Food Poison – Onsets, Symptoms and Treatment for Foodborne Illness

Food poisoning or foodborne illness is mostly caused due to the consumption of contaminated food that contain some kind of toxin or bacteria. The illness mostly affects people with a weak immune system; this explains why children and elderly people are the common victims.

Food Poison – Effects of Foodborne Illnesses

The common culprit of this ailment is E. coli bacterium, short for Escherichia coli. The other bacteria that cause foodborne illness are listeria, salmonella, staphylococcus etc. But, the most rare and dangerous foodborne diseases is caused by Clostridium botulinum bacteria as it affects the nervous system and inhibits the motor skills of the patient. Food poison caused by this bacterium, if not treated, can even claim a life.The symptoms of poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum bacteria are blurred vision, followed by slurred speech and weakness, worsening to breathing difficulty and paralysis of the body. Infants and children are at a higher risk. Since, the patients do not always fully recover from this type of foodborne illness, it is best to prevent it. As Clostridium botulinum poisoning is caused by consumption of improperly canned foods, proper canning procedures must be followed to prevent it, also avoiding consumption of canned food if it smells, or if the can looks damaged. Avoid storing baked potatoes at room temperature. Refrain from feeding honey to infants as it is the main cause of infant botulism. Homemade food can also lead to food poisoning if food is not cooked thoroughly or proper hygiene is not maintained while preparing food.

Food Poisoning Remedies – Effective Cures

The common type of food poisoning is not serious and if left untreated, takes two days to run its course. The simplest of the food poisoning remedies is to change ones diet. Drinking lots of water to keep body hydrated, avoiding heavy and solid foods, milk and caffeinated products to let the stomach settle, consuming soups, fruit juices, salt, and clear soda etc to replace the lost electrolytes like sodium, potassium and glucose are home remedies for food poisoning. One of the most advised food poisoning remedies is to take plenty of bed rest as the body needs the energy to fight these bacteria. Drinking ginger tea or herbal tea is a herbal remedy for food poisoning. Special care must be taken when treating food poisoning in children and pregnant women. Though, food poison can be treated, special care must be taken to prevent it. Proper cooking and hygiene must be maintained while handling and preparing meat, seafood and dairy products.

Food Poisoning Onset – Early Stages

The food poisoning onsets depend on the type of bacteria or toxin contaminating the food and the quantity consumed of such contaminated food. Depending on the bacteria and toxin, the onset of food poisoning develops within 24 hrs or at a slower pace. The most common symptoms of food poisoning are abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and headache. Sometimes, the person will have fever accompanied by these symptoms. If the symptoms persist or if bloody stools or green colored feces are observed, it is best to consult a doctor as it could be life threatening.

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