What Exactly Is Food Poisoning?

Hey everyone, Trace here for DNews! My buddy Jared who runs the DNews social media pages got food poisoning today, so we thought we'd pull back the curtain on foodborne illness. People CALL it food poisoning, but the medical community call it foodborne illness, which makes sense. You're not being poisoned by food, but infected by something that's living on the food. Commonly, food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, molds, toxins, parasites or allergens. They range from the fairly well known, E. Coli and Salmonella to the far less known campylobacter, toxoplasma, listeria and clostridium perfringens (clostridEum per-fringe-ens).

According to the FDA, most foodborne illnesses go away on their own and don't have lasting effects -- but there are those, like E. Coli O157:H7 which can cause kidney failure and death if not treated properly. Not all e.coli is bad, by the way. Some e.coli is part of your natural gut bacteria! A number of things can result in food being "poisoned" or infected. Most often, according to the Mayo Clinic, food poisoning comes from food that’s mishandled or not cooked properly.

Maybe it's left under the warmer too long, not refrigerated properly, handled by a person who didn't wash their hands, or touched a surface that wasn't recently cleaned. Every contaminant has an ideal condition, and they vary from bacteria to virus.

And though you might be thinking, YES! I was at that place around the corner and TOTALLY got it from there, you might be wrong. Some of these foodborne illnesses can strike days or weeks after exposure because it takes a while for the organism to replicate in your body and strike -- this is the incubation period.

The most common pathogens, C. Perfringens, Salmonella and the Norovirus have short incubation periods ranging from 6-72 hours. All three cause diarrhea, but while salmonella and norovirus ALSO cause vomiting, c. perfringens doesn't! E.coli and campylobacter incubate for several days before striking and both result in severe diarrhea containing blood, and vomiting. Toxoplasma can incubate for weeks and produce no symptoms at all, and listeria can live in your body from three to SEVENTY DAYS before showing flu-like symptoms! You could eat something two weeks before Halloween and not feel it til Christmas!

Some cases of food poisoning or food borne illness are even mistaken for the flu, because people can't remember when they ate at that dodgy deli. And again, most of the time, you'll just get better on your own, thanks to the immune system. But you won't feel awesome.

These diseases cause diarrhea because they're inhibiting your body from absorbing nutrients and water OR they're causing MORE water to be added into the bowel. This means your body has to pass all that stuff out of your digestive system, and in a hurry. If you're nerds, like us, you can look up your symptoms and know what you got, how long you've had it, and what probably caused it! It's, like, really nerdy. Also -- drink lots of water, but NOT caffeine or dairy because your stomach is already irritated, those will make it worse. Make sure you consume some broth or electrolyte drink to keep some nutrients flowing too. And, speaking of flow, DON'T try and stop the flow out yer butt with anti-diarrhea meds. You're body's doing it on purpose, you'll just get in the way, literally. If you see blood, call a doctor. When was the last time you got food poisoning? Where'd you get it?

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Best Remedy for Food Poisoning

What is the best remedy for food poisoning? If you've been unfortunate enough to suffer from food poisoning, then you’re likely to be in search of the best remedy for food poisoning. Fortunately, most cases of food poisoning can easily be treated in the comfort of your own home, so there’s rarely need to see a medical professional.

However, if you’re concerned, it’s always wise to consult with your doctor as soon as you can. Perhaps the best remedy for food poisoning is to merely get as much rest as possible, while doing your best to counter some of the main symptoms your body is coping with.

Luckily, the sophistication of your body’s own immune system will see you through the worst of the problem, so rest is often the best solution. Additionally, it’s possible to become quite dehydrated throughout the recovery process - so making sure you’re drinking enough water is vital.

While you may not be feeling thirsty most of the time, it’s wise to gradually sip a glass of water throughout the day - because if you become too dehydrated the symptoms can often feel much worse. At some point, you’re likely to feel hungry - but you’ll need to be careful when it comes to eating. It’s usually best to stick to light meals and very small portions.

What’s more, you’ll need to avoid anything too ‘fatty’, or anything that’s too flavorsome. Common choices include rice, toast, or a banana. Of course, you’ll also need to avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine, because both of these substances can make the condition of food poisoning feel even worse.

While you’re likely to feel quite tender for a few days, you should be past the worst of the symptoms within a few days. So keeping yourself distracted with light entertainment such as watching TV can help you to pass the time.

Food Poisoning Home Remedies: How To Treat Food Poisoning

Bananas - Bananas are a rich source of potassium. They aid recovery and reduce the effects of food poisoning to an impressive level. Mash up a couple of bananas and whip up a quick shake Apples - Apples are the go to fruit when you have food poisoning. They reduce heartburn and acid reflux. Apples have enzymes that prevent the growth of bacteria that cause stomach ache and diarrhea.

And then there lemon - The acidity of the lemon kills most of the bacteria that causes food poisoning. Squeeze the juice of a lemon, add some sugar and take it just as you would take any other medicine. You can also add lemon to your tea.

Water - What would we do without water. Keep yourself hydrated when you are suffering from food poisoning because your body tends to lose a lot of water through diarrhea. Also, drinking water rapidly flushes out the toxins and bacteria. And then there is peppermint tea - Peppermint tea is not just aroma therapy. Peppermint oil has a soothing effect which is extremely beneficial, especially if you have stomach spasms due to food poisoning. Add a few drops to your tea and watch the stomach cramp disappear in a couple of hours