13 Hygiene Tips While Travelling
1. Ensure ice cubes are made from purified water; do not use any unless it is clear water when you place the order where they have been made.
2. Avoid consuming open or non-industrially produced beverages.
3. Choose well-cooked foods; avoid raw foods and foods the have only been cooked or fried lightly, as well as seafood, mayonnaise, ice cream, butter, cream etc.
4. Avoid Food from street stands or mobile vendors.
5. Only eat fruits, raw vegetables and salads that have been cleaned with microorganism-free water; otherwise, clean them yourself with purified water.
6. Never drink fresh i.e. uncooked milk; only pasteurized milk is safe.
7. Only drink fruit juices if you are sure the juicer and the Hands that have been in contact with the fruit are clean. Beware of bottled fruit juices that contain sugar; as this creates an ideal culture for bacterial growth. Fruit that you peel to eat is safe, for example citrus, bananas, pineapples, papayas and mangos.
8. Fresh, hot coffee and tea as well as beer and wine are safe. Caution: Alcoholic Drinks will not destroy bacteria already ingested.
9. Always brush your teeth with purified water; even a gulp of contaminated water may lead to diarrhea.
10. Only take medication with purified water; diarrhea may affect effectiveness
(e.g. pills).
11. Do not swim or bathe in tropical waters.
12. Wash your hands regularly, especially before handling food and after using the toilet.
13. Always use clean hand towels.
Tips for Globetrotters
Those who leave the beaten path and travel with a smaller budget need to be aware that where there is less comfort, there is usually poorer water quality. Travel preparation therefore means having provisions for drinking water.
Expeditions require careful preparation. This includes exact route planning, obtaining the necessary travel documents and official Permits as well as choosing and buying the Right Equipment. First-aid kits are especially important. What they contain depends where you are going. What definitely cannot left behind are professional water filters and purification products for water treatment.
Even in untouched nature, it cannot be assumed water is clean. This is true even if the locals appear to be drinking water from wells or waterholes without suffering any harm. Their bodies have adapted to this water, and they have built up the necessary antibodies. Even in the high mountains, water must always be treated before consumption, since wild animals may excrete microorganisms that make humans sick (e.g. giardiasis). Boiling water is a very time-consuming process due to lower boiling point at altitude.
Tips for recreation and short trips
The gurgling mountain stream normally looks very refreshing. But its water quality often leaves much to be desired. Streams and even spring water near pastures and fertilized fiels may easily be contamined, even in developed countries.
Travelers, mountain climbers and cyclists who - even in the most remote valley - drink straight from streams are risking their health. With each sip, they rish ingesting coliforms or enerococci (fecal streptococci). Even clear streams and lakes may be teeming with pathogens capable of transmitting serious diseases. The ideal alternative to lugging along safe water supplies is a water filter bottle that can purify water from any source along the way in no time at all.
One of our water filters may be just the perfect companion for your next travels:
