Backpacking across Asia was the experience of a lifetime. It was certainly overwhelming, as every day I found myself exposed to at least a million new things that I’d never experienced before. There were so many new places, new faces, and new dishes that I will never forget.
Yes, the trip itself was perfect; the trip of a lifetime. But that’s enough lofty, inspirational idioms for now. Instead, I’m bursting to talk about something a bit more practical. Because, for my entire life, I’ve had what you might call a ‘sensitive’ tummy. Nothing too serious or dramatic, no. It’s just that, if I ever indulge in anything that’s particularly fatty, spicy, or remotely decadent, my tummy doesn’t respond well.
Which gave me an unexpected challenge on my travels, where fatty, spicy, and decadent dishes were a dime a dozen. To get the most out of this trip, I needed to have a strategy to maximise my gut health, so that it could be protected from inflammation and food poisoning, and make it through each faraway land as unscathed as possible.
Here’s how I maintained my gut health while backpacking across Asia.
Hydration Was Always My Top Priority
You might be aware that keeping hydrated promotes gut health because water is essential for maintaining the lining of our intestines, keeping the microbiome balanced, and softening stools to prevent constipation.
Hot, humid weather is always a welcome treat when you’re from the UK like I am, but it makes keeping hydrated a constant uphill struggle – especially when you’re active and walking around cities or hiking in the countryside like I was.
So, I was lucky to have packed a reusable metal bottle, which I quickly grew accustomed to constantly refilling throughout the day. But there were still plenty of challenges; for instance, there were some countries I visited that didn’t have clean, drinkable water. So there, I had no choice but to rely on store-bought bottled water.
Balanced Everything With Gut-Friendly Foods When Possible
Some areas of Southeast Asia, in particular, were like a gut-friendly refuge, because they were full of delicious fermented foods like Miso and Kimchi, which are packed full of beneficial gut bacteria that helped to rebalance my microbiome.
Kefir yogurts were also widely available in most countries, so I was always able to make the most of them when possible. Just like the miso and kimchi, kefir is fermented, so it was effective at helping to prevent gut inflammation.
Furthermore, I also did my best to keep foods like oats and bananas in rotation when they were available, as well as nuts and fresh fruit. These foods gave my diet that bit of extra consistency that was much-needed in certain destinations.
Selective With Street Food
Going into the trip, one of the things I was most excited about was tasting all of the delicious locally sourced street food on offer in each destination. And even if you’re trying to be super careful, skipping the streetfood on a trip like this would’ve been sacrilegious.
So I was always careful to try more established, proven stalls, which were often crowded by steady streams of customers. After that, I always ate food that was piping hot and cooked all the way through (especially when key ingredients included meat or seafood.
There’s something to be said for trusting your instincts with something like this. When a food stall is extremely quiet, maybe treat it as an excuse to only glance at the menu in the best cases, or a warning to stay away in the worst.
Ate Fibre When It Was Available
This is more or less common sense if you’re trying to improve your gut health. Your microbiome needs fibre to feed the beneficial gut bacteria that help break down our food into the nutrients that our bodies absorb.
So fibre was, to put it bluntly, a non-negotiable. It seemed like every day, I was always snacking on some form of fruit or veg , while in meals, I made the effort to try new dishes that included plenty of vegetables and legumes. As I mentioned earlier, bananas were particularly convenient because they were dirt cheap and widely available in every country that I visited. Definitely easier to eat on the go than something like a mango.
Prioritised Sleep (As Often As I Could)
Despite the overnight buses and trains, early morning flights, and late-night market trips, I still prioritised getting a good night’s sleep as often as I could. I have to admit that this could be tricky at times, but since sleep can keep your gut healthy (by supporting those good gut microbes and lowering inflammation), I always aimed to hit that 7-9 hour sleep target.
Conclusion On Maintaining Gut Health While Backpacking Asia
Maintaining my gut health while I was backpacking ultimately came down to doing a few easy things as consistently as possible. I kept myself as well-hydrated as possible, took advantage of quick and easy fibre sources and fermented food offerings, slept as well as I could, and was sceptical of street food.
As a result, I managed to travel without a single one of my days being spent locked in the bathroom for hours on end. No, I was out and about; I was busy exploring, meeting new friends, and creating hilarious, astonishing, sentimental, awe-inspiring and, hopefully, long-lasting memories that I’ll cherish for years to come.
WRITTEN BY
After completing a University degree in Journalism, Darcy Fowler has dedicated a lot of time to travelling around the world and experiencing a variety of cultures. Darcy is determined to provide interesting and insightful content with the hope of inspiring others.