Food Poisoning

[Pat Robinson]

If you observe some safety rules related to foods, kitchen and kitchen appliances, food poisoning will never occur.

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. Children, elders, pregnant women and the persons
who use antacids heavily are at more risk of getting food poisioning.

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 ¼ 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.

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 one hour. 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.
   
   The authors of this web site have used this treatment for this type of food poisoning many times with 100% success rate.

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.

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/home-remedy-foodpoisoning.html

Nutrition

The following general nutritional guidelines may be helpful in the case of food poisoning:

• Drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration).
• Drink barley or rice water (to soothe inflamed stomach or intestine).
• Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, can help restore the balance of good bacteria in the
  intestine. If you are traveling to an area where the food and water may
  be contaminated, in addition to taking the precautions above, taking
  probiotics both before and during your trip may help maintain intestinal
  health.
• Apple cider vinegar is a traditional remedy that, although it has not been studied scientifically, may have some antimicrobial properties. Mix 2 tsp. in
  one cup warm water and drink several times a day.

For specific types of food poisoning:

• Alpha-lipoic acid -- Several reports indicate that alpha-lipoic acid, an antioxidant commonly found in broccoli, spinach, and beef, may
  help treat Amanita (mushroom)
  poisoning, especially when combined with milk thistle (Silybum
  marianum). Seek medical treatment if you suspect mushroom
  poisoning. Do not self-treat.
• Vitamin A -- Studies on rats show that vitamin A offered some protection against salmonella. Rats infected with Salmonella
  appeared to eliminate the bacteria from their bodies faster when
  pretreated with vitamin A rather than with placebo, according to one
  study. They also gained more weight and had a greater immune response
  than rats given placebo.
• Calcium phosphate -- One animal study suggests that rats receiving calcium phosphate supplements may be protected from adamEmpha"">Salmonella poisoning. Researchers think that calcium
  phosphate helps boost Lactobacillus, the good bacteria found in
  the intestine, which helps fight off Salmonella.

Supplements to avoid:

• Fish oil -- In a study of mice infected with the bacteria adamEmpha"">Listeria, animals that regularly consumed diets rich in fish oil had significantly more bacteria in their spleens than animals
  that consumed diets rich in lard or soybean oil. Until researchers can
  determine what these results mean to humans, people with Listeria infection should avoid
  foods containing fish oil.

Herbs

Various herbs have been used traditionally to treat different types of food poisoning, though in most cases more research is needed.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is often used for liver disorders and is widely used in
Europe to treat Amanita
mushroom poisoning. Studies
show that patients with Amanita
poisoning can be effectively treated with silibinin (the primary active
component of milk thistle) up to 48 hours after eating the deadly
mushrooms.

Animal studies of Chinese and Japanese combination herbal remedies used for Listeria suggest they may be effective for food poisoning. Active ingredients include:

• Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)
• Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus)
• Chinese cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum aromaticum)
• Ginger root (Zingiber officinale)
• Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra)
• Peony root (Paeonia officinalis)
• Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Homeopathy

No studies have examined the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies for food poisoning. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person's
constitutional type -- your physical, emotional, and intellectual
makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when
determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular individual.
Below are some more common remedies for food poisoning or diarrhea:

• Arsenicum album -- for foul-smelling diarrhea from food poisoning or traveler's diarrhea with burning sensation in the abdomen and around the anus. This remedy is
  most appropriate for individuals who feel exhausted yet restless and
  whose symptoms tend to worsen in the cold and improve with warmth.
  Vomiting may also occur. Arsenicum
  may also be used to prevent diarrhea when traveling.
• Chamomilla -- for greenish, frothy stool that smells like rotten eggs. Used primarily for children, especially those who are irritable,
  argumentative, and difficult to console.
• Calcarea carbonica -- for children who fear being in the dark or alone and who perspire
  heavily while sleeping. Stools have a sour odor.
• Podophyllum -- for explosive, gushing, painless diarrhea that becomes worse after eating or drinking. Exhaustion often follows bowel movements, and the
  individual for whom this remedy is appropriate may experience painful
  cramps in lower extremities.
• Sulphur -- for irritable and weepy children. May have a red ring around the anus and diarrhea with the odor of rotten eggs.

Prognosis/Possible Complications:

Most cases of food poisoning are mild and clear up on their own within 4 - 7 days. However, with mushroom poisoning, up to half of people may die. With botulism, less than 10%
die, and some people may need help breathing for months afterwards. More
than half of poisonings from pufferfish are fatal. Death is rare in
other fish poisonings, but nerve-related symptoms can continue for
months.

The following are some possible after-effects of food poisoning:

• After shigellosis, white blood cell problems and kidney problems
• After E. coli infection, kidney problems and bleeding problems
• After botulism, long hospital stays (1 - 10 months) with fatigue and difficulty breathing for 1- 2 years, or muscle weakness followed by
  respiratory failure
• After salmonellosis, Reiter syndrome (an arthritis-like disease) and inflammation of the heart lining
• After campylobacteriosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome (a nerve disease)

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/food-poisoning-000064.htm

Food poisoning often improves on its own within 48 hours. To help keep yourself more comfortable and prevent dehydration while you recover, try
the following:

• Let your stomach settle. Stop eating and drinking for a few hours.
• Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water. You might also try drinking clear soda, such as 7UP or Sprite, clear broths, or noncaffeinated sports drinks such as Gatorade. Affected
  adults should try to drink at least eight to 16 glasses of liquid every
  day, taking small, frequent sips. You'll know that you're getting enough
  fluid when you're urinating normally and your urine is clear and not
  dark.
• Ease back into eating. Gradually begin to eat bland, easy-to-digest foods such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas and rice. Stop eating if your nausea returns.
• Avoid certain foods and substances until you're feeling better. These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods.
• Get plenty of rest. The illness and dehydration may have made you weak and tired.
• Don't use anti-diarrheal medications. Drugs intended to treat diarrhea, such as loperamide (Imodium) and diphenoxylate with atropine (Lomotil), may slow elimination of bacteria
  or toxins from your system and can make your condition worse.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-poisoning/ds00981/dsection=li...

[Leah]

Why should the ACV be pasteurized (#7), I always use raw....

[Pat Robinson]

I always use raw ACV. I'll go remove that admonition in the text above. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Pat