Food Poisoning; Everything One Should Know Regarding It

More often than not – with life being this dynamic – we don’t pay much attention to the food we eat and this results in food poisoning. According to Mayo Clinic, food poisoning is also known as the foodborne illness which is caused by eating contaminated, spoiled, or toxic food. The most common causes of food poisoning are infectious organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

According to Web MD, people who are more prone to food poisoning are people with weakened immune systems, infants and young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. It is worth mentioning that the same food might have different reactions to different people and it can affect them differently. Meaning that some people might feel unwell after just a few bites, some others can eat a lot and have no reaction at all.

To avoid food poisoning, it is important for you to know that not always you should trust the fridge for saving you leftovers for following days. It is not advisable for you to leave leftovers in the fridge for too long since the longer it stays there, the more prone you are to get food poisoning. As a cause of eating leftover pasta, this one student got food poisoning which lead him to death.

To better tackle food poisoning before it is too late, you need to know and be aware of the symptoms of it. Below we will list for you some of the symptoms, and what you can do about them.

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Food Poisoning Symptoms

According to Healthline, when facing food poisoning, chances are very high you will tackle it. Depending on the source and the length of the infection, the symptoms vary from one another. Nevertheless, the symptoms start appearing in a range from as little as 1 hour to as long as 28 days.

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Below read the symptoms of food poisoning:

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Mild fever
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Headaches

While, on the other hand, symptoms of potentially life-threatening food poisoning include:

• • Diarrhea persisting for more than three days
  • A fever higher than 101.5°F
  • Difficulty seeing or speaking
  • Symptoms of severe dehydration, which may include dry mouth, passing little to no urine, and difficulty keeping fluids down bloody urine

In case you are facing any of these symptoms, you should immediately see a doctor!

What to do?

There is no specific treatment you need to follow according to NHS Inform since the majority of people spend time home when they have food poisoning. Nevertheless, more often than not, there are cases you need to see the GP for advice. What it is advised for you to do is stay home, rest, drink fluids so this way you will prevent dehydration. Remember, as much water as you can.

When it comes to eating, make sure to start small, only when you feel like it and only eat light meals – toast, crackers, bananas, and rice will do until you start feeling better.

Regarding food poisoning on the elderly and those with a health condition, NHS Inform suggests the oral rehydration solutions which are available from pharmacies.

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Food poisoning preventions

There are some solutions you can opt for to prevent food poisoning at home according to Mayo Clinic:

• Wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces often.
• Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Cook foods to a safe temperature.
• Cook ground beef to 160 F (71.1 C); steaks, roasts, and chops, such as lamb, pork and veal, to at least 145 F (62.8 C).
• Cook chicken and turkey to 165 F (73.9 C).
• Make sure fish and shellfish are cooked thoroughly.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly — within two hours of purchasing or preparing them.
• Defrost food safely. Don’t thaw food at room temperature.
• Throw it out when in doubt. If you aren’t sure if a food has been prepared, served or stored safely, discard it.
• Don’t taste food that you’re unsure about — just throw it out. Even if it looks and smells fine, it may not be safe to eat.

Read also: Is Food Poisoning Contagious?

The Bad Food To Eat When You Have Food Poisoning

Here’s a list of the food that it is bad to eat when you have food poisoning according to Healthline:

• • Dairy products, especially milk and cheeses
  • Fatty foods
  • Highly seasoned foods
  • Food with high sugar content
  • Spicy foods
  • Fried foods

You should also avoid:

• Caffeine (soda, energy drinks, coffee)
• Alcohol
• Nicotine

Bottom line:

We hope you find the information useful. Don’t take the advice for granted and know that eating leftovers that have stayed long in the fridge, might lead you to food poisoning.

*If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, don’t hold back to seek help from your doctor!

Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.

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