Are you going on holidays? Beware of Moctezuma’s revenge

The period of summer vacation should be distinguished by carefree, blissful laziness, enjoying the beautiful weather, and preferably a wonderful rest in a beautiful place, for example in an exotic country. However, reality is not always so favorable to us, especially when it comes to Moctezuma’s revenge, i.e. travelers’ diarrhea. It is worth finding out more about this problem and properly protecting yourself against it before you leave.

1. Moctezuma’s revenge is travelers’ diarrhea that can happen to people on vacation, e.g. in Egypt or Tunisia
2. Among the symptoms of Moctezuma’s revenge are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and severe abdominal pain
3. We advise on what to equip a holiday first aid kit to feel more confident, safer and at ease
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Moctezuma’s revenge – what is it and what are the symptoms of this mysterious ailment?

Moctezuma’s revenge, the sultan’s revenge, the curse / revenge of the pharaoh, or simply travelers’ diarrhea – these are some names for an extremely unpleasant ailment that can be experienced during the holidays. This problem is often faced by people going to Latin America, as well as to Africa and Asia.

Travel diarrhea should not be equated with a lack of moderation in eating or with classic food poisoning. Moctezuma’s revenge is triggered by a different bacterial flora found on another continent.

The symptoms include:

1. diarrhea
2. sharp abdominal pain,
3. fever,
4. nausea,
5. vomiting.

Symptoms last for about five days.

Moctezuma’s Revenge – Who Is Most At Risk?

There are several groups that are particularly at risk of developing traveler’s diarrhea. Moctezuma’s revenge may affect children up to three years of age, and may also have an increased degree of severity and a longer course. It is worth noting that travelers’ diarrhea affects up to 40 percent. children going abroad. For this reason, it is so important to prepare for the trip, take precautions and wash your hands frequently.

Another group exposed to Moctezuma’s revenge are pregnant women. For this reason, women who are expecting a child are often advised not to take risky or long journeys. This is due to the fact that drugs are often avoided in pregnant women, so in this case prevention is definitely better than cure.

Elderly people may also be at risk of ailments when traveling, which is associated with a general weakening of the mechanisms of non-specific immunity. Often seniors struggle with accompanying diseases (e.g. diabetes), which also affect the course of the disease.

This may interest you: Does it have to be terrible to go back to work after holidays?

Moctezuma’s revenge – practical tips that will help you counteract ailments on vacation

One of the main sources of bacteria that causes travelers’ diarrhea is water. For this reason, it is not recommended to drink tap water and products based on it, i.e. popular ice cubes added to drinks. It is also not recommended to drink cold drinks, including fruit juices and local lemonade.

It is important to be careful not only about drinks, but also about food. You should not eat raw fruit and vegetables. In order to better protect yourself from Moctezuma’s revenge, it is recommended to peel fruits and vegetables, blanch or boil them.

On vacation, we may be tempted by the delicacies sold by street vendors – it is worth refraining from buying, so as not to expose yourself to food of unknown origin. This applies, for example, to eggs and dishes containing eggs, such as ice cream.

In general, you shouldn’t overdo it with the amount of food you eat. It is difficult, because exotic dishes are extremely tempting, but you should bear in mind that they are prepared completely differently than in Europe.

It is worth remembering to wash your hands before each meal. On vacation, it is worth drinking bottled water, which is recommended to be consumed as soon as possible after opening. Hot tea and coffee will also be a good choice. Irrigation is especially important to prevent dehydration in the event of illness.

The diet recommended abroad is based on easily digestible meals. However, hard-to-digest dishes, fried meals and sweetened milk are avoided.

Moctezuma’s Revenge – what to pack in a holiday first aid kit to make you feel more confident?

One cannot forget about the decent equipment of the first aid kit. It should certainly include activated carbon and probiotics.

It is also worth visiting the MedonetMarket.pl store. We recommend:

1. Lactibiane Journey – probiotic for diarrhea on the go,
2. LACTIBIANE Imedia, probiotic for acute gastric disorders and diarrhea,
3. Bieganka – fruit and herbal tea,
4. Intestinal bacterial flora – probiotic without dairy products.