La du zi is something I've had in many places, in & outside of China, including in London. The idea that 'real Yunnan food' is particularly likely to give you la du zi is, at least in my case, false - happens rather rarely, but it has happened to me (over a period of 10+ years) after eating in 'western', & western-run, restaurants in Kunming, as well as after eating in normal Kunming restaurants. Doesn't happen often. If you're getting la du zi frequently in Kunming, I think the problem might be your particular stomach, especially if you're new here. If you have a problem with spicy food, then you'll either get used to it or not - if not, don't order spicy dishes.
Laofengzi, it makes no sense to avoid all 'real Yunnan food' because there's a chance you might get the shits - there's always a chance, anywhere.
This whole thing is much exaggerated, & is not something that even crosses my mind, even in passing, when I go out to eat, which is daily.
Not at all amazing, but simply a fact of human physiology, that the human digestive tract is extremely adaptable.
You don't have to live in a bubble.

Being 'foreign' is something most people can handle, and, at least after awhile, doesn't have to lie there in the front of one's head alla time.

yunnan food aint the problem it is the accepted standars of food hygiene

@Dazzer: Okay, could be better, but we're not in crisis mode here, most people in Kunming, Chinese or otherwise, don't seem to be suffering all the time from bad food. If foreigners here spent half as much time learning how to order what they want as they do about complaining about local food in restaurants as if it were all some kind of bad homogenous whole, they might get beyond their stereotypes.

I'll give you my break down

80m2 apartment with kitchen ware some funishings 1600/month

utilities (water/electric) 250 month tops

food 300-500 a week depending on how me and the girlfriend feel like, (this includes smokes and the occasional beer)

internet I paid for a year 680 + the router and modem so like 800 total

all in all roughly 4000 a month for general life, with limited party nights (one a week for me)

apartments ask for usually 6 months up front, my agreement was 3 months up front then 6 months then 3 to finish out the year, not sure if we will renew yet but maybe, 1 month rent as deposit, and agency fee (1 months rent).

I would say a full set up from scratch is 10000 (3 months rent things you need, food) after that 4000 a month to cover everything.

as a university student don't be afraid to teach privately I tipically make 1200 a month from my private students and I have a Job as well so more then enough

i often when i go to public toilets there is an awful smell of like people have been having exploding butt. i think for many locals it is not noteworthy like us getting aheadache, it is just same all same all. go into any pharmacy and they are well suppluid with cold meds and stomach meds. bach home i only see one or two. why so many stomach meds. not just for us tender laowai surely

Been here practically two years now and can proudly say I'm again suffering 'la du zi' lol. Coincidence I see these posts as I'm trying to figure out which place got me as won't be going back ;) I eat Yunnan food all the time with in-laws with no problems but on the odd occasion I do have a problem it's through some place I'd thought to try out first time. The latest place was a surprise though as quite a posh area to look at, it's the new area they're building up (with the funny marble arch type building) just around the corner from the agean on guangfu lu.

Suppose my point is though, no matter how nice the place looks, it's still the chefs in the back kitchen and their standards that are gonna get ya lol

@redjon: Happens once in a while. Are you talking about 36-hour discomfort or about something serious?

No luckily it was just a 36 hour bout as back to normal this evening lol

maybe it was some of that old meat