Are you gearing up for some exotic travel this summer? Passport, shots, bathing suit, tummy-trouble medicine…what a drag if an unwelcome stowaway gets in your system! Here’s what to do…
If you’re traveling in countries where papaya is readily available, you should eat this fruit every day. It will help digestion and help deter intestinal parasites, especially if you’re eating foods that you’re not used to eating. More important than the papaya meat are the seeds inside the papaya. Eat one teaspoon of the raw seeds daily. (Chew as much as you can—they have a surprising peppery taste.) They also contain papain, a protein-digesting enzyme that breaks down the cell walls of whatever’s in your stomach—including things you don’t want there.
A reminder Don’t drink the water! The best way to prevent parasitic infection is to avoid consuming local water (including ice cubes!) when you travel. Be sure to wash all raw fruits and vegetables with clean bottled water—and then avoid eating skins even after washing. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling fruits and veggies, too.
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