How To Get Rid Of Food Poisoning

How To Get Rid Of Food Poisoning

How To Get Rid Of Food Poisoning

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that in the United States alone, food poisoning accounts to about 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 casualties every year. Food poisoning also is a big expense loss. The salmonellae alone, one of the most common bacterial forms of infection, is the reason for at least US$1 billion in lost hours and medical costs.

On a worldwide scale, illnesses that are diarrheal in nature are among the leading causes of death. Traveler's often experience a form of food poisoning called “Montezuma's Revenge”, also known as traveler's diarrhea. To say that food poisoning is a serious matter is arguably an understatement.

Watch What You Eat

Food poisoning is simply a gastrointestinal disorder that is caused by eating food that are contaminated. The poisoning can be mild, but sometimes, it can be life-threatening. It will depend on the kind of bacteria that has contaminated the food, and how long before you get treatment.

There are more than 250 known diseases that can be transmitted via contaminated food. About 81% of food-borne illnesses and hospitalizations are caused by unknown or undiscovered agents. The reason why these are unknown is because most times, the symptoms are just mild and the victims usually recover quickly. As for the known causes, doctors divided them into two categories: infectious agents that include bacteria, viruses and parasites, and toxic agents that include mushrooms, exotic foods that are improperly prepared, and pesticides in fruits or vegetables.

Breakdown of Causes

In cases where there is a specific contaminant found, a virus is usually the culprit. There are three main kinds of virus when it comes to viral food poisoning:

Noroviruses – They are a group of viruses that cause mild illnesses, usually having symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and low-grade fever. The symptoms usually lasts two to three days. Noroviruses are the most common of viral cause of food poisoning in adults since they are transmitted from water, shellfish, or person to person contact.

Rotaviruses – Rotaviruses cause moderate to severe illness, usually having watery diarrhea, vomiting, and fever as symptoms. They are the most common causes of food poisoning among infants and children. They are usually transmitted from person to person by fecal contamination of shared play areas and food.

Hepatitis A – Hepatitis A causes mild illness with fever, loss of appetite and jaundice.

Bacterial food poisoning, on the other hand, is caused by two ways. One is through the infection of the intestines, causing inflammation, difficulty in absorbing water and nutrients, and diarrhea. The other is through the production of toxins in food that poison the digestive system. Upon ingestion, these contaminated food can cause vomiting, kidney failure, or even death. Common examples of these bacteria are:

Salmonellae – Salmonellae cause moderate illness with vomiting, nausea, crampy diarrhea and headache. They are transmitted by undercooked foods.

Campylobacter – Campylobacter cause mild illness with watery diarrhea, fever, and headache. Muscle aches can also be present. They are transmitted mostly through raw poultry and milk, and water that is contaminated by animal feces.

Shigella – Shigella is the cause of traveler's diarrhea. Symptoms include fever and diarrhea containing blood and/or mucus. They are usually transmitted in water contaminated or polluted by human waste.

Toxic food poisoning is not as common as viral or bacterial poisoning. Oftentimes, illness is due to the mishandling or poor preparation of food ingredients, such as choosing wild mushrooms or fish.

Getting Rid of Food Poisoning

If you're a victim of food poisoning, here are several things you can do to alleviate or get rid of the symptoms:

Try to cut back on solid foods. Drink plenty of liquid instead. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated drinks. You can drink clear soda though, such as 7UP or Sprite. Gatorade is also fine as long as they're diluted so as not to have too much sugar. For children, rehydration products such as Pedialyte and Rehydrate are good.

Ease back into eating solids. When the nausea and vomiting have stopped, you can start taking in solid food in small amounts. Choose plain foods that are easy on your stomach such as rice, wheat, lean meat, and fruits. If your nausea returns, stop eating.

Avoid certain foods. Foods such as dairy products, caffeine, fatty foods, and alcohol should not be consumed until after you're feeling better.

Don't use anti-diarrheal medications. You might think that having diarrhea on top of food poisoning is unfortunate, but the fact is diarrhea can actually help in your condition. Diarrhea expedites the elimination of the toxins and bacteria in your digestive system, making your recovery that much faster. If you're showing other symptoms like bleeding or mucus in your waste, or your diarrhea seems though, contact your physician. You may have something that is far more serious.

Get plenty of rest. Rest allows your body to recuperate and save up energy you lose while vomiting. Resting also increases the production of white blood cells that can fight off the bacteria or virus in your digestive system.

Prevention

Prevention is still the best way to get rid of food poisoning, though. With that in mind, here are some things you can do:

Wash your hands and cooking utensils thoroughly.

Keep raw foods separate from your ready-to-eat foods.

Cook your food thoroughly in order to kill any bacteria present.

Refrigerate and defrost foods properly.

If you're in doubt about the quality of the food, throw it away. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Getting food poisoning is not pleasant. As such, always be careful in whatever you put in your mouth.

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