1. Practice Good Hygiene
Both bacterial and viral gastroenteritis can be transmitted from person to person. The best way to prevent the spread of disease is to wash your hands. After using the washroom or changing diapers, hands should be washed immediately with soap. Try to encourage your children to do the same and help younger children who may forget on their own.
If your baby is suffering from gastroenteritis, you can help prevent the spread of infection by disinfecting the diaper changing area. Keep children home from school or daycare if they are sick as gastroenteritis is easily spread among young children.
2. Prevent Food-Borne Infections
Raw and contaminated foods are the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. Fortunately, there are precautionary measures you can take to prevent this kind of infection. Remember to wash any utensils you use, such as knives and cutting boards before using them with other foods. It is generally a good idea to have a separate cutting board for meat.
Since uncooked foods can carry unwanted bacteria, it is always important to cook foods thoroughly. Some recipes such as those for ice cream may call for raw eggs. It is always better to avoid these kinds of recipes. Similarly, it is better to avoid licking the bowl after baking. Cookie batter usually contains raw eggs, and as delicious as it may be, it puts you at risk for developing bacterial gastroenteritis. Sticking to pasteurized products is also recommended. Pasteurized dairy products and pasteurized apple juice are less likely to be contaminated with bacteria.
When traveling, be especially careful about contaminated foods. Avoid buying food from street vendors in countries where standards of sanitization are lower. Eat only peeled fruit and vegetables. Try to ensure that your food has been thoroughly cooked and is served hot.
3. Drink Bottled Water When Traveling
You may have experienced traveler's diarrhea first-hand or you may have just heard about it. In many countries, particularly third-world countries, the water is not clean and can be full of bacteria. This is a common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis for travelers. The best way to avoid this is to drink only bottled water when traveling. If you can't get bottled water, drink tap water only if it has been boiled for five to 10 minutes. In fact, it is best if you can use bottled water even when you brush your teeth. Try to keep your mouth shut while showering and avoid swimming in water that could be contaminated.
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