Sometimes, vacations can be memorable, but not in a good way. It can be unfortunate if you get sick on your vacation. However, you can still make the best of it and hopefully recover quickly. Here are six foods to eat on vacation if you get sick.
1. Soup
Soup can perform many duties. It can hydrate you as well as provide you with some calories to give you more energy. Mild soups, like chicken noodle soup or another broth-based soup with rice or pasta, may be easy to digest. Plus, hot soup can act as a natural decongestant.
2. Citrus
Citrus fruit offers a lot of nutrients and vitamins, and it can help you boost your immune system. As such, oranges and related fruits could be helpful when you’re sick. When traveling in foreign countries, you have to be careful about eating raw fruits and vegetables because of the possibility of contamination. However, fruits that have thick peels may be safer to consume.
3. Bananas
Bananas are frequently offered to athletes after races because they can help people replenish their electrolytes. For this same reason, it could be wise to eat bananas if you become sick when you’re traveling. Bananas make sense for other reasons, too. They’re easy to find, they tend to be affordable, and they have thick peels that can protect them from contaminants.
4. Bread
When you don’t feel well while traveling, try to find bread in a store or bakery. It will be gentle on your stomach and could keep you feeling full. It’s relatively plain in flavor, so it likely won’t upset your stomach. It’s also soft and easy to chew. Like bananas, bread is readily available in most parts of the world. In a foreign country, bread might not be exactly the kind of bread you’re used to, but it should taste fairly similar to what you’re accustomed to eating.
5. Ginger
Many people feel that ginger can alleviate their nausea. Partly because of this, ginger ale and ginger tea have become popular. When your stomach doesn’t feel great when you’re away from home, consider treating yourself to something with ginger. Besides drinks with ginger, you may be able to find ginger candy or crystallized ginger.
6. Dry Foods
It can be tough to fill your stomach when you’re under the weather. To ensure that you’re eating enough, even despite your illness, stock up on dry foods like pretzels, cereal, or crackers. These items are fairly neutral in flavor, and you can snack on them as you recover.
Finally, we’d like to note that when you’re ill, you’ll want to hydrate as much as you can. Being sick can sap your energy and make you feel weak. Drinking water can combat those effects in addition to helping you flush out waste, strengthen your immune system, and transport nutrients to various parts of your body. Just remember that tap water is not always safe to drink. It’s a good idea to stick with bottled water that you purchase from a store. Since sickness is always a possibility while traveling, it’s best to have a travel insurance policy in place.
