5 Easy Tips to Prevent Food Poisoning at Home

Food poisoning, a type of foodborne illness, is a sickness people get from something they ate or drank. The causes are germs or other harmful things in the food or beverage.
Symptoms of food poisoning often include upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms usually start within hours or several days of eating the food. Most people have mild illness and get better without treatment.

Symptoms of Food poisoning :

Symptoms vary depending on what is causing the illness. They may begin within a few hours or a few weeks depending on the cause.

Common symptoms are:

1. Upset stomach.
2. Vomiting.
3. Diarrhea.
4. Diarrhea with bloody stools.
5. Stomach pain and cramps.
6. Fever.
7. Headache.

Less often food poisoning affects the nervous system and can cause severe disease. Symptoms may include:

• Blurred or double vision.
• Headache.
• Loss of movement in limbs.
• Problems with swallowing.
• Tingling or numbness of skin.
• Weakness.
• Changes in sound of the voice.

 Types of food poisoning:

1. Salmonella bacteria.
2. E. coli bacteria.
3. Norovirus (vomiting bug).

Causes of food poisoning:

Many germs or harmful things, called contaminants, can cause foodborne illnesses. Food or drink that carries a contaminant is called “contaminated.” Food can be contaminated with any of the following:

• Bacteria.
• Viruses.
• Parasites that can live in the intestines.
• Poisons, also called toxins.
• Bacteria that carry or make toxins.
• Molds that make toxins.

Treatment of food poisoning.

Replace lost fluids and electrolytes
You should drink plenty of liquids. If vomiting is a problem, try sipping small amounts of clear liquids. Replacing lost fluids and electrolytes is the most important treatment for food poisoning. Eating saltine crackers can also help replace electrolytes.