The prospect of enjoying foreign cuisine for a week or two is often a major reason why people choose to go abroad. Unfortunately, eating during your vacation is nowhere near as safe as when you’re eating at home. In fact, your new dining habits could actually make you ill on holiday – which is just one of the reasons why you need travel insurance. Let’s take a look at how what you eat – and don’t eat – could have an effect on your health when you’re on holiday.
Appetite
You’re actually more likely to lose your appetite when you’re on holiday – even when faced with some delicious delights. The pattern of travelling, adjusting to a new time-zone and adapting to different weather can cause appetite-quelling gastrointestinal issues. This can make you feel poorly in itself, but the real strain on your body occurs when it is deprived of the energy that comes from food. You’ll ultimately end up with a weaker immune system that makes you more susceptible to illness.
Over-eating
If you don’t lose your appetite you might well find that you can’t quite control what you eat. After all, you’re on holiday – who cares how much you have for dinner? Unfortunately, if you eat more than you usually would you could develop health problems as a result. This is largely down to the fact that there will be increased blood flow to your intestines, meaning other body parts – such as the brain – can only access a reduced amount. This could make you become lethargic and reduce your body’s ability to defend itself against illness.
Shock
You can inadvertently shock your body when you switch up your dining habits. This is particularly true when the food you’re eating is sourced and prepared differently to what you’re used to at home. You could feel under the weather and perhaps suffer from digestive issues. Over time this might escalate further, increasing your chances of developing further illnesses while you’re on holiday.
Be safe
It’s not a question of avoiding going abroad in case you fall ill. Instead, it’s just about making sure you’re covered in the event that you do require medical assistance. Therefore, before you go away you should be sure to find a cheap travel insurance quote by visiting Compare Insurance.