How to Deal with Travelers’ Diarrhea – learn how to minimize your risk by following a few simple steps.

Travelers’ diarrhea, also known as Montezuma’s Revenge, Turista, Delhi Belly, Hong Kong Dog, the Turkey Trot, the Trotsky’s and Seeping Slickness, is the “get up and go feeling” that you don’t want to experience on your vacation.

The turista is caused by:

• Improper food handling practices

• Contaminated water

• Person-to-person contact


Preventing Turista

Preventing turista is easy. You can reduce the risk of infection as you travel by:

• Washing your hands well with warm water and soap or an antibacterial hand gel before preparing food or after using the toilet.

• Drinking bottled water and carbonated beverages.

• Boiling your water for 10 minutes at a rolling boil or treating the water with iodine pills.

• Preparing your food according to the maxim - boil it; cook it; peel it or leave it.


You should avoid the following foods when you travel:

• Salads

• Reheated foods

• Tap water and ice cubes

• Fountain drinks

• Food from street vendors

• Unpasteurized dairy products

• Raw or undercooked eggs

• Raw seafood and shellfish


Treating Turista

Treating diarrhea is straight-forward if you do the following:

• Eat a bland diet which includes bread, rice, baked potatoes, banana, clear soup broth, weak tea.

• Treat yourself with Pepto Bismol, Imodium or a doctor-prescribed antibiotic.

• Prevent dehydration by replacing your depleted fluids and electrolytes. Use a prepackaged oral rehydration solution

• See a physician if the turista does not resolve within a few days or if there is blood in the stools.


Finally, just so that you don’t get caught with your pants down, you can find the location of many toilets at your destination should you require them.

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