Tips to protect yourself from digestive diseases that are most common in summer

Food poisoning, annoying acid reflux, constipation, norovirus, the famous traveler's diarrhea... Summer is one of the times of year when our digestive system suffers the most. To find out how to avoid these gastrointestinal disorders and what we should do if they appear, we spoke with Dr. Marc Lleixà, a digestive system specialist.

One of the most common gastrointestinal problems in summer is salmonellosis, which we can contract if we eat food that hasn't been properly refrigerated. When the cold chain is broken, bacteria multiply. This can happen year-round, but "it's more likely in hot weather." To prevent salmonellosis, be careful with eggs and dairy products: "We should avoid leaving preparations such as mayonnaise or other foods containing raw milk or eggs (sauces, creams, ice cream, etc.) out of the refrigerator for too long."

Summer also sees a spike in noroviruses, a group of extremely contagious stomach viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea. To prevent their spread, we should thoroughly clean food and wash our hands often with soap and water. If we do get infected, we should eat a soft diet and stay hydrated. "If we have diarrhea and vomiting in the summer, it's extremely important to stay well hydrated because, in the heat, we sweat and lose even more electrolytes," warns Lleixà.

You'll also need to stay well hydrated if you contract so-called traveler's diarrhea. Most pathogens that cause this disorder are transmitted through the fecal-oral route through dirty water or hands. Therefore, "the ideal thing is to drink bottled water when traveling—paying attention to the ice cubes made with tap water—and wash all food with bottled water that we suspect may have been cleaned with tap water." Lleixà urges everyone to go to the emergency room if they experience symptoms after a trip abroad.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is bothersome and also tends to worsen in the summer due to changing habits. "We should eat slowly and have dinner three or four hours before stretching," recommends the specialist. What if it continues to happen? "If you experience reflux occasionally on vacation, you can opt for an antacid like Almax."

Lleixà urges people to pay attention to one last disorder that also worsens in the summer and is often suffered in silence: constipation. It affects a large portion of the population and often worsens when away from home. "In these cases, it's necessary to increase fiber intake and, above all, stay well hydrated to avoid the opposite effect," warns the specialist, who also recommends incorporating moderate physical activity every day: "The goal is to get your bowels moving." If the case is very extreme, you can talk to your family doctor before going on vacation.

The best advice

There's one recommendation that applies to all cases: don't downplay the symptoms: "These are embarrassing issues, and some people delay going to the doctor because they underestimate what's happening to them, but the truth is that they're all disorders that can be very debilitating and affect people's lives," Lleixà concludes.