What's The Best Way To Get Over Food Poisoning

It usually starts a few hours after the wedding buffet or that plate of roadside chaat. First comes a twisting cramp, then a quick dash to the bathroom, and then you’re not sure whether to sit or stand.

If you’re reading this between trips, here’s the short version. Rest your stomach, sip ORS, and ease back into food with khichdi and curd rice. Most people feel normal again in one to three days, and you don’t need any special medicine for it.

The germ isn’t what causes real trouble. Dehydration is... Dehydration worsens in a hot summer or during a humid monsoon week in Delhi. Children and elderly parents are more prone to dehydration than others.

What’s actually happening in your body

Food poisoning is a condition where you have ingested something that has bacteria, virus, parasites, or toxins left behind by certain bacteria. Salmonella, E.coli, Staphylococcus and norovirus are common examples.

Timing varies a lot. Some toxins hit within an hour or two, which is why that paneer sitting out for five hours at a reception can get you before you’re even home. Other germs take a day or longer, so pinning the blame on one meal is mostly guesswork.

The vomiting and loose motions feel awful, but they’re your body clearing out the problem. So don’t fight them. What you need to do is replace the water and salts you’re losing.

The first 24 hours: rest and fluids

Food can wait. Fluids can’t.

If you’re still vomiting, allow your stomach 30 to 60 minutes to settle. Then you should begin with small sips, a spoonful here and there every few minutes. Taking a whole glass at once will definitely make you vomit again.

Always be in an environment that is well-ventilated, whether through an electric fan or an air conditioner. Sweating in an overcrowded room means sweating away your precious body fluids. Take the day off, too. Trying to sit through a work call while dehydrated just drags the recovery out.

Good things to drink one day one:

ORS

Boiled and cooled water

Thin dal water

Coconut water

Rice kanji (the starchy water left after cooking rice)

Skip colas and packaged juices. They’re very sugary, and that can make loose motions worse.

Making ORS at home

A chemist-bought ORS sachet is the better choice, because the salt and sugar are measured exactly. But if it’s midnight and every shop is shut, you can make a basic version at home.

Wash your hands. Take 1 litre of boiled water and let it cool down (use RO water if you like).

Mix in 6 tablespoons of sugar. Level means flat, not heaped.

Add half a level teaspoon of salt.

Stir until it’s completely dissolved.

Taste it. It should be no saltier than tears. If it’s saltier, throw it out and start again.

The adults can have a few sips after each loose bowel movement or vomiting episode throughout the day. In case of the child, it is to be taken slowly using a spoon while consulting the quantities with your pediatrician. Prepare a new batch daily.

Salt is a dangerous component if used in excess, particularly among children. If you’re unsure, buy the sachet.

What to eat in 3 days

It is recommended to wait till the vomiting ceases and you get a little appetite. Then go slowly. Your gut needs time to come back.

Day 1 (as soon as vomiting stops): Kanji made of rice, thinned out moong dal water, and boiled white rice. A banana if possible. In small quantities every two to three hours.

Day 2: Khichdi made using moong daal with minimum amount of ghee, a sprinkle of salt, and a little haldi. Rice and curd, or else plain curd. There are cultures in curd, but the research to prove that curd heals faster is not conclusive.

Day 3: Soft home food. Roti made with either lauki or tinda sabzi, dal and rice. Make the tadka soft and keep the pickle bottle closed.

Khichdi is a dish that grandmothers give to ill persons since time immemorial, while Ayurveda describes it as a food that is easily digestible. Modern advice agrees, for a simple reason. It’s soft and bland, and it gives you energy without making your stomach work hard.

What to avoid while you recover

For at least three days, stay away from anything fried, very spicy or very sweet. Yes, that means samosas, biryani, mithai and street food, however much you miss them.

Hold off on milk and milky chai as well. Many people will also find milk products except curd difficult to digest for a couple of days following an upset stomach. Avoid coffee and strong tea and alcohol, which are dehydrating.

Medicines to be careful with:

Anti-diarrhea tablets: Should not be taken without medical advice, especially if you have fever and/or blood in your stool. They can keep the germ in your system longer.

Antibiotics: Most food poisoning doesn’t need them. Excess pieces from the medication box may end up causing more damage than good.

Medicine on an empty stomach: Some irritate the stomach wall. Consult your pharmacist.

When to see a doctor

Most cases settle at home, but some signs mean you shouldn’t wait it out. Get medical help quickly if you notice:

1. Bloody stool or vomit.

2. Fever higher than 102°F.

3. You can’t keep even small sips down for several hours.

4. No presence of urine or little amount of urine, dry mouth, or dizziness on standing up.

5. Liquidy stool for over three days.

6. Poor eyesight, confusion or tingling in the hands.

Use great care when dealing with infants and children, women who are pregnant, individuals above the age of 65, and people with diabetes, kidney disease, and impaired immune system. They will become dehydrated more quickly. If you notice that your child is having problems with excessive sleepiness and passing urine for six to eight hours, see a doctor.

Why it keeps happening: check your own kitchen

While we tend to point fingers at the dhaba most times, there is a lot that causes the illnesses due to carelessness at home. For example, rice left overnight, the refrigerator getting warm during a power failure, or the same chopping board used for cooking chicken and salads.

Pests play a part too. Cockroaches move about in drains and waste pipes and have been found to be carriers of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. It is, however, more challenging to prove their role in causing diseases. Still, nobody wants one running across clean plates at night.

A simple list for tonight:

Leftovers: Keep them cool in the refrigerator within two hours, or one hour if the weather is warm.

Rice & Dal: Never refrigerate rice made overnight. Make sure it is thoroughly heated.

Refrigerator: Cool it to below 4°C. In case of a power failure, check all the food for spoilage.

Meat cutting board and vegetable cutting board: Both should be kept separate and washed with warm soapy water.

Water: Consume only boiled water, RO, or bottled water, especially during monsoon season.

Sink and counter: Dishes should not be left unwashed over night, while the counter should be kept dry. Leaky faucets need to be fixed because cockroaches need water more than food.

Hiding places: Grab a flashlight and check under the sink, behind the refrigerator, and around the hinges of cabinets.