Travel Tips to Protect your Gut

"While you can take precautions against food-borne illnesses in your own kitchen, that's much more difficult to do when you're travelling," says Ann Louise Gittleman, a U.S. nutrition expert whose book "The Gut Flush Plan" (Avery/Penguin) was recently published. "Contamination can lead to all sorts of digestive grief," says Gittleman. "That's not exactly a fun souvenir."

Here are her Top 5 tips for keeping your stomach safe on vacation:

• Skip the salad bar: They are usually just a colorful buffet of bacteria.
• Disinfect your hotel room: Bacteria is lurking on TV remotes, minibar handles and even bathroom counters. There's no telling where previous occupants have been or whom or what they have also touched.
• Dust your food: Yes, we are talking about 'chardust' which can be sprinkled from activated charcoal caps onto any suspicious cuisine.
• Pack the probiotics: These beneficial bacteria will give pathogens the heave-ho even before they can get a foothold in your gut.
• Spice up your meals for health: Oregano, garlic, thyme, cayenne and tumeric are loaded with antioxidants that can out-smart many nasty bacteria -- even the superbugs in some cases.

  Reference:
  Source: http://www.annlouise.com/ Published: Saturday, May 17, 2008
  Author: Ann Louise Gittleman
  Article Name: How to Protect your Gut - The Ottawa Citizen