Sometimes it’s unavoidable that travellers get the Montezuma’s revenge specially if they are not used to the drinking water in the area. There’s a place here in Urdaneta City called Bayaoas. Its name means guava in the local dialect. According to the folks here, this place used to be a guava orchard, hence the name. The plant is very common not just here but in all parts of the country.  Old people have used it as a remedy for the common diarrhea. Medical researchers have proven that guava leaves extract helps control the effects of diarrhea.

My father’s recipe for making a decoction is to boil about ten guava leaves in a cup of water for about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the liquid in a cup, let it cool and then drink it. One serving should be enough to ward off Montezuma’s revenge.