HOMEOPATHY TO THE RESCUE FOR SUMMER PICNICS AND FOOD POISONING

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is the result of ingesting organisms or toxins that have contaminated your food. Most cases of food poisoning are from common bacteria such as Staphylococcus, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter or Shigella, to name a few.

There are a number of homeopathic remedies that can assist very nicely in speeding up the process of removing the toxins and hastening recovery.

What are some causes of food poisoning?

Food poisoning often occurs from eating undercooked meats, dairy products, or food containing mayonnaise (like coleslaw or potato salad) that has sat out of the refrigerator too long. Restaurant food can also become contaminated when not handled properly.

Food poisoning can affect one person or it can occur as an outbreak in a group of people who all ate the same contaminated food.

Food poisoning tends to occur at picnics, school cafeterias, and large social functions. In these cases, food may have been left out of the refrigerator too long or food preparation techniques may not be clean.

Who is at greatest risk?

Infants and the elderly are at the greatest risk from the effects of food poisoning. You are also at higher risk if:

• You have a serious medical condition, such as kidney disease or diabetes
• You have a weakened immune system
• You travel outside of the U.S. to areas where there is more exposure to organisms that cause food poisoning

Pregnant and breastfeeding women need to be especially careful to avoid food poisoning.

How soon do symptoms appear?

Symptoms from the most common types of food poisoning generally start within 2 – 6 hours of eating the contaminated food. That time may be shorter or longer (even a number of days) depending on the cause of the food poisoning.

Possible symptoms may include:

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea (may be bloody)
• Fever & chills
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting

Weakness (may be serious and lead to respiratory arrest, as in the case of botulism, be prepared to act accordingly)

Homeopathy to the rescue:

ARSENICUM ALBUM is a great remedy for absorbing toxins and stopping diarrhea and vomiting. It is also helpful for food poisoning symptoms after eating contaminated vegetables, melons, watery fruit, or bad water. The person will be physically weak and have anxiety to the point of panic. They prefer warm drinks and vomit up cold water as soon as they ingest it. Repeat often until symptoms subside.

CARBO VEGETABILIS is useful when you’ve ingested bad fish or even rich or fatty foods. There is tremendous bloating and indigestion. Lots of burping, burning pains, rumbling and they feel worse lying down. They are weak and can even have blueness around the lips.

CHINA is a great remedy for dehydration. The person is bloated, distended and has flatulence with no relief. There is generalized achiness and feels better with movement, even though they are exhausted. They have some relief from being doubled over and an aversion to being touched.

LYCOPODIUM is key when there is food poisoning from shellfish especially. There is bloating and distention in the abdomen, which is relieved from passing gas and burping. The difference in this remedy is that the burps and gas are very sour and the personality takes a sour turn also. They seem to eat ravenously and crave sweets, alcohol and warm drinks.

NUX VOMICA comes to the rescue when the person has had far too much to eat. Chilly, grumpy people who love stimulants will react very well to the relief they derive from this remedy. They may have cramping and/or sharp pains in the abdomen. They are worse from tight clothing and better with warmth. It is a perfect remedy for a hangover (besides food poisoning that presents these symptoms.)

To prevent food poisoning, take the following steps when preparing food:

• Carefully wash your hands and clean dishes and utensils.
• Use a thermometer when cooking. Cook beef to at least 160°F, poultry to at least 180°F, and fish to at least 140°F.
• DO NOT place cooked meat or fish back onto the same plate or container that held the raw meat, unless the container has been completely washed.
• Promptly refrigerate any food you will not be eating. Keep the refrigerator set to around 40°F and your freezer at or below 0°F. DO NOT eat meat, poultry, or fish that has been refrigerated uncooked for longer than 1 to 2 days.
• DO NOT use outdated foods, packaged food with a broken seal, or cans that are bulging or have a dent.
• DO NOT use foods that have an unusual odor or a spoiled taste.

Other steps to take:

• If you take care of young children, wash your hands often and dispose of diapers carefully so that bacteria can’t spread to other surfaces or people.
• If you make canned food at home, be sure to follow proper canning techniques to prevent botulism.
• DO NOT feed honey to children under 1 year of age.
• DO NOT eat wild mushrooms.
• When traveling where contamination is more likely, eat only hot, freshly cooked food. Drink water only if it’s been boiled. DO NOT eat raw vegetables or unpeeled fruit.
• DO NOT eat shellfish that has been exposed to red tides.
• If you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, DO NOT eat soft cheeses, especially imported from countries outside the U.S.

If other people may have eaten the food that made you sick, let them know. If you think the food was contaminated when you bought it from a store or restaurant, tell the store and your local health department.

(Be sure to always seek professional medical care when necessary)