Have you ever been a victim of food poisoning? Food is delicate and requires lots of attention as we handle it. According to statistics, one person in a group of 6 is a victim of food poisoning every year. How does it happen? Some causes may be as small as forgetting to wash your hands before handling food.
The high cases of food poisoning inspired us to enlighten you everyone on how to prevent it from happening. It is worse when it happens to children who are more prone to diarrhea and vomiting than an adult. Find out what causes food poisoning and how we can prevent it.
Causes of food poisoning
Bacteria, parasites, and viruses cause food poisoning. Salmonella is a significant bacteria that causes most food poisoning. Salmonella bacteria cause more than 20, 000 among a million cases of food poisoning.
Sometimes, parasites contaminate food and cause poisoning. Toxoplasma is a famous parasite that is associated with intoxication. It likes hiding in places near our pets. Doctors say that you can live with parasites in your body for a long time without detecting it. It is more prevalent in people who have a weak immune system, as well as, pregnant women.
More than 19 million people have food poisoning from a famous virus called Norovirus. Regardless of the cause, the symptoms of food poisoning are the same and can be severe. Experts reveal that it is impossible to eradicate bacteria from food entirely. That is why we should be careful with handling food to prevent stomach aches or worse symptoms.
How can you treat food poisoning?
Take fluids
Food poisoning can make you lose plenty of water within a very short time through vomiting. You lose a lot of minerals through diarrhea for instance sodium, calcium, and potassium. That is why your fluid intake should be high to prevent dehydration.
Take more fluids at the beginning because it is hard to take anything solid after a few hours of stomach pains. You can start with glasses of water or natural juices. Get ice chips to suck or clear broth to keep yourself hydrated.
Some people believe that taking food and drinking alcohol at the same time reduce the chances of food poisoning. Such notions do not have any scientific backing, and they are unhealthy. Avoid alcohol and caffeine when dealing with food poisoning.
Try Ginger
Taking ginger enhances the absorption of nutrients in your body. If you are feeling nauseated from food poisoning, ginger will give you relief. You can make the extracts in tea or chew it raw. If you like the tea version, you only need grate your ginger then put it in a cup of hot water. You can sweeten your tea with honey. It minimizes any pain and inflammation that exists.
Consider apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has an alkaline effect. It soothes your gastrointestinal lining to kill the bacteria in you instantly. You can also take it undiluted; it is not harmful.
Rest
Food poisoning symptoms can weaken your body. You, therefore, need to take plenty of rests to regain some strength. Allow your stomach to settle by minimizing your movements.
Use lemon
Lemon has both antibacterial and antiviral properties. It contains a strong acid that kills the bacteria causing food poisoning. You can reduce the sour taste with a pinch of sugar. Use warm water to mix your lemon in it and drink it to get rid of the toxins in your body.
Look for basil leaves
Herbs such as basil can sooth any abdominal discomfort due to its antimicrobial properties that are responsible for fighting micro-organisms. Make basil juice from its extracts and drink it every day. You can sweeten it with honey. Mix it with fresh coriander to benefit from it.
Use basil oil in your drinking water and drink it at least four times in one day to fight the bacteria the entire day. You can also add the basil leaves in plain yogurt to get the good bacteria from the yogurt and allow the two substances to regulate the bacteria in your stomach.
Check your diet
You need to start eating as you maintain a low-fat diet. Take foods that are easy to digest like soda crackers, gelatin, rice, and bananas. Do not eat if you feel nauseated.
Try garlic
This also has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Garlic relieves symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. You can also chew it as you swallow it with regular water. Try garlic juice if the smell does not irritate you. Rub garlic oil together with soybean oil on your stomach to reduce the pain.
Get cumin seeds
Reduce stomach inflammation with cumin seeds. It reduces the effects of food poisoning. You can boil cumin seeds in water. Add coriander leaves to the mixture and some salt to give it taste. Drink it, and you will notice how effective it is. It cleanses your digestive system and gives you relief.
Use fenugreek seeds and yogurt
This combination is effective in fighting food poisoning thanks to antimicrobial properties. Fenugreek will heal your abdominal pain. Use a teaspoon of each product at a go. Do not chew fenugreek seeds since swallowing them is all it takes to get instant relief. The mixture also prevents you from vomiting.
Take honey
This is not only a sweetener. It contains antibacterial properties that relieve indigestion. If you don’t like the excess sugar in it, you can add it in tea. Some few drops of honey every day can treat your upset stomach. It also prevents your stomach from producing excess acids.
Get antibiotics with a prescription
If the natural remedies do not work, you can try antibiotics from a doctor. Certain bacteria are severe and do not work with natural remedies. The doctor can prescribe intravenous antibiotics if such bacteria are the cause of your food poisoning. Don’t use antibiotics without consulting your doctor because if the cause is a virus, it can worsen the symptoms.
Final thoughts
It is how you handle food poisoning that determines if the symptoms get better or worse. Try the natural remedies before going to the hospital. If you are not feeling better, let a doctor know and treat you with medicines. We wish you a quick recovery!
