Treating Food Poisoning

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With the amount oftravelling we are doing now, especially during the summer months, thepossibility of food poisoning is ever more likely to affect us and ourfamilies. Unless the whole family is affected, it is often difficult to distinguishsymptoms of food poisoning from a stomach or gastric flu, which can affect manyin the community - a tummy bug doing the rounds.With both food poisoning andgastric flu, the symptoms can be very similar - discomfort and diarrhoea (whichdisappear within a few days). Salmonella is the most common source of foodpoisoning and can be life-threatening in severe cases. Symptoms of salmonellapoisoning are typical of other types of food poisoning, including stomachcramps, watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. A fever may be present. In thecase of salmonella, stomach discomfort and diarrhoea occur between 6 hours anda full day after consuming food, and often continue for up to 5 days withouttreatment. Symptoms from other poisons can start within half an hour or not fora full two days.Food poisoning occurs when atoxic substance has contaminated a particular food and is then eaten, causingsickness. Poisons can be bacteria or toxins produced by bacteria, but someplants and mushrooms can also be poisonous by nature. Fish and shellfish can bepoisoned by toxins in the water. In most cases, however, bacterialcontamination is caused by handling food with unclean hands. If the food isthen kept at room temperature, the environment is ideal for bacteria to grow.To prevent poisoning, eatperishable food only when it has been kept cold or hot (near boiling), but notif it has been left at room temperature for any length of time. Cook poultry,seafood and meat thoroughly before it is ready to be put in the oven. It maydevelop bacteria, which contaminate the meat. Barbecues are a leading cause offood poisoning due to the meats not being cooked well enough or left to standfor long periods uncooked in the sun. Never eat food from bulging or damaged tincans. Honey given to infants under I year of age can cause infant botulism.If food poisoning occurs,drinking a broth made from garlic and onions, which acts as a detoxifier, andpotassium-rich vegetables like parsley and celery, will help the body riditself of toxins. Drink citrus juices diluted with water to provide Vitamin C,which helps detoxify the body. Blueberries or Bilberries will kill the bacteriaand can prevent diarrhoea that results from eating food which is no longerfresh.Ginger Root Tea will stopthe nausea and cleanse the digestive tract. Black tea made very strong workswonders to stop diarrhoea in food poisoning; it will also help kill thebacteria causing the diarrhoea.The natural bacteria inAcidophilus are very helpful in fending off harmful germs. Acidophilus can betaken as a preventative. I remember once a group travelling to rural China. Theindividual in the group who had the chance to take Acidophilus with him didn’tget tummy upsets while the rest of the group did suffer from the dreadedtravellers’ diarrhoea.

David FoleyMNIMH, MRCHMMedical Herbalist