Some Tips for Staying Healthy in India

by Jaydvaita Swami The two troubles that most commonly afflict the physical bodies of devotees visiting India are diarrhea and the common cold. Both are easy to avoid, and easy to recover from.

Diarrhea
How do you get it? By eating contaminated food, drinking bad water, or (the most usual way) eating more than you can digest. How to avoid it? 1. Eat only rsna!prasadam. "void eating food from hotels, sweet shops, food stalls, and so on. 2. #rink water from reliable sources$ taps and pumps approved by the local devotees, or bottled water. "lways safe$ water straight from a fresh green coconut. 3. #on%t sleep more than you need to. (The more you sleep, the less you can digest. " person who works hard, said &rila 'rabhupada, can digest even stones.) 4. Eat wisely. (hen you first arrive, take it easy. )ong!distance flights disrupt your body%s inner workings. *our digestion may slow down or +uit (even without your knowing it). (hen you land, you may want to launch right into a big meal of prasadam. #on%t. ,or a day or so, give your system a rest. #rink -uice, have some fruit. "nd after a day or so, when you%re really feeling hungry, gradually settle into taking your regular meals. &till, if you%re coming from a non!tropical climate, your body needs time to ad-ust to India. "nd you should ad-ust your eating accordingly. The main way to stay free from stomach problems is not to have them to begin with. .ere are the main rules$ 1. Eat lightly. Eating more than needed is what gets people%s stomachs into trouble. "nd you might be surprised how much less you need to eat in India. &o eat less. It%s good for your body and good for your spiritual life. (hen you%re not hungry!!or you%re not sure you%re hungry!!don%t eat. /o need to worry$ (hen you%re hungry, rsna will feed you, rest assured. 2. &uppose you%ve done iteaten more than you should. *our body starts feeling heavy. *our digestion turns sluggish. *ou start feeling heavy or wierd inside. (hat should you do0 &kip your ne1t meal!!or even your ne1t two. 2ive your system a chance to catch up. Be satisfied with some lemon water. *our body will be grateful. 3

(hen your appetite and digestion come back into line and you start eating normally again, take it easy. &tick to food that%s light and easy to digest. 3. (hen your digestion is weak, prefer food that%s light and cooling. &ome foods are light, others heavy. &ome cool the body, others heat it up. 4ice is light and cooling. 5apatis are heavier and warming. ,ried things are hard on your digestion. The same goes for rich, heavy, or spicy sab-is. &weets create heat. (" few heavy sweets can put you out of commission fast.) 5old drinkssodas and so onare heating, not cooling. They may seem cool, but the sugar in them creates heat in your body. 2enuinely cooling$ water, coconut water, or salty lassi. itchri (when hot and nicely made) is easy to digest. 4aw salads are fine when your digestion is strong. 6therwise, count them as heavy. (/o one has cooked them, so your body has to cook them for you.) The same goes for nuts and dried fruits. 7. #on%t drink water too soon before or after eating. *ou%ll kill the fire of digestion. Before and after you eat, go about an hour without drinking. How to cure it 2ood news$ dysentary cures itself. The trouble comes when you overburden your system. 2ive your system enough rest, and the trouble goes away. /o heavy medicine re+uired. /ow, here%s the natural miracle medicine for diarrhea. It%s called &at Isabgol. It costs ne1t to nothing, and you can get it at any Indian medical shop or general store. It%s also called ,leaseed .usks. *ou take a spoonful or so with yogurt. 6nce or twice a day. It has no chemical action, but what it does is cool your insides down and soak up that soupy mess in your guts. 4esult$ Take this for a day or so and you%ll soon be back to normal. (By the way, &at Isabgol taken with milk or water instead of yogurt relieves constipation. 8ersatile stuff9) There%s also a miracle diet. &uper!light, super!cooling, e1tremely easy to digest. (hat is it0 &imple, plain flat rice with yogurt and bananas. /ot flat rice that%s cooked, fried, or spiced!!-ust plain. If plain flat rice isn%t being served, you can buy it anywhere. (In Bengali it%s called cheera. In :ayapur it%s sold right outside the front gate.) *ou -ust wash it like regular rice, then soak it in water till it%s soft. (This should take ; minutes or less.) Then you drain off the e1cess water, mi1 the rice with plain yogurt, add some salt and cumin powder. "nd if you can get some small, ripe bananas, add them too. "nd that%s it. This preparation soothes your disrupted insides. "nd apart from that, it%s delicious.

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The Common Cold

How do you get it? :ainly by e1posing yourself to cold drafts. Even when the days are hot, the mornings and evenings can be cooler than you think. How to avoid it? #ress carefully and stay out of drafts. :ost of all$ Be careful about sleeping under a fan. The weather%s hot when you take rest, and you don%t like mos+uitos, so you turn the fan on and in the morning you%ve got a cold. " word to the wise. How to cure it? .ere%s some advice from the "yurveda$ eep your head and feet warm. ((ear socks and keep your head covered.) &tay out of drafts. (&kip the fan.) #rink hot li+uids. #ress warmly. "void cold things. (&ensible, right0 But it works.) (hen you have a cold, avoid foods and drinks that are cooling. That means$ /o rice, no yogurt, no bananas, no coconut water, no chilled drinks. Instead, take things that are warming$ capatis, sab-is, and so on.

IN CONCL SION!
"s long as we have these bodies, we%ll always have trouble. But a little care, a little common sense, and your health in India should be fine. Hare Ka.

C"NT"#S $O# DIS"%S" CONT#OL %ND &#"'"NTION

Date Last Reviewed: March 9, 199 $OOD %ND (%T"# %ND T#%'"L"#)S DI%##H"% 5ontaminated food and drink are the ma-or sources of stomach or intestinal illness while traveling. Intestinal problems due to poor sanitation are found in far greater numbers outside the >nited &tates and other industriali?ed nations. (%T"# In areas with poor sanitation only the following beverages may be safe to drink$ Boiled water, hot beverages, such as coffee or tea, made with boiled water, canned or bottled carbonated beverages, beer, and wine. Ice may be made from unsafe water and should be avoided. It is safer to drink from a can or bottle of beverage than to drink from a container that was not known to be clean and dry. .owever, water on the surface of a beverage can or bottle may also be contaminated. Therefore, the area of a can or bottle that will touch the mouth should be wiped clean and dry. (here water is contaminated, travelers should not brush their teeth with tap water. T#"%T*"NT O$ (%T"# Boiling is the most reliable method to make water safe to drink. Bring water to a vigorous boil, then allow it to cool@ do not add ice. "t high altitudes allow water to boil vigorously for a few minutes or use chemical disinfectants. "dding a pinch of salt or pouring water from one container to another will improve the taste. 5hemical disinfection can be achieved with either iodine or chlorine, with iodine providing greater disinfection in a wider set of circumstances. ,or disinfection with iodine use either tincture of iodine or tetraglycine hydroperiodide tablets, such as, 2lobalineA, 'otable!"+uaA, and others. These disinfectants can be found in sporting goods stores and pharmacies. 4ead and follow the manufacturer%s instructions. If the water is cloudy then strain it through a clean cloth, and double the number of disinfectant tablets added. If the water is very cold, either warm it or allow increased time for disinfectant to work. 5#5 makes no recommendation as to the use of any of the portable filters on the market due to lack of independently verified results of their efficacy. "s a last resort, water that is uncomfortably hot to touch may be safe for drinking and brushing teeth after it is allowed to cool. .owever, many disease!causing organisms can survive the usual temperature reached by the hot water in overseas hotels. $OOD ,ood should be selected with care. "ny raw food could be contaminated, particularly in areas of poor sanitation. ,oods of particular concern include$ salads, uncooked vegetables and fruit, unpasteuri?ed milk and milk products, raw meat, and shellfish. If you peel fruit yourself, it is generally safe. ,ood that has been cooked and is still hot is generally safe. ,or infants less than B months of age, breast feed or give powdered commercial formula prepared with boiled water. &ome fish are not guaranteed to be safe even when cooked because of the presence of to1ins in their flesh. Tropical reef fish, red snapper, amber-ack, grouper, and sea bass can occasionally be to1ic at 7

unpredictable times if they are caught on tropical reefs rather than open ocean. The barracuda and puffer fish are often to1ic, and should generally not be eaten. .ighest risk areas include the islands of the (est Indies, and the tropical 'acific and Indian 6ceans. T#%'"L"#)S DI%##H"% The typical symptoms of traveler%s diarrhea (T#) are diarrhea, nausea, bloating, urgency, and malaise. T# usually lasts from = to C days. It is rarely life threatening. "reas of high risk include the developing countries of "frica, the :iddle East, and )atin "merica. The risk of infection varies by type of eating establishment the traveler visits ! from low risk in private homes, to high risk for food from street vendors. T# is slightly more common in young adults than in older people, with no difference between males and females. T# is usually ac+uired through ingestion of fecally contaminated food and water. The best way to prevent T# is by paying meticulous attention to choice of food and beverage. 5#5 does not recommend use of antibiotics to prevent T# because they can cause additional problems themselves. ,or treatment, oral fluids should be administered to sufferers of diarrhea. ,ruit -uices, soft drinks, preferably without caffeine, and salted crackers are advised. ,or severe dehydration the use of an oral rehydration solution (64&) is advised (see below). "void dairy products, and all beverages that contain water of +uestionable +uality. "ntimicrobial drugs such as do1ycycline, and trimethoprimDsulfametho1a?ole (Bactrim A , &eptra A) may shorten the length of illness. 5onsult your physician for prescription and dose schedules. "ntidiarrheals, such as )omotilA or ImmodiumA, can decrease the number of diarrheal stools, but can cause complication for persons with serious infections. It is important for the traveler to consult a physician about treatment of diarrhea in children and infants, because some of the drugs mentioned are not recommended for them. The greatest risk for children and especially infants is dehydration. 'revention of dehydration through administration of soups, thin porridges, and other safe beverages is advised. Infants with diarrhea who e1hibit signs of mild dehydration, such as thirst and restlessness, should be given an oral rehydration solution (64&) to drink. This is a packet of salt and carbohydrates that should be prepared following the package instructions and using boiled or treated water. It is widely available abroad. If bloody diarrhea, dehydration, fever in e1cess of 3E< , degrees, or persistent vomiting occurs, seek immediate medical help. :ost episodes of T# resolve in a few days. "s with all diseases it is best to consult a physician rather than attempt self!medication, especially for pregnant women and children. Travelers should seek medical help if diarrhea is severe, bloody, or does not resolve within a few days, or if it is accompanied by fever and chills, or if the traveler is unable to keep fluids intake up and becomes dehydrated.

N"C"SS%#I"S!
+asi,! -----! Clothing ! Mosquito net &tandard types are available in :ayapur and bigger Indian cities for relatively low prices. In European countries they can be purchased from camping stores. The price is around 3EE #:. They need lines and support. In some countries (notably 2ermany) they sell very good standalone nets based on the dome!tent principle, with two light weight aluminum or glass!fiber sticks. "n additional advantage is that they have a floor part connected to the net. ! Sleeping bag /ights in India can be cool outside of the summer season. Besides that, it%s a good way to keep mos+uitoes at a distance. ! Sleeping mat ! Suitcase, back-pack, travel bag ".tended! --------! Alarm clock ! Cooking device If you plan to cook for yourself. ,or devices on gasoil the best brand is 'rimus, but you can also buy the local Indian type, though they are not really small. "nother option is the electric cooking plate. ! Hang locks ,or your bags and the entrance of your residence. ! Money belt Take the flat type that one wears under the clothes. ! Nylon line (about 3E m, < mm thick) :ulti!purpose, but mainly used for hanging laundry. ! Pocket kni e :ulti!purpose. #on%t carry it in your hand luggage when flying. 5ustoms will demand it to be transported separately, and that is a trip you wouldn%t want to get into. ! Pocket torch 'referably use a good brand. *ou may pay a little more, but it is definitely worth it. Take a small and handy type with easily available or rechargeable batteries. :ag)ite (:ini) and 'elican (:ity)ite) supply good torches. ! Sun glasses ! !ater bottle Try to avoid aluminum, it causes a myriad of diseases. ! !ater boiler /ot only for making soup or tea. /owadays even the bottled water cannot be trusted anymore. Better boil it first before use. If you travel a lot, consider a hand boiler. This is a small spiral that you dip into a container of water. 6therwise it might be more practical to use an intergrated boiler for either 3.; or E.; liters. This is a teflon pitcher with a built!in spiral, thermostate and overheating protection. They boil 3 liter of water in =.; minutes and shut of automatically. Handy! -----! "attery charger &olar battery chargers are relatively cheap and nicely adopted to the Indian climate. ! Calculator B

! Camera ! Compass ! Portable alarm ! Small multi-meter "nd AsomeA knowledge of electronics... ! Small toolkit )ike a hand piece with bit collection, a tool clip (&62, 2erber, "l :ar), or an officer%s knife (8ictorino1, (enger, "dler) ! #ravel mate " small information book with travel and country information and a mini atlas. ! !all socket adaptor ! !oolen hat and big, thick $oolen socks /o chance for mos+uitoes, who go mainly for the thin skin on the head, feet and ankles.

*"DIC%L
Standard! --------! %nsect repellent Take something dimethylphtalaat or diethylmetatoluamide based, like the &wedish FGungle 6l-a.F 6ther preparates will -ust disappoint you. ! Malaria prophyla&e Take a vaccination before you leave, and preferably some chloro+uine tablets during your stay. ! Personal medicines Especially if you have diabetes, asthma, allergies, or other disorders that re+uire a regular intake of medicines. ! 'accinations 5holera, typhoid and hepatitis " vaccinations are recommended for India. 'lease don%t take these diseases lightly, they can ruin the rest of your life. $irst aid /it! -------------! Active coal ,or stomach and intestinal disorders, poisonings and diarrhea. ! Anti sunburn Take a lotion or balsam with a high >8!filter value. ! Anti-diarrhea 'referably Imodium based. /ote$ don%t take this type of medicine when you have dysentery, since it slows down your bowel movement. ! "andage "t least some emergency bandage. ! (isin ectant Iodine or alcohol based disinfectants are often not strong enough. .e1amedine transcutane (mainly used for infections under finger nails) or sprayable anti!biotics like Bivacyn (used in surgery) are very good alternatives. ! )au*es ! +erosine Gust a small amount in a little bottle with a dropper to easily get rid of leeches and tics. ! Painkillers C

"spirine, paracetamol, alvedon, distalgesic, etc. ! Pincers ! Plasters ! Pooshak This is an, often locally available, "yurvedic medicine in sirup form for severe dysentery. Instant relief, and preventive when taken regularly in small doses. ! Scissors

O$$ICI%L &%&"#S 0 Identity card 0 Insurance papers 0 6ther identification papers 0 'assport 0 'ersonal medical information 0 'ersonal medicine prescriptions 0 8accination information

HINTS %ND TI&S 0 :ake photocopies of all your travel documents, especially your passport. It saves you lots of trouble in case the originals get stolen. 0 5arry your valuables on two places. 'ut the money you e1pect to use during the day in a visible wallet hanging round your neck or in an obvious money belt round your waist, and keep the rest of your money and your documents hidden in a money belt under your clothes. 0 5onfirm your retour tickets asap after your arrival. 0 Buy at least a +uarter of your money legally. 0 If you need medications regularly, take an ade+uate supply with you. Better too much than too little. 0 If you have diabetes, allergies, asthma or any condition that may re+uire emergency care, ")("*& carry some identification (tag, bracelet or card) indicating this and prescriptions of the medicines. 'referably also carry a letter from your physician. 0 If you are planning to go somewhere alone or together with someone else, inform authorities or friends or the group you came with of your plans, destination(s) and e1pected return date.