Poisoning Symptoms
No one ever thinks that food poisoning will happen to them. Your meal may look and taste just fine and it only takes a few hours to find that is was not what you thought. Food poisoning symptoms will begin with an upset stomach and then go to vomiting and a severe headache. Then will come the diarrhea and fatigue. In the worse cases, like salmonella or botulism, these can cause serious medical problems for the elderly or infants. Anyone who has a compromised immune system will have more of a risk of having food poisoning. Once the symptoms of food poisoning appear, it is important to treat it quickly.
Most cases of food poisoning are from bacteria that got into the body by way of contaminated food. Your body has its own defense mechanism, the antibodies that will fight this invasion. This takes time and so rest is the best thing you can do. Any other activities should be stopped so that the body can use all its energy to fight the bacteria. You can call your doctor for a prescription for antibiotics and then stay in bed for a few days. For many people it is the vomiting that is the worse part of the poisoning. Because of the fluids that you loose as you vomit, it is important for you to replace these fluids with plenty of water. Sports drinks or fortified bottled waters work best to replace the natural electrolytes that are lost.
The nausea feeling can be helped at home with clear liquids and soups. For some, it is fresh bread or saltine crackers that will help with this feeling. Stress can make nausea worse so keep calm and put on some soothing music to keep you relaxed. Chronic bloating and diarrhea are a big part of food poisoning. The digestive tract of the person who has been poisoned is effected more than you know. Home treatments for the diarrhea can be done with over the counter medications. These treatments will contain ingredients that will restore the balance of the digestive tract. This will take time. Prevention is the best home remedy. Keep foods protected from insects and never use a cutting board for cooked and raw foods at the same time. Put foods in the refrigerator instead of leaving them out, especially when the weather is warm. All meats need to be thoroughly cooked before they are served.
