Foreign Travel/sensitive Stomach

Only peeled fruit.
No ice (like you said) and only bottled water.
No salads.
No food from street vendors.
Avoid eating anywhere there are lots of flies.

Don't take a real shower. The water can trickle in your mouth and make you sick. Instead, wash you head in the sink using a big cup to rinse.

Don't eat salads. The vegetables are washed with water. Only eat fruits that you can peel, like bananas.

You have to be careful about the bottled water. Sometimes they reuse the bottles and cover the hole on the bottom of the bottle with glue. When you go out to eat, if you can get carbonated water, pay for that instead. It's much harder to fudge that... They should always open the top in front of you, by the way.

You might consider taking your own fork and spoon. You can't do much about the plate, but at least you know your utensils are clean.

DO NOT order soup. They will not have boiled the water before cooking the soup.

Drink soft drinks in addition to that beer and wine :)

My husband used to travel to India a lot on his job. He was very lucky for several trips. Then he got Dehli Belly and ended up having to go to a hospital. O. M. G. Every trip after that, he'd come home having lost so much weight. I asked him about it and he said that he drank Coke the whole time and didn't have the courage to eat a lot. My husband is very adventurous with different culture's food, but he was SO sick that one time that it cured him of being willing to take ANY chances. I only went to India once, and got extremely ill from drinking Nestles milk that sits on the shelf (doesn't have to be refrigerated until you open it.) I drank ONE INCH of it. I highly recommend that you don't repeat MY mistake. I wouldn't drink ANY milk if I were you.

I don't know anything about the meat in the Dominican Republic. It was scary to eat the meat in India because in the area I was, most of it was bootleg from Pakistan.

Not sure why you're putting yourself through this (I'd go to Rome if I were you - the water there is just WONDERFUL), but I sincerely hope you get through this trip without getting sick again.

We were in the Dominican Republic last July, and we had no problems, nor did any of our friends who were there with us. We drank all kinds of exotic smoothies, juices, some mixed drinks, and other drinks with ice and had absolutely no problems, kids included.

In DR, you really don't hear about the same kinds of water problems that you do in Mexico, but if you want to be extra cautious, you certainly could drink bottled water, beer, and wine.

We didn't use bottled water to brush our teeth and had absolutely no problems, despite some of us having sensitive stomachs as well.

If you are not allergic to any of the ingredients and don't have any problems taking it, it's not a bad idea to travel with pepto-bismol. You can get the tablets so you won't have any problem bringing it on the plane.

DR is absolutely gorgeous. We stayed at a stunning new resort in Punta Cana, away from the crowded touristy areas and had a most relaxing time. If you want any recommendations, please feel free to message me. I can't wait to go again.

J. F.

Google travel water filters. You may find something in your price range that would work for you. Check the reviews to see what people have experienced.

no salad...only eat cooked veggies
and as far as fruit goes, if you can't peel it, don't eat it

So like in mexico or the philipines, if its not cooked peeled boiled or canned/bottled dont go near it

Have fun!

Talk with your doctor. They can prescribe a medication (something like Cipro) to help with any bacterial infection caused by the water. Many times when you are traveling out of the country, your doc will give you a little travel kit of meds. If i were you, I'd take immodium, just in case. I'd ask for an antibiotic prescription for stomach problems/fever. And, I'd stick to fruits that have a peel. Don't eat anything that is actually washed in the water. Stay away from salads, etc. I'd also check out and see what type of medical care they have around where you are staying. Just in case =) It's better to know your options.

have you tried probiotics? culturelle is a good brand and can be found at target, cvs, etc.

I have a sensitive stomach. I drink a probiotic daily.

I've been away for a week on vacation and my gut let me know that quickly after I missed my daily ya-kult drink. I knew I couldn't have my drink daily so I ate yogurt daily for breakfast.

I wasn't out of the country so it was easier, if possible take a probiotic with you. My pharmacy sells Floragen which is a daily pill. I hate pills and I'm not good with taking them as I'm supposed to do I stick with drinks.

Good luck and happy vacation!!

I was in Kenya for 3 months when I was pregnant, so I was hyper vigilant about food safety. In addition to water, be very careful about produce. Do not eat salad, at all. Only eat raw fruit or veggies if they have a peel and you are the one to remove the peel. If melon is sliced, for example, it may have been rinsed in contaminated water. You can also stick to carbonated water, as you know they didn't refill the bottle from a tap. It may sound paranoid, but most of the other people in my class ended up very sick at some point, 2 were hospitalized, the only thing I caught was a cold :)
Have a great time!

You should be taking a probiotic now (even when you're not traveling) it should help with your sensitive stomach.

I would be careful of different fruits or foods that need washing. Also, be sure that any meats are fully cooked. That is often the culprit of most food poisonings. If you are staying in a resort, most will filter the water for ice. I noticed filters on the ice machines when I was in Jamaica years ago. It was at an all inclusive resort.

You could consider a bringing a separate bag with some of your own food and bottled water.

In addition to all below, avoid smoothies (made with fruit that might not have been washed and peeled and made with milk/yogurt that could be dodgy) and avoid locally made yogurts; go with only international brands, not ones "fresh from the local farm" etc.

Some bottled waters are actually local tap water that is bottled and sold to make dough. Not true everywhere of course! But I would take care about bottled water too and only drink internationally known brands. They will cost you but you might stand a better chance that what's in the bottle is what the label says it is.

If your stomach is that sensitive I would consider talking with your doctor to find out if he or she has more advice, too.

In addition to the water, ice and produce precautions, I take 3 pepto tablets a day. One with each meal. Have fun!

Only take a probiotic with you if you know your belly can handle it!! I had 1 activia yogurt and was messed up for a while. If you can pack a suitcase with your own bottles, I would do that.

Absolutely be cautious but before your trip you should probably strenghten your gutt with probiotics.

Have fun and try not to worry. If you have sufficiently strenthened your gutt you will be better than your normal.

Bring a good Probiotic, try to avoid consuming too many raw fruits and veggies, and drink Fennel tea...every day!

Have fun!