JC in India

Food & Drink / Avoiding illness

The chances of ‘Delhi Belly’ being unavoidable are much reduced now, as hygiene levels have improved, and awareness of potential risks has increased. That is not to say caution should not be exercised, and it is quite likely that anyone coming to live in India will experience at least some level of digestive discomfort at times. My personal experience having been here for two years is of three material periods of stomach illness, with a number of more mild symptoms experienced at various times also. The first year was by far worse, and I can attest to an almost downwards sliding scale of upset stomach sensations from arrival for about 18 months to what I would consider normal levels of digestive health. It takes time to adjust and depending on your constitution this will vary person to person. I believe I am now almost fully acclimatised and ‘local’ in my stomachs ability to cope with the food and drink here. It just takes time to adjust.

My advice is to simply exercise sensible precaution with everything you consume. The standard advice of only drinking bottled water (plentiful and easy to obtain) is obvious, but also consider smaller things such as brushing your teeth with bottled water also. It is harmful elements in non-purified water that is the most likely to make you ill. So simple precautions around this need to be taken. I have built up a high level of alertness to all things water, and this is something that should be focused on. Not ingesting water while showering, being careful not to put your hands in your mouth after washing them from the tap, and similar such simple exercises will all help.

In my apartment I have a water cooler machine and have a service which delivers the 20 Litre bottles when I order them, all for the bargain price of 100 INR. So, it is inexpensive and a good way to ensure pure water is always to hand. Advice is to keep reserve bottles in the fridge though just in case.

Most apartments will come with a reverse osmosis machine to provide ‘RO’ water. This is connected to the water mains and will filter water via this reverse osmosis method. In theory this water should then be drinkable but given the ease of sourcing / low costs, of properly bottled water I would suggest this is the better practice. RO water is good for rinsing plates and cups for example, but best to leave it at that.

The other side to the equation is the food. India has an abundance of good food options, and it is a shame to not make the most of these. But general care is always needed, and the standard watch outs for ensuring food is well cooked, avoiding anything that may have been exposed to non-purified water is recommended. It is most likely that ice will have been made from purified water nowadays, as part of the improvements in understanding re hygiene, so usually ice in drinks is ok in truth. But if you are not sure do not be afraid to ask, and if in doubt exercise caution. Same goes for salads, and it is more likely these will have been washed in RO water, so usually ok. But again, just be vigilant.

I personally bias towards vegetarianism while in India, simply to remove a level of risk in case of less well-prepared meats. I was very strict on this in my first year but am more relaxed now, as my stomach has become more acclimatised. I will always avoid Chicken though, and Beef is hard to come by due to the Hindu dominance and their aversion to eating such. So, most burgers are Lamb oriented, and this is the main meat eaten here, other than Chicken. 

The thing to be alerted to is less about the cooking, but the storage and the supply chain to get the meat in the first place. Street food is advised against, not because of the cooking, but more the storage of the meats in advance of being cooked, in usually a very hot, polluted, and insect laden environment.

That said, there are lots of good options available just exercise alertness to storage, cooking practices, cleanliness, and potential exposure to non-pure water. Also taking pro-biotics can help in ensuring your stomach is better equipped to deal with any problematic substances, and I personally have been taking daily pro-biotic tablets ever since I arrived here.

Following these common-sense approaches and having a good degree of awareness and vigilance does go a long way to reducing the risks of illness. My experience is now of a world where I pretty much eat and drink what I want with far less caution than in my first few months, just with the awareness of the risks as almost subconscious second nature.