Food Poisoning

Food poisioning (wronly spelled as foodpoisioning) is related to unsafe food, dirty kitchen and dirty kitchen appliances. Your food is poisoned if you do not follow the cleanliness rules at your home. If you stick to some safety rules, food poisoning will never get its symptoms and signs.

Every year about 5,000 people die from pathogens in food in the United States out of about 76 million become ill from food. The foods that may cause food poisoning include uncooked or undercooked foods mainly from animal sources, such as dairy products including cheese, meat, eggs or fish.

As all foods contain small amounts of bacteria, their poor handling and storage and improper cooking can multiply these bacteria in large numbers to cause illness. Food poisoning is caused commonly due to E. coli or Staphylococcus bacteria in contaminated food. Food poisoning often occurs from eating old dairy products, undercooked meats, foods left out of the refrigerator too long or salads that were cut long time back.

Eating foods in hotels, canteens, picnics, large parties, wedding dinners, etc. can cause food poisoning. Salads at such places are generally not properly washed and freshly cut.

The symptoms and signs of food poisoning vary with the source and extent of contamination. The symptoms range from upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration, to more severe illness such as paralysis and meningitis. These symptoms occur within hours after eating contaminated food. The diagnosis of food poisoning is done by testing the stool.

Most food poisioning effects (symptoms) on body clear up in a few days on its own. In the case of continued illness seek medical advice. Children, elders, pregnant women and the persons who use antacids heavily are at more risk of getting food poison.

Following are the symptoms of food poisoning:

• Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
• Bloody diarrhea or pus in the stool
• Upset stomach, some abdominal pain, cramps
• Fever that lasts longer than 24 hours
• Dizziness, fainting, rapid heart rate
• Weakness, numbness or tingling in the arms, legs or mouth

You should go to a Doctor if

• the symptoms (signs) of food poisoning last for more than two days even after home food poisoning treatment OR

• there is a fever with or without shivers or chills OR

• there is a diarrhea that is very watery (If enough fluid is lost through diarrhea or vomiting, it can affect the body's salt balance ) OR

• there is blood mixed in with the stools (could be due to E. Coli and other common food-borne pathogens) OR

• there is pus or mucus (whitish-gray in color) mixed in with the stools OR

• there are signs of dehydration (intense thirst, dry lips and tongue, increased heart and breathing rates, weakness, and dizziness.) OR

• anyone else in your family is also sick with similar symptoms.

Infants, children and elderly people have a higher risk for food poisoning. You are at greatest risk if you are diabetic, have kidney disease, and a weak immune system.

Note that most food poisoning does not require medical care and can be treated at home by simple remedies.

Most food poisioning effects on body clears up in a few days on its own as their duration is not for very long period. In the case of continued illness seek medical advice.

The following food poisoniong treatment or remedies are simple to follow and you can get quick relief.

1. Mix a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in a cup of hot water before a meal to prevent acid indigestion.

2. Add three drops of garlic oil to half a cup of soya oil and rub onto the stomach after food.

3. Drink a herbal tea of mint, raspberry, camomile and blackberry.

4. Drink 1/4 cup of charcoal powder mixed with a glass of water.

5. Drink one cup of ginger tea after meals to promote a good digestion and for hearetburn, nausea, etc.

6. Eat some bread, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. Bread has a tendency to soak up the poison and can give you a quick relief.

7. Drink 2 tablespoons of undiluted apple cider vinegar (pasteurized).

8. Time is generally the best remedy. If you feel indigestion, or get sour burp, and/or loose motions, or for general stomach upsets, you can do the following:
   
   Drink mint essense (available as Pudin Hara or Amritdhara in India. These are mint or peppermint essense.), 3-4 drops in water, every 2 hour. If you can't get mint essense, try eating mint leaves.
   Also drink Jaljeera (a mixture of cumin, salt, asafetida and other herbs) 2-3 times. Let the poison get out of your body through vomitting or motions. First you will throw poisonous foods and then water (Drink lots of water with sugar and salt). You should be alright in less than 24 hours. Start this treatment as soon as you start getting sour burps. You may drink mint essense (3-4 drops in water) after you eat in a restaurant or party or you have overeaten.

9. In most cases, the effective treatment is to lie down and drink plenty of bland fluids such as water, diluted fruit juice or light tea.

Deep breathing, mediataion - relaxation technique can help relieve stomach cramp and calm the irritated bowel, reducing the frequency of bowel motions by lessening stress.

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