If you have ever had food poisoning, you know its never fun. It can impact your normal life, especially when symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, tummy aches, and body weakness take toll on your body. This can throw your body off balance, and today, we will unveil five effective home remedies for food poisoning. The information given in this article is for educational purposes and should not be used to replace your doctor’s advice. But before then, let’s look at what causes food poisoning.
What Causes Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning is caused by eating contaminated foods with viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Some of the common culprits include: Norovirus, E-colli, or Salmonella.
The signs of food poisoning appear within a few hours or even days after taking contaminated food or water. These symptoms may be mild or severe. Some symptoms include fever, nausea, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping.
Seek medical attention if these symptoms are severe or if you notice blood in stool or vomit.
For mild symptoms, you can try these home remedies.
Natural Home Remedies for Food Poisoning
1. Apple Cedar Vinegar
Apple cedar vinegar increases stomach acids which prevents harmful bacteria from growing. Add one tablespoon of apple cedar vinegar in a warm glass of water, and sip this mixture at different times throughout the day.
2. Restore your Electrolytes
Diarrhea and vomiting throw your electrolytes off balance, making you weak. Saltwater with lemon, electrolyte powder (sugar-free), or clear broth can help you recover. Keep your body well hydrated to help replace the lost fluids.
3. Ginger
If you are nauseated, taking ginger can help the stomach receptors reduce the feeling. You can take ginger water or ginger tea (without sugar).
4. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal binds toxins and flushes them out of the body. If you do not feel relief, consider seeking medical assistance.
5. Fermented Foods
Fermented foods will help restore the gut bacteria. Also, probiotic supplements can improve gut flora and promote quick recovery.
What to Avoid
Eliminate Greasy and Processed Foods
Greasy, fatty, and processed foods are hard to digest and can strain your gut, causing inflammation and bacterial overgrowth. Instead, consider eating bland foods like rice, plain toast, and green bananas. Rest and get enough sleep to help the body fight the infection.
Avoid Dairy
While fermented dairy is said to help with the gut microbiome, taking dairy during food poisoning can delay the recovery. Keep off yogurt, cheese, and milk. Worse still, taking dairy after food poisoning can lead to lactose intolerance.
Eliminate Spices and Sugar
Spicy foods can irritate the gut, worsening the symptoms and causing bowel problems. Sugar, on the other hand, feeds harmful micro-organisms and lowers the immune system, delaying recovery.
Preventive Measures to Avoid Future Food Poisoning
Maintain a Clean Kitchen
Keep your kitchen counters, chopping boards, and utensils clean and dry. Keep your house clean, and dispose of trash properly. Wash hands before eating, after eating and after using the washroom to avoid introducing bacteria to your mouth.
Proper Food Storage
Avoid leaving leftover food for long. Warm leftovers to kill bacteria; if you have left them for long, dispose of them. Refrigerate food in clean containers and ensure you clean your fridge regularly. Soak fruits in vinegar and water to kill off bacteria and wash them in running water.
NB: Seek medical help if you have dehydration, difficulty keeping fluids down, high fever, bloody stool or vomit, or diarrhea that lasts three days.
