube of plain old Colgate a matching toothbrush. It was at the supermarket that catered to NGO and UN workers but I forked it out to keep up that dental care.
Jillian says
I’m just going to ignore that second sentence. Craving is a strong word…. apparently stronger than your or Adrian’s memories. haha 🙂
As for the dental care, alas the world of NGOs in Africa. All around it sounds like Rwanda was expensive…I hope you still have that $10 toothbrush. That should probably be dipped in gold or something!
Laurel says
One of the things I loved about living in Thailand was all the fresh, healthy local, real food. It makes you appreciate what “real” food is and how easy it is to eat more fruits and veggies and that food that comes in a box /plastic container, etc. should not be consumed on a regular basis.
Jillian says
@Laurel- I know what you mean, we’re trying to eat a “whole” food diet now or as I like to say things that aren’t processed. Now that we’re back we’ll see how well we can do!
Cam says
You mean I have to brush my teeth?? What gives!! 😉
I love trying new foods on the road, the more bizarre the better!
Jillian says
Oh Cam. Haha. You’d be surprised how many people don’t think about dental health as effecting their overall health!
jill- Jack and JIll Travel says
all good tips. I can see myself getting sucked in to living on fried foods the whole time but varities are good, fresh fruit is a must, and drinking enough water is always easier said than done.
Jillian says
Yea, we did eat a surprising amount of fried food all over the world. Sometimes unfortunately it is the safest thing to eat…but I’m glad to be home and be able to eat fresh all the time!
Migrationology says
Great idea for an article! Remaining healthy, especially if you are in a remote location, is crucial. Since everyone’s body is a bit different, we need to pay attention to our personal stomach uniqueness, judging what to eat or not.
Even though I strive to eat a lot and sample as many things from the street as my body can physically handle, I make sure to eat plenty of vegetables and assortments of fruit!
Jillian says
You are absolutely right, we have to pay attention to our stomachs. I’m a firm believer that my body can tell me what I need and what I don’t need. The hard part is deciphering need from want!
Grace says
Excellent tips. Totally agree with eating local it’s the best way for your body to get used to the food. I love going to the local markets and tasting things I have never seen before. I am lucky to have a strong constitution so I have never had tummy problems while traveling.
Jillian says
Me too! We were pretty fine for most of the trip, probably to the chagrin of our friends who wanted to hear great stomach bug stories!