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10 ways to get over food poisoning

U.S. 草莓传媒 & World Report

April 16, 2017, 10:51 AM

草莓传媒flash: It may not be stomach flu.

That bout of “stomach flu” that wiped you out for a week? It might really have been . Cases aren’t necessarily tied to multistate outbreaks caused by the dairy foods, meat products, flour and raw veggies most recently investigated by the . Many episodes are isolated. “Most of the time, it’s a mystery where that food poisoning arose from, or exactly when the infection occurred,” says , a gastroenterologist with GI Health, a New York City practice. When food poisoning hits, nurse yourself back to health with these tips.

 

Getty Images/iStockphoto/Ljupco
Recognize sudden signs. Once food poisoning erupts, it hits quickly and hard. 鈥淥ne day or one minute people weren鈥檛 sick, and very soon they became ill,鈥� says Ng, who is also an attending physician at both Mount Sinai Beth Israel and New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital. Sudden symptoms include a , extreme abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, cramps, watery diarrhea and fever. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Rehydrate and replenish. Food poisoning usually gets better on its own within a few days, Ng says. Drinking plenty of fluid, especially water, is the first line of treatment to replace lost fluid and . Sports drinks can help replenish important electrolytes such as calcium and potassium. 鈥淲hen you have that type of electrolyte imbalance, you will have muscle weakness and sometimes muscle cramping,鈥� Ng says. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP
Let it flow. People suffering from food poisoning make one common mistake. 鈥淭hey tend to reach for medications like Pepto-Bismol and Imodium in order to cure their diarrhea,鈥� Ng says. 鈥淢ore often than not, that makes the situation worse.鈥� and diarrhea are the body鈥檚 natural way of eradicating an infection, he explains. (The Monacelli Press via AP)
The Monacelli Press via AP
This April 14, 2014, photo shows fattoush, a salad with pita crumble in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Avoid sickening foods. The next rule of recovery is to stay away from certain . Dairy products can exacerbate diarrhea, and greasy foods are another no-no. 鈥淲e tell people to avoid foods that can make you sicker,鈥� Ng says. 鈥淣o sushi or carpaccio; no raw stuff at all.鈥� are temporarily off-limits because of the lettuce and other raw ingredients. 鈥淎nything that鈥檚 uncooked, anything that is raw or anything that is not hot or not fresh, I generally tell patients to stay away from it, at least for three to seven days,鈥� he says. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
Raw Organic Bunch of Bananas Ready to Eat
Do the BRAT. Following the BRAT diet 鈥� , rice, applesauce and toast 鈥� can keep people comfortable instead of queasy. It鈥檚 also a good way to replenish those electrolytes depleted by diarrhea and vomiting. Bananas are rich in potassium, and they also have binding properties, to make stool firmer and quell diarrhea. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Call your doctor. If you can鈥檛 keep food or fluid down, call your health care provider. 鈥淭hat, to me, is a differentiating critical point for treating the patient at home versus sending them to the hospital or sometimes having them hanging out in our office to give them some I.V. fluid,鈥� Ng says. Patients might also receive medicine to relieve nausea or cramping. The threshold is lower for kids to see their family doctor or . 鈥淭here is definitely more of a risk in children of becoming dehydrated when they fall sick and have vomiting and diarrhea,鈥� he says. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Show extra caution with seniors. It鈥檚 safer for suffering from food poisoning to see a doctor. 鈥淎nybody who is frail and elderly, meaning above 75 years old, who has [coexisting] illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease, should definitely err on the side of caution,鈥� Ng says. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
luchschen/iStock/Thinkstock
Mind your medications. Medication issues may need to be addressed for certain patients who can鈥檛 take pills properly because they can鈥檛 hold down water. For instance, Ng says, or could spiral out of control with several missed medication doses. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Be aware of special considerations. Depending on the cause of the infection, symptom severity and individual health situations, a minority of sicker patients may eventually require antibiotics to get better. who suspect they have food poisoning should talk to their health care providers. Women are more vulnerable to infection during pregnancy, so foodborne illnesses can affect them more severely, potentially causing complications. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
various sushi on white plate with chopsticks on wooden background
Prevention is worth a pound of sushi. If the source of food poisoning is traceable, let your local health department know. And learn how to protect yourself, family and guests from illness when . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a video and consumer tips on fresh and frozen fish, shrimp, shellfish and raw foods such as sushi and oysters. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
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Getty Images/iStockphoto/Ljupco
This April 14, 2014, photo shows fattoush, a salad with pita crumble in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Raw Organic Bunch of Bananas Ready to Eat
luchschen/iStock/Thinkstock
various sushi on white plate with chopsticks on wooden background

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Update 04/11/17: This story was originally published on April 5, 2016.

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