Natural Options To Prevent Bali Belly

1. Saccharomyces Boulardii

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When we think of probiotics we think of “good bacteria”. But S. Boulardii is a tropical strain of yeast (found in the skin of the lychee!) and a very well researched probiotic. It works to prevent travelers’ diarrhea by stopping bacteria from attaching to the walls of your intestines, meaning the bacteria are eliminated from the body with your next bowel movement.

It is known to have an antitoxin effect, meaning it can destroy the toxin inside a pathogenic E. coli cell for instance, and reduce the effects of cholera toxins.

Not only can S. Boulardii help prevent Bali Belly, it is also a good early treatment option if you start to show signs or symptoms of travelers’ diarrhea. It is particularly effective at plugging up diarrhea and has been prescribed for the last 30 years for diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria.

I most commonly use Thorne Research, Sacro-B, 60 veggie caps that you can get off iHerb or Amazon. One capsule, three times a day with meals works for me as a preventative and up to six capsules per day if I start feeling unwell. If you use another brand, just look for one that is shelf-stable and doesn’t require refrigeration as this can be a hassle when traveling.

2. Oil of Oregano

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Oil of Oregano is a proven pathogen killer and my go-to herbal antimicrobial. It contains the active ingredient, carvacrol, which has all kinds of antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is effective against bacterial infections in the gut and is particularly effective against not only food-borne pathogens, including E. coli and Salmonella that cause Bali Belly but typhoid and cholera.

You can either use capsule or liquid form but just make sure it contains at least 60% carvacrol – the more the better! Some brands I’ve used in the past include Natural Factors liquid that is 80% carvacrol from iHerb or Amazon, and Nature’s Way veggie caps which contain 75% – 85% carvacrol which are also available from iHerb and Amazon.

I personally tend to use the capsules that you can source from iHerb or Amazon as a preventative, which just requires 1 capsule with meals whilst traveling. It can be pretty powerful stuff so not everyone tolerates it that well… which is why the next option might be for you.

3. Travelan

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Travelan’s active ingredient is hyperimmune bovine colostrum powder, which is actually harvested from New Zealand dairy cows. It works to prevent Bali Belly and travelers’ diarrhea by binding to harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing them from attaching to the intestinal wall. This neutralizes the bacteria’s ability to hang around long enough to cause diarrhea and other GI symptoms. No bugs, no Bali Belly.

I first took Travelan with me on our trip to Peru and Ecuador in 2015 and will also be taking it on our next trip to Bali in August. This is because it’s got some solid science behind it, with clinical trials showing Travelan offers protection of up to 90% against infection with the major strain of E.coli that causes travelers’ diarrhea, a.k.a. Bali Belly. The company has also reported that a recent study by the US Defense Force has demonstrated that Travelan may also be effective against Campylobacter, Shigella, and other pathogenic bacteria that may cause travelers’ diarrhea.

In Australia, you can find Travelan on their website HERE or at major pharmacies (e.g. Chemist Warehouse), and in the USA you can also get it on Amazon. I just take one caplet with every meal when I’m traveling, or a second one if I’m a little worried about the food quality.

A few of my packing essentials for our upcoming trip to Bali.

Bonus: Digestive Support

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You know those people who supposedly have a ‘cast-iron’ gut that seems immune to everything? Well, this is most likely because they have 1) a diverse microbiome with lots of good gut bacteria; and 2) they have a properly functioning digestive system with built-in bug-fighting powers.

If you’re like me and you don’t have one of the ‘cast-iron’ guts, you can give yours the boost it needs with a few simple supplements. Here are the three that I commonly use:

1. Betaine HCL – this stomach acid support helps kill off bugs that come in with the food you eat or water you drink so that they don’t make it past the acidity of the stomach. I use Thorne Research, Betaine HCL & Pepsin which is available from iHerb and Amazon

2. Digestive enzymes – to help you break down your food properly, leaving more fighting power for the bad bugs. I use Enzymedica available on iHerb and Amazon.

3. Probiotics – help fight-off pathogens and re-inoculate good gut bacteria post infection. Just make sure it is a practitioner-recommended brand, a big step up from Yakult or most store-bought brands.

Want even more information on preventing and treating Bali Belly?

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Then check out my Travel Poo-Mergency Avoidance Guide below, all about how to NOT get sick in developing countries. It has 10+ pages of advice on water, food and supplements to keep you safe and you’ll also be joining our regular newsletter for even more helpful tip.

Note: This post was written as part of a collaboration with Travelan. Affiliate links for iHerb and Amazon have been included in this blog post. These do not adversely affect the price you pay.