What is food poisoning? It is a foodborne illness or foodborne disease which occurs due to eating contaminated food. It is a very common disease and sometimes it becomes life-threatening. The most common symptoms of food poisoning range from mild intestinal discomfort to severe dehydration and bloody diarrhea. It is usually caused by eating or drinking fluids contaminated with certain bacteria, or viruses. You can cure this if you handle your food properly and also can get rid of food poisoning with natural home remedies.
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Food Poisoning Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of food poising start after one or two days of eating contaminated food. Although they may start at any point between a few hours and several weeks later. The symptoms vary with the source of contamination. The most common food poisoning signs and symptoms are.
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- loss of appetite
- Weakness
Home Remedies to get rid of Food Poisoning
There are many ways to cure and avoid food poisoning with the help of home remedies. More intake of fluids is very important during food poisoning. Because during food poisoning, your body is likely to lose more water than normal.
Your first plan of action should be to avoid solid food. If food poisoning symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, or symptoms of dehydration become very serious visit your doctor. Else, take home remedies to get rid of food Poisoning.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature, which has an alkaline effect. Due to the alkaline effect, it metabolized the body. It helps to cure various food poisoning and soothe the gastrointestinal lining and kill bacteria.
- Take two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and mix in a cup of hot water.
- Drink this mixture before eating your food.
- You can also drink two to three teaspoons of undiluted apple cider vinegar to get fast relief from food poisoning.
2. Basil Leaves
Basil leaves are one of the best home remedies for abdominal discomfort caused by food poisoning. It also has antimicrobial properties that help to kill bacteria.
- Extract juice from fresh basil leaves and mix with one teaspoon of honey.
- Drink this mixture 3-4 times a day.
- Take a few drops of basil oil and mix it with drinking water.
- Drink this water throughout the day. It will help you to kill bacteria.
- Take basil leaves, some sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper and add to three tablespoons of plain yogurt.
- Take this remedy 3-4 times a day to get rid of food poisoning.
3. Drink Lemon
Lemon is a good home remedy for a foodborne illness that has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties. It helps to kill bacteria and harmful toxins. Lemon also helps to keep your body hydrated.
- Take one teaspoon of lemon juice and drink with a pinch of sugar.
- Do this remedy 2-3 times a day to get fast relief.
- You can also drink lemon juice with warm water to flush out harmful toxins from your body.
4. Ginger
Ginger is one of the best food poisoning home remedies for all types of digestive problems.
- Take one teaspoon of grated ginger and boil in one cup of water for 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare one cup of ginger tea and drink it 3-4 times a day to get rid of symptoms like nausea, heartburn, and vomiting.
- Take a few drops of ginger juice and mix it with one teaspoon of honey.
- Drink this remedy 3-4 times a day.
- You can also eat raw ginger to get fast relief.
5. Fenugreek Seeds and Yogurt
Another very useful home remedy for food poisoning. Yogurt has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which help to fight bacteria and improve the digestive system. Fenugreek seeds help cure abdominal discomfort or stomach ache.
- Take one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and swallow it and follow with one tablespoon of yogurt.
- This remedy will give you instant relief from stomach pain and vomiting.
6. Cumin Seeds
Cumin seeds are a good home remedy for abdominal discomfort and stomach inflammation due to food poisoning.
- Take one teaspoon of cumin seeds and boil in one cup of water.
- Add 1 teaspoon of coriander juice from fresh leaves to the cumin seeds water.
- Now, add some salt to taste and drink it two times a day.
- Alternatively, you can also prepare a drink from cumin seeds, asafetida, and salt.
- Drink this herbal tea 2 to 3 times a day.
7. Peppermint
Another good home remedy to cure food poisoning symptoms like stomach aches and vomiting.
- Eat anything that comprises menthol or peppermint such as hard candies or chewing gum to cure food poisoning.
- Put one tablespoon of mint leaves in a cup of hot water.
- Strain the solution and drink this tea thrice a day to get fast relief.
8. Coriander
It is a wonderful remedy to cure symptoms of food position and soothe abdominal discomfort.
- You can add coriander leaves to your soup or use its powder.
- Alternatively, consume coriander oil to fight against food poisoning bacteria.
9. Garlic
Garlic is also a very beneficial home remedy in fighting food poisoning due to its strong antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It also provides relief from symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.
- You can eat one fresh garlic clove or swallow it with water.
- Drinking garlic juice is also beneficial if you can tolerate the smell of garlic.
- Alternatively, make a mixture of garlic oil, and soybean oil and rub it on your stomach after every meal.
10. Honey
Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties which help to cure indigestion and other food poisoning symptoms.
- You can take honey 3-4 times a day as a natural remedy in its pure form.
- Add one teaspoon of honey to the herbal tea.
- It also stops the formation of excess acid in the stomach.
What are the causes of food poisoning?
Usually, food poising is caused by contaminated food, and food contamination can happen at any point during its production. The main cause for contamination is when harmful organisms transfer from one surface to another which is known as cross-contamination.
Cross-contamination basically occurs in raw food such as salad, ready-to-eat food, etc. Because these foods aren’t cooked and harmful organisms aren’t destroyed yet.
There are many types of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause food poisoning. Below are the most common bacteria and virus which causes food poisoning.
- Campylobacter enteritis
- Cholera
- Clostridium botulinum
- Clostridium perfringens
- Hepatitis A
- Listeria
- E-Coli
- Noroviruses (Norwalk-like viruses)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Vibrio vulnific
Is food poisoning contagious?
Yes, many types of food poisoning can be contagious. Food poisoning happens when you take food contaminated by viruses, bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or parasites. The patients could spread microbes like E. coli, Norovirus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter either through their fecal matter or by vomiting.
According to the United States, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur annually because of contaminated food. The FDA stat shows that 128,000 got admitted to the hospital because of food Poisoning and out of which 3,000 people died due to this foodborne illness.
The organization has released a complete list of the microorganisms responsible for this illness. They have also provided a detailed description of the symptoms each of these infections typically produces.
How long can food poisoning last?
The incubation period of food poisoning depends on the type. There are approximately 250 types of food poisoning and can last up to 14 days. The symptoms may be not so different but the length of time it takes to get better differs, depending on the substance caused the contamination, how much of it ingested, and the severity of your symptoms.
What to eat after food poisoning?
- Drink more fluids- Food poisoning can cause severe dehydration so you should intake more fluid. Your body loses more fluid because of vomiting and diarrhea, so replacing these fluids is certainly required. Take electrolyte drinks, lemon soda, and water at regular intervals.
- Eat Banana, applesauce, rice, and toast. These foods are easy to digest and help in overcoming diarrhea.
- Take chicken or vegetable broth
- Egg whites
- Honey
- Jell-O
- Oatmeal
- Peanut butter
Closing Thoughts
Below we have summarized the essential points to get rid of food poisoning which must be followed.Â
- Dairy Products- Avoid eating dairy products except for some products that have low lactose levels (such as yogurt).
- Don’t eat spicy food.
- Foods with High Fiber
- Alcohol and Caffeine
- Avoid Apple and Pear Juices to get rid of food poisoning.