ok - that's essentially live yogurt mixed with rice. certainly probiotic so that helps a bit, lots of liquid so it keeps you from getting dehydrated .. but not exactly a 100% cure when you run into bacterial, parasitic or viral stomach conditions. Giardiasis, gastroenteritis, rotavirus, you name it.

Along with all that has been said above - eating stuff that is freshly cooked and smoking hot is generally safe enough (and any side effects of eating something extra spicy tend to go away if you drink enough unskimmed buttermilk / lassi - which is a sweetened and flavored yogurt milkshake of sorts - or alcohol, preferably beer - capsiacin, which gives chili its heat, dissolves in fat and in alcohol, not in water).

Have a Whiskey or Brandy before bed to kill any Germs you may have picked up. Don't bath, you won't want to when you see the colour of the water, just shower and keep mouth shut. Some people go to the extreme of only eating Veg.

If it happens first cry then drink lots and lots of liquid.

"the color of the water"? Not sure what sort of cheap hotel you were staying at.

Kempinski, Westin you name all the cheap ones

which westin????i've stayed at all the westin properties in india....never noticed anything wrong with the colour of the water....

Mumbai

staying there again next week....will check the water colour again....

Spot on!!!
 

Even if my stomach isn't upset, I'll eat curd rice if it's freshly made and sitting in front of me. I first had it in Chennai at the Mylapore Shiva Temple, as part of a temple feast, it is the best thing that God ever fed me!!! (Of course I didn't miss out on the lemon rice, sambar, various vegetable curries, chutneys, pappadums, and ESPECIALLY the sweet rice pudding at the end - God is great!!!)

That's why I eat a small bowl of curd rice at the end of each meal!!!

A few foil packets of Pedialyte rehydration salts are easy to pack and they are a lifesaver mixed with your bottled water if you do get sick and can't even keep water down. Pedialyte is found in the aisle with the kids meds at the grocery or drugstore. As for the Cipro, Lomotil and various prescription medicines, so many bottles can take up too much space. Get a doctor's letter listing all your prescriptions on one page, then put a few of each pill in one bottle. You'll need to write a description of each pill on the back of a business card (Lomotil: small white oval, etc.) and tuck it in the bottle so you can tell what's what.

To help prevent food illness there is a product called Travelan. I swear by it... take one tablet before eating and have not one of our party was sick in two visits to India (and some were a pretty sensitive bunch!). (still take all the regular precautions like bottled water ect)

my elderly parents also used it to Egypt and again, no ill effects from food.