How to Not Get Sick in Mexico: Essential Tips for a Healthy Vacation

Are you thinking about traveling to Mexico? Between visits and flights, there is little time left to think about the best safety measures to keep you healthy, that is why we will tell you “How to not get sick in Mexico?

Everyone who loves to travel seeks to enjoy their vacations living unforgettable experiences, however, you have to keep in mind that you must take care of your health and if you don’t, this could become a problem that will ruin your relaxation and recreation time, that’s why if you travel to Mexico you should always keep in mind How to not get sick in Mexico?

The best way to prevent diseases during your trip is to plan where you will go, investigate what kind of diseases are common in the area and what you can do to avoid them, here we will talk in more detail about How to not get sick in Mexico?

Do you want to get married in Mexico?Comprehensive Guide to Getting Married in Mexico

Everything you should know about How to not get sick in Mexico?

If you want to have a good experience in your trip to Mexico it is necessary that you understand the risks of diseases if you don’t take the necessary precautions and a disease during a trip would represent many problems that can completely ruin your stay.

So, if you are wondering How to not get sick in Mexico? The first thing to keep in mind is that those who visit Mexico have the duty to protect themselves primarily from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and food, among the most common and delicate diseases for travelers are those caused by the bite of an infected mosquito such as Dengue and Montezuma’s Revenge, which is also called traveler’s diarrhea, and tourists usually suffer it soon after consuming a very spicy food for what their stomach is used to.

It is also necessary to take into account that to travel to Mexico you must have some specific vaccinations, a good insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants in areas prone to mosquitoes, use mosquito nets in case of sleeping outdoors and be extremely prudent with the food and drinks you consume, that is why we will specify How to not get sick in Mexico.

Common illnesses for travelers in Mexico

If you are wondering How to not get sick in Mexico you will surely want to know which are the most common diseases for travelers in Mexico, here we will tell you about them:

Chikungunya: Transmitted by mosquitoes, it causes fever and severe joint pain. Tourists visiting Oaxaca, Michoacán, Guerrero and Chiapas are usually at higher risk of contracting it.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: These are lesions caused by the bite of phlebotomine sandflies; tourists are usually infected on the coast and in southern Mexico.

Dengue: Another common infection among tourists visiting Mexico, it is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and usually bites during daylight hours, its symptoms are similar to the flu and tourists visiting the tropical zone of Mexico are more at risk of contracting it.

Malaria: It is transmitted by mosquito bites and its main symptom is high fever. Tourists usually get sick with Malaria in Campeche, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Chiapas.

Here’s everything you need to know about Cancun: What is the legal drinking age in Cancun Mexico

Rickettsial disease: It is transmitted by ticks and causes Rocky Mountain Fever, which is potentially fatal and must be treated with antibiotics. This type of disease is most common in northern Mexico.

Zika: This disease is also transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and symptoms include rash, fever and joint pain. Zika is most common in southern Mexico.

Altitude sickness: It usually affects travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes above 2500m. Among the symptoms related to altitude sickness are headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite, malaise and in the worst cases liquid in the lungs and brain swelling; it is important to emphasize that this type of illness should be treated and that some severe cases can cause death, if you are suffering from altitude sickness you should stop your ascent and rest, if this does not work you will not be able to continue and you should descend as soon as possible.

Montezuma’s Revenge: This disease is also known as traveler’s diarrhea and its symptoms are caused by the lack of conditioning of the immune system to regional foods, which is why most people who get sick with Montezuma’s Revenge are tourists. This type of diarrhea usually occurs a few hours after eating or drinking a beverage containing bacteria or toxins that your immune system could not attack successfully, causing intoxication in the body that leads to diarrhea.

Safety when eating and drinking food and beverages

Those who are wondering How to not get sick in Mexico, should keep in mind that the most common diseases when visiting Mexico are related to food poisoning or waterborne diseases, for this reason we will tell you How to not get sick in Mexico.

Before this, it is important to highlight that Mexico’s gastronomy is recognized worldwide and besides being tasty it is considered economical for many tourists, however, you have to keep in mind that regional dishes are quite spicy, so you need to be careful with what you eat.

A tip for those who are not used to spicy food but wish to try the local gastronomy, is that it is recommended to ask for dishes without spice (it will still have a spicy touch even if you are assured that it is not).

It is also important that you find out which are the most popular restaurants among locals and in turn, those that comply with basic hygiene standards when preparing food. If you want to eat in street stalls you will have to be even more careful, and that despite offering the best flavor and in turn the cheapest is not entirely safe for those who are delicate stomach.

Drinking liquid is also important, especially if you are in hot places where you can run a higher risk of dehydration, but definitely in Mexico it is recommended not to drink tap water or consume ice cubes from street stalls (these can be tap water) and if you do not follow this advice you could have a stomach problem. Therefore, it is better to drink all kinds of beverages in bottles and very cold. According to PROFECO, the best quality bottled water brands in Mexico are Peñafiel, Ciel, Nestlé Pureza Vital and Ciel.

It is also recommended to take a gastric protector, probiotic and antidiarrheal; all these precautions will prevent you from having a bad time caused by a food or drink that causes you discomfort.

Tips to eat safely in Mexico

Mexico is one of those countries that is recognized worldwide for its gastronomy and that is precisely why many people who want to enjoy its native food wonder How to not get sick in Mexico, here we will give you some tips to avoid the risk of getting sick:

• It is always good to do some research to find out which are the safest places to eat in Mexico, for example, restaurants such as Mesón Sacristía de la Compañía (Puebla). San Angel Inn (Mexico City), Karne Garibaldi (Guadalajara), Café de la Parroquia (Veracruz), Panchos Patio Bar (Merida), Mirador(Monterrey) and Pipos(Acapulco) are good restaurants that provide safety. 
• It is also recommended that you always look for restaurants or street stalls where the locals eat. 
• It is always good to check the hygiene of street food vendors. 
• If you want to eat raw fruits and vegetables it is better to buy them at the market. 
• It is necessary to check how they cook meat, fish and seafood, if they are raw it can cause some disease. 
• It is recommended to take part in accredited gastronomic tours. 

Hygiene precautions

In addition to having a good repellent, medicines that reduce your risk of getting seriously sick to your stomach and taking the necessary precautions when eating and drinking, hygiene is another important aspect when traveling to Mexico. If you are wondering How to not get sick in Mexico these hygiene tips can help you:

• You should always wash your hands with soap and water, if this is not possible, we recommend you to have a hand sanitizer and wipes. 
• Do not touch your face without having clean hands. 
• Always be aware of what you touch, eat and drink.

If you want to visit CDMX be sure to read: Best time to visit Mexico City

Now you know “How to not get sick in Mexico? So you can pack your bags and enjoy an excellent trip in the Mexican territory.