Food poisoning is one of the least fun common ailments you can get. There’s nothing more miserable than not being able to keep fluids down and feeling lousy for a couple of days.
According to the Mayo Clinic, while food poisoning can be incredibly unpleasant to deal with there is often no need to go to the hospital. While there is no instant cure for food poisoning, there are a number of ways to relieve your symptoms and feel better faster.
For those that are trying to avoid over the counter medication, you may be wondering if there are any alternatives. Wonder no more, because there are several simple, natural remedies that you can make or administer at home.
Here are the top 12 natural remedies you can try to help relieve your symptoms of food poisoning.
Clear the nasty bacteria with Activated Charcoal
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Activated charcoal is often used in cases of accidental chemical poisoning, so why not use it to help filter the bad bacteria in your stomach? Charcoal binds with and absorbs bacteria and toxic elements, allowing them to pass through your system quickly and safely.
By taking a charcoal tablet or taking a small amount of powdered activated charcoal in water when your symptoms start to set in, you can help flush out the bacteria that is causing your food poisoning.
Soothe your upset stomach with Ginger
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Well known and well-loved for all sorts of upset stomach remedies, ginger is a go-to for soothing stomachs and staving off nausea. There are many ways to take ginger – but if you’re having trouble keeping solids (or even liquids) down, slowly sipping warm ginger tea or cooled ginger juice is an excellent way to keep your nausea at bay.
If it’s impossible to even keep these down, finding a ginger-infused lollipop in a natural foods store or pregnancy aisle at the market is the next best thing.
Hydrate with Peppermint Tea
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Peppermint tea is another oft used remedy for stomach complaints. In this case, since you are losing a lot of your body’s water through sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting, staying hydrated should be one of your top priorities.
By hydrating with a warm or cool herbal tea like peppermint, you’re offering your body the water it needs and also using the proven soothing properties of peppermint to help you feel better.
Fight bad gut bacteria with Apple Cider Vinegar
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It may seem like a hard idea to swallow, but according to Livestrong.com, apple cider vinegar is one of the best ways to get over a stomach bug quickly. A teaspoon or two mixed well into a glass of warm water helps suppress the harmful bacteria causing your food poisoning.
When choosing an apple cider vinegar, make sure to purchase a raw and organic one for the best anti-bacterial and antiviral properties.
Garlic can pack a punch to food poisoning
Even though the thought of eating a raw clove of garlic may seem like a bad idea, especially when you’re unable to keep anything down, there’s plenty of evidence suggesting that it’s a great way to fight off nausea and help rid your body of the bacteria responsible for the food poisoning.
Take a peeled clove of garlic and chew it thoroughly, then take a full glass of water. If you feel that you couldn’t possibly hold down a raw clove of garlic, consider making some garlic broth to sip on.
While not as effective as the raw clove, the broth will still work and help keep you hydrated.
Balance your good gut flora with Probiotics
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After ridding some of the bacteria that made you sick, it’s time to help your digestive system recover and rally with good bacteria.
If you can keep it down, the beneficial probiotics in yogurt will help you gain the energy that you lost during your illness and balance the good flora in your gut, to help further combat the stomach bug.
Replenish your potassium with a Banana
If you’re feeling up to it, eating a banana (preferably in a smoothie) can help you to feel better, faster. Healthline.com says that one of the foods that you should absolutely try to eat while recovering from an irritated stomach is a banana.
Bananas are an integral part of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast), gentle foods that will nourish you without upsetting a sore stomach. The natural potassium content in a banana will help to replenish the electrolytes that you lost through vomiting or diarrhea.
Drink Lemon Water to clean out your stomach
A glass of warm water with the freshly squeezed juice of one lemon and a pinch of sugar and salt in it will not only help gently cure your food poisoning but help rehydrate you as well.
The acidity in the lemon will suppress the bad bacteria growing in your stomach.
Prevent Inflammation with Cumin
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Making a “tea” by boiling cumin seeds and drinking a few cups of it daily will help with your stomach irritation. You can also get a stronger, faster effect by chewing cumin seeds and drinking a cup of water afterward.
Although you will want to avoid foods that are traditionally seasoned with cumin, such as curries, seasoning bland foods with cumin may help with your sore stomach as well.
Banish your upset stomach with Basil
Basil is an incredibly versatile herb that is great for soothing upset stomachs. It can be taken in a variety of ways, but if you have food poisoning, the easiest way to take basil is with a few cups of basil tea or a couple of drops of basil oil in a large cup of hot water.
Find sweet relief with Honey
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A proven antibacterial and anti-fungal, honey is often used to help soothe irritated digestion systems.
Honey is one of the most palatable remedies in its raw form and can also be added to a number of the remedies above to boost its effectiveness. A few raw ginger slices infused into honey can stop diarrhea and soothe an upset stomach.
Nurture your stomach with Chicken Broth
Chicken broth has been used for centuries to treat a number of ailments, and for good reason. Chicken broth is rich in naturally occurring minerals and vitamins, is easy on the stomach, and is quite easy to make.
If you don’t have the time to make your own chicken broth (with the help of this helpful video by CookWithApril), you can purchase organic chicken broth from the grocery store.
Chicken broth can be made with a number of the remedies above to add to its healing power and rice can be added for extra stomach calming properties if you can keep it down.
What is Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning is the result of eating toxic, contaminated, or spoiled food. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Food poisoning is quite common.
What Causes Food Poisoning?
Most cases of food poisoning can be traced to one of the following three major causes:
Bacteria
Bacteria is the most common cause of food poisoning. Salmonella is the most common type of bacteria to cause food poisoning. However, there are many types of bacteria that can develop on food and, if consumed, can cause food poisoning.
Parasites
Parasites that are spread through food can be quite dangerous. Toxoplasma is the parasite that is seen most often in cases of food poisoning. This type of parasite can typically be found in cat litter boxes. Parasites can live inside your digestive tract for years undetected. However, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems risk serious side effects if parasites decide to live in their intestines.
Viruses
Food poisoning can also sometimes be caused by a virus. The norovirus causes over 19 million cases of food poisoning every year. In some rare cases, it can be fatal. Astrovirus, rotavirus, and sapovirus can also bring on similar symptoms, however, they are less common. Hepatitis A virus is also a serious condition that can be transmitted through food.
Try One of These Home Remedies For Food Poisoning
If you’re suffering from food poisoning, it is nice to know that you don’t have to run out to the drugstore or make a doctor’s appointment to find relief. Many great cures can be made from ingredients you probably already have at home, with the added bonus of being natural and safe.
Any of these remedies can help you, but you can choose the one that works best with your symptoms and lifestyle. Keep this list in mind for the next time you or someone you care about gets food poisoning.