How to Deal With Food Poisoning
Food poisoning sucks, but if you do get sick, you need to know how to determine the type of food poisoning, what is expected, and how best to deal with it in order to feel better.
When you have food poisoning , stay hydrated and do your best to contain any bacteria that may spread to your neighbors. What most people fail to realize, however, is that not all foodborne illness is the same. If you have severe symptoms that last for several days, this could be more than a bad burrito. It may be a more serious type of infection, deeper in digestive symptoms. In this case, you should seek medical attention if you are sick for more than one or two days. The Naked Scientist podcast recently (40:30) investigated two types of food poisoning that you commonly encounter:
- Food that has been mistreated or stored : This is usually absorbed fairly quickly and passes through your body in a shorter time. Toxins caused by bacteria are often the cause. This is usually the less serious type, although this does not mean that he feels less awful.
- Bacterial infection : Bacteria such as Salmonella enter the digestive system and enter the intestines, where they can damage the cells there. Many symptoms are similar to the first type of food poisoning, but can last longer and in some cases be life-threatening.
Since neither type of food poisoning is what you want, you can minimize the risk at home by making sure food is handled appropriately, such as cooking meat long enough and avoiding cross-contamination.