TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bali Island in Indonesia is one of the popular tourist destinations in the world. Many travelers from various countries come to visit. Apart from the natural beauty and interesting culture, these travelers also often try out a very diverse range of typical culinary delights.

Balinese culinary specialties that are rich in spices with a savory, spicy taste have become a special attraction. However, differences in culinary culture and habits also influence digestive conditions. A number of travelers are not used to eating spicy food with a strong taste. As a result, their stomachs have the potential to become obstructed.

In the end, there are tourists who don't like the food there. For some who try it for the first time or if it is not suitable for their body condition, they will experience stomach ache, people call the condition "Bali Belly", which is actually the same as traveler's diarrhea. So, what exactly is Bali Belly?

Reporting from the journal osj.unud.ac.id, Bali Belly is a digestive disorder experienced by tourists visiting Bali. The increasingly massive increase in tourists every year has various impacts, one of which is the health of tourists themselves while on holiday. Quoted from BPS Bali, there was an increase in tourists by 8.28 percent from January to February 2024.

Still from the same journal, findings in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), estimate that 20-70 percent of tourists experience digestive disorders while on holiday in Bali with different tourist destinations and durations.

Actually, there are many factors that cause Bali Belly to appear, including viruses in food, body resistance, cleanliness of eating places, cleanliness of visitors, to congenital allergies. Most tourists who come are not used to it and do not have the same immunity as local residents. This sometimes requires a long adjustment.

Citing from the Daily Mail, the symptoms of this disease can usually be shown by signs such as flatulence, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, even fever and muscle aches.

There are various ways to prevent Bali Belly disease, including:

1. Make sure the meat and fish you are going to eat is cooked thoroughly

One of the causes of diarrhea in Bali Belly is salmonella bacteria. This bacteria is often found in meat, eggs, fish that are not cooked properly or until cooked. Before buying food, make sure you ask the seller to make sure the food is perfectly cooked. Choose hot food, well cooked, and served steaming hot, as heat helps kill bacteria.

2. Avoid unpasteurized dairy products such as milk, cheese and ice cream

Milk is an animal product obtained from animals. Sometimes the way to obtain milk is not through a hygienic process, so if it is consumed directly without the pasteurization process, it will leave behind bacteria that cause digestive problems.

3. Don't drink tap water and make sure to wash your hands after using the toilet

Not only in Bali, in several countries water quality is also uncertain. Not all tap water can be drunk directly. This is because some countries do not yet have water standards, such as European and American countries, where you can drink water directly from the tap. For this reason, you can drink bottled water which is more hygienic.

According to the Next Clinic, there are a number of ways to relieve Bali Belly, namely:

a.) Drinking lots of water,

b.) Consuming oral rehydration drinks to replace lost salt and minerals,

c.) Consuming anti-nausea medication,

d.) Avoid alcoholic drinks, and

e.) Take antibiotics if you have a severe case of diarrhea.

TEMPO.CO

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