When travellers prepare for visits to Vietnam, it is no longer just about making plans for their itinerary. It also involves traveling smarter by packing some must-haves such as erceflora vials. These are small doses of probiotics that many people believe will prevent them from suffering from any digestive problems when trying out street food in places like Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc Island.
Social media has also contributed to the popularity of erceflora vials. Travellers can be seen using these vials due to their stomach problems known as ‘Vietnam belly.’ In this way, travellers now tend to use these probiotics as preventive care measures.
Erceflora contains Bacillus clausii spores. Spores have the ability to resist stomach acids and heat. This helps in retaining the ratio of good bacteria within the stomach. Probiotics are mainly administered to patients when there is an intestinal disorder or use of antibiotics. Tourists hope that this will prevent diarrhea from eating unknown foods.
This phenomenon is not only prevalent in Vietnam. Visitors going to places like Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan have also brought along vials of erceflora. India’s tourists have favoured destinations in Southeast Asia because of favourable visa regulations, coupled with increasing interest.
How to actually protect your gut while travelling?
Even though erceflora vials are highly favoured by travellers, its efficacy cannot be guaranteed because although it helps maintain good gut flora, it does not provide immunity against any diseases associated with foods.
Handwashing is still the key point. It is possible to avoid many diseases by washing your hands prior to eating. Clean drinking water is equally significant. You should only consume bottled water when you are traveling.
Staying hydrated is very important. This can be achieved through coconut water, lime water, and oral rehydration salts. The selection of food is equally important. Uncooked or pre-sliced fruits should be avoided. Dairy products that have not been pasteurized should also be avoided.
Smaller portions may also help prevent the occurrence of stomach problems. Eating too much of an unfamiliar food item can affect one’s digestion. Consuming natural probiotics such as curd, buttermilk, or kanji before travelling is recommended.
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