Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

Stuart

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #1 of 10 (338 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

Are people getting sick from eating and drinking at the local resturants?How about the ice?

Joan Humphries

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #2 of 10 (334 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

: When we drove into Mexico via the western scenic route on our way to D.F., we were really ignorant and ate all salads, ice in cokes, whatever was put before us in podunk restaurants in small pueblos on the way. Never got sick once.After we learned what we were SUPPOSED to do--soaked our veggies in iodine--ugh! got bottled water, etc., we were sick many times throughout the five years we lived in Mexico. Mostly amoebas, both of us got hepatitis, and my husband actually got typhoid! Six Mexico students lived in our home and a few times we were invited by their parents for a meal at their homes. They were very hospitable people who didn't follow our hygiene routine.However, my husband's doctor during the typhoid illness after questioning us thoroughly decided that we probably picked it up in a restaurant (D.F.) where a careless waiter probably didn't bother to wash his hands and handled our silverware. After a while we got distilled water from the electric plant and just washed our veggies in that and did as well as soaking them in iodine and lousing up the flavor!

John R

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #3 of 10 (331 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

In general I think they are: I eat salads and crunch ice cubes in most major cities in Mexico. Health standards have improved a lot. There's a lot more understanding of the need to soak vegetables and use clean water in restaurants.I also agree that a lot of the illness people experience is just from a change of regional bacteria, which you'd get travelling anywhere, and from stress. (A good product against traveller's stomach, by the way, is Culturelle).But so much positive comment has be posted here, that a word of caution might be worthwhile: health standards are still more erratic in Mexico than they are in the United States.Through the 21st week of 2002, the federal Health Department has recorded 2.3 million cases of infectious intestinal illnesses (www.ssa.gob.mx -- the section on estadisticas, otras estadisticas, informe epidemiologico), of which 123,859 were in the final week. Those are cases serious enough to be reported to a doctor or health worker. Since many such cases are not reported, particularly those in rural areas where they may be most common, the actual number of such cases is likely to be higher. On the other hand, most are likely to be reported from relatively poor areas and relatively few from restaurants that cater to tourists and the middle class. Still, it's a significant number. The figure for Jalisco state: 144,711 reported.Of those, there had been 1.8 million cases of intestinal infection due to "viruses, other organisms and those ill-defined." For Jalisco state: 121,813 reported.Bacterial food intoxication: 8,108 nationally, 425 in Jalisco.Hepatitis B: only 258 cases nationally, of which 6 in Jalisco.There were 26,421 reported cases of salmonella poisoning serious enough to require medical care, of which only 1,775 were in Jalisco.There are also statistics on the state health department web site, but it is one of most most incompetently designed web sites I've ever seen from a Mexican government agency -- all show (flash, frames, infinitely slow loading times) and no go.En fin: the situation is not nearly as bad as Mexico's reputation, but it's not something to forget about entirely, either.

Judy King

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #4 of 10 (334 views)

Shortcut

The Ice, traveler's stomach, the Englishman and the Brothel and other tales

Can't Post |

Check your drink. IF the ice is a cylinder shape with a hole in the middle it was made in a commercial plant where the water is also purified. IF you are in a large restaurant or hotel they may serve cubes in a half moon or other precise shape from their own ice makers, filled with purified water from their own filtered, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light system.I often think of all the folks who come to mexico and get sick, and blame Mexico. Meanwhile they got very little sleep the last couple nights before they came here, they are drinking more, in the sun more, walking more than they have in the last six months--combined, at an altitude often 5 times what they are used to, plus have experienced the stress and assult to their immune system of being boxed up with a bunch of sneezing, coughing, snorting fellow tourists between fighting their way through several unkind and uncivilized airports, only to get to Mexico and a few days later, exhibit symptoms. . .and what was it? The water in Mexico that caused their ills.You know, I am reminded of a man who came here several times about 10 years ago from California. He was an Englishman and was terrified of becoming sick in Mexico, so he ate ONLY at McDonald's in Guadalajara, the Lone Star Chili Shop, then on the highway in Ajijic, and Campbell's Chicken Soup. BUT he went to a local brothel every night, and some afternoons as well. Guess we all worry about different things.
ABSOLUTELY true story folks, but the names are withheld to protect the innocent. (his wife)So since we know the Brothels are safe, I hope you will take the same precautions you would back home at a country or state fair, or with a salad bar anywhere--if the place is clean and the people cooking and serving are clean, it is probably ok.Watch to see that food is being served as it is being cooked, avoid foods that are fixed up in advance and sit out for hours. Be extra careful of condiments on the table, hot sauce, catsup, etc. If the ice is melted from the salad bar, and the dressings look tired and weary, and it is the end of the day, have just the greens and veggies, and skip the dressings, potato salad and pasta salad.Avoid eating at street stands for a while when you first come here, until your body adjusts to the local bacterias--just like we have to be more careful when we visit other areas of mexico and the US. The bacteria is different, and our systems are no longer used to it.Ya know, I had food poisoning at a Girl Scout convention in about 1962 in Fort Dodge Iowa--400 girls sick as dogs. Then I had it again after I had lived here for 6-8 years, from a brand of yogurt you all know, right out of my own refrigerator. People also get several of the local stomach ailments here by inhaling the spores when the wind blows the dust around. Don't worry excessively about that, or the restaurants or the dishwashing or the showering. . .Use common sense, and you probably will stay feeling just fine!

Stuart

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #5 of 10 (336 views)

Shortcut

some unfortunante experiences

Can't Post |

It is true you cannot live in fear. We have been going to Sn Miguel for over ten years, I have gotten sick five times. Two times very sick. One time I landed in the hospital with typhoid. The other time simonela. Sometimes local workers use or leave a little water from the tap in the glass or the chicken or eggs are carelessly handled or the salad dressings are lest out on the tables outside on and off all day in and out of the sun. When I landed in the hospital, it was from cream spinish and chicken eatened in one of the best resturants in San Miguel de Allende. I am relieved to hear that it so much better in your area.The other three times were not too bad.

David Tennessee

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #6 of 10 (331 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

I have been making trips to Mexico for over twenty years and so far no problems. But here in my hometown a person died just last week from salmonella. There were over 80 people that got food poisoned and many were confirmed salmonella. The restuarant is a popular national chain with locations thru out the U.S. It can happen anywhere.

David ennessee

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #7 of 10 (330 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

as a follow up to my post: you can read news on this at http://www.newschannel9.com/vnews//1026519388
that is newschannel 9.comas of last friday 189 people developed varying degrees of Salmonella

Joan Hum;hries

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #8 of 10 (333 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

: My two nieces came to visit us in Mexico whenb they aere in junior high. Their mother drove them down to Texas, and we met them there. They got sick in Texas for a couple of days, but the whole summer they stayed with us in Mexico, and we travled from border to Celaya to Acapulco, D.F. and back, staying at various cities and eating in various restaurants and friends houses, and they never once got sick in Mexico!

Lucy

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #9 of 10 (331 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe? / YES

Can't Post |

Be careful.. The IRS agents are planting bad food and ice cubes to make you return to the US and go back to work. There is a better chance of getting sick in a resturant in the US than Mexico. The main rules are the same as in the states or Canada:Look around to see if it is clean.. Not too many flies.They should do a lot of business.Locals should eat there. Try to avoid street food until you determine it is safe.Enjoy. don't worry. If you do have an upset stomach, see any druggest. They know a quick cure. There are only a few places I avoid in Chapala and Ajijic. It has nothing to do with my fear of getting ill.

Bob in Ajijic

Nov 30, 1919, 12:00 AM

Post #10 of 10 (332 views)

Shortcut

Are the resturants safe?

Can't Post |

I'd like to echo Uncle Jack's comments. My wife and I have lived full time at Lakeside for almost four years now. I'd guess we've eaten out in most of the available restaurants here and a few in Guadalajara and never had a problem. In the first few months we were perhaps extra cautious but since then we've enjoyed it all including salad bars, without any, ah, complaints. Actually, we consider this somewhat of an aberration, that our number has to come up. After all, back home one or the other of us used to have a problem every couple of years or so. We would usually decide it was a salad bar although our evidence for this was, well, skimpy. As to the ice, in most establishments you can see it being delivered in the big clear plastic bags from the trucks that make the rounds from the Aga plant. Seems little opportunity for trouble there that doesn't also exist back in the 'States or Canada.There are awlays a number of folks with the opposite experience and when our daughter visits with her three little girls we couldn't tempt her to eat out if our lives depended on it. But for my money...Eat, drink, be merry!