Food poisoning is one of the most unpleasant things in the world. It isn’t just the horrible physical symptoms, the nausea, cramps, and sweating, it’s also the knowledge that you can get sick from tucking into your favorite dish. Food poisoning is usually caused by poor hygiene practices, particularly the improper handling or preparation of food and the consequent bacterial contamination. Many of the diagnosed flu cases in the United States every year may in fact be cases of food poisoning, such is the similarity of their symptoms.
The bacteria which cause problems for people are most commonly found in meats, dairy, and seafood products. However, food poisoning can even be caused by vegetables and fruits. There is no way of entirely removing the possibility of food poisoning, all we can ever do is minimize the risk. However, as long as you take all the necessary precautions when preparing your food, and those who supply your food also handle it properly, then you will hopefully never encounter food poisoning.
If you do find yourself falling victim to food poisoning, then it is worth knowing about these tried and tested natural remedies.
Apple Cider Vinegar
While it is acidic, the way that apple cider vinegar is metabolized renders it as an alkaline. This makes it useful for soothing the stomach while also killing the bacteria which are causing your symptoms. In order to take advantage of this remedy, you should mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of hot water and drink it before eating your food.
Ginger
Ginger is a very effective antiemetic (something which reduces nausea) and has been used for this purpose. Not only this, ginger also carries a number of other health benefits; it improves the absorption and subsequent assimilation of nutrients from food, as well as aiding in digestion more generally. All of these effects work in unison to make ginger one of the most effective weapons for fighting the symptoms of food poisoning.
There are a number of ways that you can use ginger for this purpose, you can make some ginger tea, either from fresh grated ginger, or from a pre-packaged infusion. Alternatively, you can buy crystalized ginger, which is sweetened with sugar to dampen the sharp taste. Eating a few blocks of this should give you plenty of ginger. If you’re feeling really brave, then you can even eat some fresh ginger straight up.
Lemon
The common, humble lemon is an anti-inflammatory, an antibacterial, and an antiviral all rolled into one. All of these properties are useful in treating cases of food poisoning. And just for good measure, the acid in lemons will help to physically destroy the responsible bacteria. If you’re feeling really brave you can just eat a slice of lemon straight up (some of us enjoy it! Honest…) but most people will prefer to add a pinch of sugar to a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice and drink the mixture a few times a day. The website recoveryourhealthtoday.com has an article about essential oils which covers some of the other beneficial properties of lemon.
Should you be unfortunate enough to suffer a bout of food poisoning then these all-natural remedies should have you feeling at least a little bit better in no time.
