Stamp Out Food Poisoning
If you eat contaminated food, you may develop a case of food poisoning. How do you get it? It comes from bacteria—on your hands, in your food and in the kitchen. Depending on the type of illness you get, you could experience abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting.
Most food poisoning lasts 2 to 3 days, but if it drags on, see your doctor. Untreated cases can cause kidney damage.
While many people look for medicines that stop diarrhea or vomiting, it's actually better to let your body do what it wants. It's trying to expel toxic substances—so let it happen! But this process can lead to dehydration, so it's important to drink plenty of fluids. Aim for drinks with electrolytes, like a sports drink or broth. Slowly introduce easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. If you can't keep anything down after 24 hours, see a doctor.
Posted 07/08/09
