When you eat or drink something that is contaminated with toxic bacteria, you may experience diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea or vomiting within 24-48 hours. Typically these symptoms go away in a day or two. In most cases, the condition is not serious and will get better once your immune system gets the better of the infection.
In the meanwhile here are some remedies to soothe your stomach and help you feel better:
- Drink plenty of fluids to replace the water you are losing through vomiting and diarrhoea. You can drink water to which electrolyte powder has been added to replace lost minerals. Drink slowly however. Take little sips and drink small quantities through out the day rather than loots of water at once.
- Except in very severe cases, in which case you should consult a doctor, do not try and stop the diarrhoea. It is your body's way of flushing out toxins.
- Over the counter drugs may not help much with the problem. It is usually best to let the problem settle down on its own.
- If you feel weak, drink fresh fruit juices. However avoid citrus and other sour juices. Watermelon juice or some other bland juice is ideal.
- Once you are able to keep food down, eat bland and healthy foods. Avoid spicy, oily or overly salty food. It's best to ease back into your diet with something home cooked.
The following are some measures to avoid food poisoning in the future:
- Wash your hands before and after handling meat.
- Keep the freezer at zero degrees and throw out poultry or fish if its been in the freezer for more than 4 days
- Leftover food should be reheated to a greater temperature than the original cooking temperature
- Thaw frozen food in the microwave or under cold water. Don't leave it at room temperature to thaw.
- Use a plastic cutting board and try and use separate boards for meat and vegetables
- Scrub or peel vegetables and fruit before eating them raw.
answered by S E