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By Halima Gladys
Recently, at a party, I was served with a bowl of palatable looking rice. Later, in the evening, I was unable to sleep. My stomach kept rumbling; I was sweating and extremely nauseated. The next day, my doctor, after examination, said I had food poisoning.
Hardly is food poisoning anticipated. A meal may look, smell and taste perfectly fine at the time. It’s only a few hours or days after eating contaminated food, that the worst of the symptoms may appear. They may include vomiting, severe headache, diarrhoea and fatigue. In rare cases, serious food poisoning agents such as salmonella can cause severe medical problems for the elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems. It is vitally important to treat symptoms of food poisoning as soon as they appear.
One home remedy for suspected food poisoning is complete bed rest. Many cases of food poisoning are caused by parasites or bacteria, which enter the body by the thousands or millions immediately after one eats contaminated food. Rounds of fluid replenishment should follow bouts of vomiting.
The body’s natural electrolytes need to be replaced, so victims may want to consume sports drinks or fortified bottled waters. Limiting the victim’s diet to clear liquids and soups until the food poisoning event has passed can treat feelings of nausea.
Some find that lemon slices and toasted bread can also calm waves of nausea. A room’s temperature may also need to be adjusted for maximum comfort, since excessive heat or cold may trigger nausea.
Most effective home remedy for food poisoning is prevention.
• Discard spoiled foods, such as those that appear to have changed colour.
• Never eat cold cooked food. Always keep food protected from insects and exposure to chemicals.
• Never use the same cutting board for raw and cooked foods. Keep foods wrapped and refrigerated when not being served immediately.
• Make sure meats are cooked thoroughly, before serving.
• Remember to wash your hand at four critical moments, since most incidents of food poisoning are not caused by contaminated foods, but through human mishandling or neglect
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