Grass & Sticks in Mexico City

I'm off in a week or so to Mexico City for the very first time - never been to Mexico before. I'm a pretty adventurous eater with a pretty strong constitution.

I've been told, "You will get sick."

I've been told, "Just don't drink the water and you will be fine."

I've read all the street food pointers: if it's busy and looks clean, it ought to be fine. Make sure the fruit is peeled. etc.

Here's my question - and to those of you who have traveled to the region and beyond, this may seem dumb and basic - but, say I want to have a salad in a restaurant (I can't live on meat and corn the entire time, right?) -

Salad must be washed, right? With water?

Say I'm in a Sanborn's - say I'm in a restaurant that's taken the place of Aguila y Sol -

I'll also take any and all suggestions of where to go and what to look for. I'm looking to eat my way through the city!

Actually, you don't have to eat only meat and corn to avoid salad -- there are plenty of cooked vegetable dishes. (And to be perfectly honest, one can go quite a long time without a salad. Most cultures don't eat salad. I don't remember ever being offered a tossed salad in Mexico. If you want more reasons, read "Salad, the Silent Killer" in Jeffrey Steingarten's wonderful The Man Who Ate Everything.)

If you don't feel you can live without them, washed, fresh salads are okay if you're in a five-star international hotel. Otherwise, I'd be wary. But cooked veggies are everywhere, and generally safe. And things in vinegar bases, such as salsas.

Take practical precautions -- take Pepto-Bismol along, plus Immodium or similar. Drink bottled water, and even brush your teeth in bottled water. (One of the reasons I always travel with tooth powder -- much easier to rinse out of your brush when you're using bottled water for everything -- EcoDent is my favorite -- it's at most healthfood stores and Whole Foods.) And don't eat fresh salads.

That said, something can sneak through. My first trip, I ate everything in sight (but no salads) -- I consumed chapulinas from women in the marketplace; elote exquisto from street vendors (hot corn on the cob with mayo, cheese, and chili powder -- fabulous -- but who knows how long that mayo was sitting on that cart), foods from restaurants small and large, breakfast at the big outdoor mercados, shrimp from shacks on the beach (not the tourist beach, mind you), snacks from the night markets. I had absolutely no problem at all. My second trip, I was slightly more cautious -- and ended up with my guts being ripped out.

You do what you can (i.e., only bottled water -- always have extra, because you don't want to run out -- no unpeeled fruit, no fresh salads outside a Hyatt), and you go prepared for what might happen anyway. And then relax. It will happen or it won't. You take reasonable precautions, then relax and enjoy yourself -- and just be prepared for "la tourista." Because the statistics are pretty high for getting something (I don't remember them now, but I did a fair bit of research on the Internet during that second trip, when my little problem didn't clear up with one Immodium). It was still absolutely worth it, being there, even on the second trip, when I did get a bug.

Have a great trip.

Mexico City is one of the greatest places on earth to eat. I was there last winter and was truly amazed by the amount of vegetarian eating there was to be done from hawker stalls, mostly cooked offerings. I can be quite maverick with my consumption of most things and I did eat plenty of raw onion, tomato, and cilantro. A common sense thing to keep in mind are that fruits and veggies that must be peeled before serving are probably somewhat safer. Luck would have, though that a week filled with intrepid culinary adventure would end on a sour note. The one night we ate pizza (at an upscale woodfired joint)- something did it to me. My culprit- ice. Avoid ice. I am a compulsive ice munching type of guy, but remember that the ice will also melt in your beverage. No hielo por favor.

Thanks for the quick responses (I knew I could count on LTH)- my question regarding salads came up because in reading both the Time Out and Lonely Planet guides I came across breezy descriptions of enjoying a salad in this or that cafe... and my initial thought was, "Whah???"

Both guides feature a single paragraph regarding The Revenge - and the peeling of fruit, etc, etc, etc ---

So, I figured I'd get some real, first hand advice - just so that I wouldn't drive myself (and my fellow traveler) nuts.

truelife wrote:Thanks for the quick responses (I knew I could count on LTH)- my question regarding salads came up because in reading both the Time Out and Lonely Planet guides I came across breezy descriptions of enjoying a salad in this or that cafe... and my initial thought was, "Whah???"

Both guides feature a single paragraph regarding The Revenge - and the peeling of fruit, etc, etc, etc ---

So, I figured I'd get some real, first hand advice - just so that I wouldn't drive myself (and my fellow traveler) nuts.

Don't forget to wash your hands often, both before and after eating. That will prevent 80% of the type of illness you are trying to avoid.

Do not fail to get a quesadilla at the Bazaar Sábado (and check out Jefe's amazing post in the linked thread)

truelife wrote:Thanks for the quick responses (I knew I could count on LTH)- my question regarding salads came up because in reading both the Time Out and Lonely Planet guides I came across breezy descriptions of enjoying a salad in this or that cafe... and my initial thought was, "Whah???"

Both guides feature a single paragraph regarding The Revenge - and the peeling of fruit, etc, etc, etc.

I've found that some people have trouble appreciating just how sick you can get if you keep breaking the rules. I remember reading a travel piece where the writer said that, even though the locals warned them away from some raw-vegetable dish, because they could get worms, they breezily noted, "That's why we bring antibiotics." And it wasn't because it was some fabulous dish that would make your culinary trek complete, they just missed raw veggies. There are things you can't get rid of -- blood flukes and liver flukes and amoebas and viruses -- all things that may not be touched by the antibiotics, that may not show symptoms until it's too late, or that may just kill you before you take the antibiotics. Never treat a warning about "worms" cavalierly. (Clearly, this doesn't apply to you, or you wouldn't be asking, but since you mention the writers who have talked of having salads, I thought it was worth pointing out that some people play Russian roulette. Of course, it might depend on the salad, because if they're describing some vinegar-soaked preparation that might actually be safe.)

And just so you know if what you've got traveler's diarrhea (the generic name for "la tourista"), here's what the Center for Disease Control has to say on the topic:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseasei ... rhea_g.htm

My wife of more than twenty years is Mexican. I have been literally scores of times. I only got sick once, and that was when we stopped on the road somewhere between Acapulco and Mexico City and got some tacos at a hole-in-the-wall place on the old autopista. Absent-mindedly I ate the lettuce salad that was on the plate. I immediately thought uh-oh, and I was sick as a dog for days afterwards. Mexicans just don't eat salads (my wife says it makes her feel like a cow eating grass). Just drink bottled water (Mexicans drink bottled water, nobody drinks out of a tap) stay away from ice (unless you're in a top-flight hotel or restaurant-bagged ice is safe and widely available in tourist areas) and pig out on fruit. Pineapple, mango, papaya, melon, bananas, oranges, avocado. Onions are safe because they're peeled. Cooked veggies are plentiful also. Tortillas, rice, beans, avocado, you can eat healthy and well without having a salad. I've never had a problem with tomatoes for some reason
Hint: use bottled water when you brush your teeth too.

Again, many thanks. Your advice has been practical and non-alarmist!

I appreciate the reminders: "sin hielo, por favor," brushing with bottled water, hand-washing (I expect I trend more toward the practices of my doc rather than a Purell toting germaphobe) and most of all: having fun and digging in.

I promise photos and better than "Check Please" reporting.

(my boyfriend was the 'bruschetta' corrector on a recent episode)

Unfortunately, I am an expert on this subject by virtue of frequent trips to Mexico over many years, a relatively delicate stomach, and an adventurous palate. Fortunately, my in-laws in Mexico are doctors and so are many of their friends, so I am always surrounded by helpful experts.

In general, I have encountered three separate conditions:

1) The typical gastric distress caused by the change in intestinal flora. The cure for this is time; things like pepto-bismol which treat the symptoms until your system gets into balance are a blessing.

2) A full-blown intestinal infection, usually bacterial. You may assume this comes from eating unwashed produce or the water or the ice, etc. but you never know. Remedies such as pepto-bismol serve only to immobilize the digestive tract and do nothing to treat the underlying infection which could be getting worse as you happily eat away. Soon after the effect of the pepto-mismol wears off, you will, without question, experience the mother of all stomach explosions. This will inevitably occur on the flight home when the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign has been turned-on. . If I get sick, I take pepto-bismol. If the stomach problems are relieved, but I still feel out of sorts, that is when I suspect something more serious.

I picked up one of these beauties on my last trip. A doctor friend took a quick look at me, made a phone call to the pharmacy down the street. Within 5 minutes some Cipro arrived. Within a few hours I was feeling human again.

3) A combination of 1 & 2: If during the transition, your defenses are weakened (dehydration, exhaustion, etc.), a bug that might not be able to become established can blossom into a full-blown infection. This was particularly a problem for me when I lived at lower altitude. The thin atmosphere, the pollution, the stress of running around preparing for the trip, the exhaustion of the travel, lots of activity upon arriving) all served to weaken my defenses. My solution is to eat lightly before travel, drink plenty of water (Mexico can be very dry), and give myself a day or two of quiet before jumping into a lot of activity. Things are much easier now that I live at high-altitude and am already accustomed to thin air.

Enjoying the cuisine of Mexico City comprises some of the most memorable moments of my life. I hope you have a great time and report back on any great finds.

Bill/SFNM

I've probably been to Mexico 20 times. I've gotten sick twice (and I'm a pretty adventurous eater). I was talking about this with the woman who runs a big cooking school in Oaxaca and she says she advises people to stay away from ice cream that's not from a shiny, cosmopolitan store (i.e. don't eat it from the street stands--it's often more of an ice than an ice cream, possibly with questionable water). When I thought back to the last trip where I got sick, I had been eating a lot of ice cream. So now I avoid it.

I ate everything [edible] I saw in Mexico City twice (street naranjadas and elotes, Sanborns huevos rancheros and coffee, icy drinks at Villa Maria and Los Girasoles, grasshoppers in a paper cup, 1 AM open-air tacos al pastor) and never had a problem. It is a stunningly large, sprawling, high-altitude city, and the bugs have had plenty of time to get around, including in and out of the airport. Your system will be more familiar with them than you might expect. I'd use common sense and avoid drinking from puddles or sketchy room temperature juice barrels in lesser restaurants, but I'd not be terribly worried about veggies. I'm more scared of prep cooks here than there (some on this board helped affirm that for me).

Have a FANTASTIC time; make sure to hit the Museo Antropologico and the Palacio de las Bellas Artes even if you're not seeing a show, for the Tiffany curtain and murals. Buen provecho!

Bill/SFNM wrote:2) A full-blown intestinal infection, usually bacterial. You may assume this comes from eating unwashed produce or the water or the ice, etc. but you never know. Remedies such as pepto-bismol serve only to immobilize the digestive tract and do nothing to treat the underlying infection which could be getting worse as you happily eat away. Soon after the effect of the pepto-mismol wears off, you will, without question, experience the mother of all stomach explosions. This will inevitably occur on the flight home when the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign has been turned-on. . If I get sick, I take pepto-bismol. If the stomach problems are relieved, but I still feel out of sorts, that is when I suspect something more serious.

My approach to these problems is to help my body get it out of my system as soon as possible. While products like imodium may stop the explosion, it is just postponing the exit and prolonging something in your body longer than your body wants it to be there. If I can accomodate myself, I try to take nothing that will slow or cause it to harbor longer in my body than necessary.

If I have to be out and about, then I grin-and-bear-it take the imodium and know this is a postponed problem rather than resolved.

***

My Grandfather had a home in Puebla and a condo in Acapulco. His idea of dinner out was to hit all the carts insisting on eating only the food cooked in front of us. Since he was paying, I was very willing to play it his way.

Regards,

One thing I forgot to mention -- acidophilus. Get acidophilus pearls at the healthfood store. You want the pearls, because they don't dissolve until they hit your intestines. Start taking them a few days before you go, through the trip, and for a few days after you get home. They won't prevent everything, but they do usually prevent the distress that comes from introducing different intestinal flora.

As for the advice to just let it run its course -- that's fine if you have a lot of time, but traveler's diarrhea lasts a week, and you don't want to sit in the bathroom the whole week. Miss one day, if necessary -- that will clear out your system -- and then take the Imodium.

As for the comments on dehydration setting you up for illness, just take Emergen-C with you and drink it regularly on the flight down. (Dehydration is, in fact, a major issue on longer flights.) Can't hurt to drink it regularly in Mexico, either. It's an electrolyte drink, but also provides all your "stress vitamins" -- B complex, plus 1000mg of Vitamin C. Cheap insurance. (Again, any health food store, and in many Jewel's, TJ's, and in the large economy size at Sam's. A very popular preventive.)

Cynthia wrote:here's what the Center for Disease Control has to say on the topic:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseasei ... rhea_g.htm

To the long list of questions I've never thought of asking will henceforth be added:

How can I learn more about travelers' diarrhea?

Hi,

I never have been sick for more than a portion of a day. So laying low to get something out of the system is not a big sacrifice of time.

There are visitors to this country who get the galloping crud. The issue is not entirely related to sanitation.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

There are visitors to this country who get the galloping crud. The issue is not entirely related to sanitation.

Regards,

Yes -- there is more than one issue -- serious food-borne illness, and just adjusting to a new location's bugs. But, as my guide in Egypt said, "In about two weeks, you'd probably adjust to our water and germs -- but do you really want to be sick for most of your vacation?"