What to do About Food Poisoning

Food poisoning affects millions of Americans every year. It is more prevalent in summer as the bacteria in food multiply faster during warmer temperatures. Food poisoning can be life threatening for the very young and very old because of the possibility of dehydration.

Wash your hands

Always wash hands with warm water and soap before touching any food. Wash them after using the bathroom or when coming inside from being outside. Make sure your kids wash their hands as well.

Avoid cross-contamination by using separate utensils and cutting boards to cut up raw meats and seafood. Never use the same utensils for cooked meals that were previously used for raw meat or fish.

Heat foods thoroughly

Cook foods to proper temperatures. Thoroughly cook meats, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold

Serve hot foods hot (about 140 degrees) and cold foods cold (below 40 degrees). Bacteria grows best in the danger zone, between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. Heat leftovers to at least 165 degrees.

Never leave perishable foods at room temperature longer than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, the time limit is one hour. Refrigerate leftovers promptly. When in doubt, throw it out. Never eat food you are unsure about.

A Homeopath Gets Sick

Years ago when preparing for a final exam at the homeopathic school, I got sick with food poisoning. I had bad diarrhea, extreme dizziness, and I almost lost my consciousness from dehydration. I tried to study, but to no avail. I could not even think about prescribing a homeopathic remedy to take for my affliction. In desperation, I called a fellow student who was also preparing for the final exam. She quickly looked up a remedy for me and I took this remedy immediately after talking to her. In about 15 minutes my diarrhea stopped and the dizziness was gone as well. I could drink and eat normally in a few hours. I still had half a day to prepare for the final exam that I passed with very high marks. This friend is now my business partner and since then I have treated many other cases of food poisoning, but this one I will surely remember.

What To Do If You Get Food Poisoning

The most important thing is to stay hydrated. This is especially important for children. Give your child an electrolyte solution, like Pedialyte if you see any signs of dehydration, such as weight loss, weakness, not urinating as usual, sunken eyes.

You can also take a probiotic supplement (bifidus and acidophilus).

As you start feeling better and your vomiting subsides, start eating some overcooked rice, then introduce bananas and crackers.

Homeopathic remedies are invaluable in overcoming food poisoning. They are prepared from highly diluted natural substances. Take one of the remedies listed below that matches most your symptoms. Take 3 pellets at a time 3 times a day. Stop taking the remedy when you feel better. Below I have given a description of three remedies that are used most frequently for acute food poisoning.

Arsenicum 30C

This is the most commonly used remedy for food poisoning with diarrhea and vomiting. The person who needs Arsenicum is very weak, but feels anxious and very restless. One Arsenicum patient felt extremely weak, but kept cleaning their house out of sheer restlessness. The people who need Arsenicum may have burning pains in the stomach but they prefer to get warm drinks that they like to sip slowly. The symptoms are at their worst from midnight until 3 a.m. If your child wakes you up at midnight, complains about a tummy ache, and then starts to vomit, Arsenicum should be the first thing you give her that night.

Podophyllum 30C

This remedy is used very often for food poisoning in children. The child may have profuse diarrhea with watery offensive yellow stool. There is often a loud gurgling in the abdomen before diarrhea. The stool is usually explosive and comes out in a large volume. The food poisoning may happen at the time of teething. The person who will benefit from Podophyllum feels worse at 4-5 am.

Nux Vomica 30C

This is a great remedy for a hangover. You wake up in the morning and feel that you definitely overdid the wine yesterday at the party. You may feel chilly and irritable, especially in the morning. You may drink a bit too much coffee and other stimulants and tend to overwork yourself. Your major complaint during the digestive upset may be constipation.

If you find that you or your child has a tendency toward frequent digestive upsets, you will benefit from a constitutional homeopathic treatment.