How can I avoid diarrhea in Mexico?

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indo

Dude.
I travel to Mexico ALL the time, and am, in fact, writing this from Mexico (saludos de Guanajuato), where I've been for the last 8 months. So, here's an answer from experience.
The one guy, with the answer about resort food, was right on about that. I don't know where you are going, or where you are staying, but if its a major all-inclusive in Cancun, avoid the catering for most of the day (supper is usually ok, tho) and request food off the "menu," stuff like burgers and fries and the like. Yeah, its not the healthiest stuff around, but its clean, your body is used to it, and you're getting relatively fresh cooked food. And all-inclusive means its free, so go wild. If you are at a major resort, don't WORRY about the water, as most luxury hotels have facility-wide water filtration, which means you can drink it, brush your teeth with it, have sexual activity in it, whatever. But make sure you use common sense and ASK. If you're staying in a lower budget price range, where the hotel doesn't have filtration, its still ok to brush your teeth with local water (I do it everyday - just dont DRINK it, fer chrissake), though if you're only staying a week or something, go ahead and splurge on a bottle to use for teeth cleaning.
The advice on eating at places where there is a lot of business is sound, but not fool-proof. I've been coming down here for years, but I got sick last week at the beach, and I ate at one of the busiest taco joints in town (and the food was really tasty). Sometimes stuff happens. If you do get sick, forego the pepto and go pick up a three dollar bottle of penicillin from any pharmacy, that is, if you're not allergic to it. It will knock out whatever ails you in about a day, but make sure you FINISH the bottle, even when you're all better. As a general rule for street food, avoid lettuce and strawberries at all costs. Otherwise, if it looks good, dig in. Tacos de pastor with onion, cilantro, salsa and fresh lime are ALWAYS a safe, and tasty, option. I'll leave it to you to find other stuff. Just use common sense - if a "spicy chicken" sandwich from a fast food joint is your idea of "spicy," think twice about ordering that torta with extra jalapenos.
I hope you have an awesome trip, and don't get tummy trubble, because it can really ruin your trip if you're only staying a couple of days. Hope these tips will help. Oh, last thing. Don't worry about breads/pastries. You pick those out yourself with tongs, and they are placed in bags at the "register" with the same tongs, so enjoy!

Enigma

Haven't you heard " Don't drink the water"

dickn2000

Don't drink the water, and take several bottles of Ammodium AD with you!!

rummy714

All the major resorts will have filtered water. You do want to double check that w/ the hotel. Last time i was there I stayed in a private Villa, and the tap water wasn't filtered so they provided bottled water for everything. We had to buy special wash for the fresh fruit to. Don't forget to ask about ice if you wind up in local restaurants. I know in Cancun everything was safe. The whole city's water supply was filtered. I've been several times, to various city's and never had a problem. Just watch yourself if you get too far off the beaten path.

cdf-rom

Don't go to Mexico. Have your diarrhea at home.

Magneto

Take a good supply of bottled water,avoid eating at street fast food places,carry a good disinfectant when using the rest rooms and also take an ample supply of mosquito repellent to avoid being stung by mosquitoes that might be carrying diseases which are abundant in mexico because of poor hygiene.If you have to drink any soft drinks,always use a straws for safety

sparks_mex

>>>> bring your own bottled water

Now that is funny. Can you imagine carrying a week or two worth of water on a plane.

Even fancy resorts with lay out a cafeteria style food selection and it often sits there for few hours - try to be early.

If you are eating on the 'streets' - go where everyone else goes. That is, a busy place where the food turns over a lot - not sitting around. Also wait untill they are in full swing rather than when they first startup. Many times they will warmup yesterdays stuff.

For ice cream and pastries watch for the money handler wearing plastic gloves and general cleanliness.

Drink lots of water and don't get dehydrated

Campaneris

Do exactly the same you do when you are at home in US

NightSpotter

don't go to the toilet.

oogenfloogen

just bring your own bottled water...thats it. the foriegn bacteria and protists in the mexican water gets us sick *its not just them, mexicans get sick when they first drink our watertoo*

captmhunt

Anytime I'm in the 3rd world and don't trust the water supply I stick to either bottled water, beer, wine or bottled soft drinks... Beer works the best because the water is filtered and the alcohol content, even if it's very little, will kill any bacteria in the water.

woht

Stay in your side of the fuck1n' river

gamerunner2001

Stay to the bottled water and avoid a lot of street food, the kind where they are cutting the meat on an old wooden block that looks like its never been washed...... If you do get sick go to a pharmacy and ask for
Kaomycin, sulfa based and it really works quick on those pesky bugs plus its won't cause any skin problems with being in the sun.
You can also by Lomotil, its stronger than the diarrhea meds you can buy in the states but be careful, it has a small amount of morphine in it...

guitarldy9

cooking the food well- i mean really well, no red showing, and even if it gets like leather, at least you know that most bacteria should be killed. Drink bottled items like soda, water, beer, etc, and avoid pork or pork lard products. Chicken or beef super well cooked seems to be ok. Just in case, most places sell imodium in prescription strength and most pharmacys know dosage. And stores sell Gatorade just in case!!
Resorts should be safe, but who's to know if the cook washes his/her hands before touching the food??? If you stay for a long time, maybe you could pick up some disinfection drops they sell in Walmart (usa) in camping stuff isle. Good Luck!!!!

Lierin

I just returned from Oaxaca, Mexico and a bit of advice to follow, as anyone will tell you is don't drink the water. Don't even brush your teeth with it.

Something you don't think about is ice in drinks. "Safe" ice will be uniform size, a cylinder, with a hole in the middle. Stay away from crushed ice. Most restaurants will be clean, but anything in the mercados is fair game, so beware.

As for the food, that is generally safe, it just depends on your digestive system. If you aren't used to their spices and textures, you may become sick anyways. If you do become sick, it may take a couple of days and bottles of Pepto Bismal to get over, but after that, you should be fairly acclimated to the Mexican palate.

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