We’ve all gone through a situation where right after a meal, our bodies begin to ache, and our stomachs begin to growl. In most cases, it’s a sign of food poisoning. When we eat or drink something that has been contaminated with viruses, bacteria, or parasites, we might get food poisoning.
Food poisoning is a common sickness and major symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal discomfort, and
- Fever
While it’s vital for you to know how to avoid getting food poisoning, it’s more important to avoid making mistakes that can worsen food poisoning symptoms if you already have them. In this blog post, we’ll go through eight common mistakes that can worsen the symptoms and how to prevent them.
8 Things That Worsen Symptoms Of Food Poisoning And Preventions
1. Drinking Alcohol
It’s best to stay away from alcohol when you’re already feeling under the weather because it can dehydrate your body and make symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea worse.
Besides, if you take any medications to treat your symptoms, alcohol can potentially conflict with them. Once you feel completely okay, you may resume your intake, and that, too, occasionally.
2. Eating Spicy Or Acidic Foods Can Worsen Food Poisoning
When someone has food poisoning, their digestive system is already stressed. Thus, eating spicy and acidic foods can irritate them further.
If you wish your body to recover at the earliest, avoid consuming foods that are highly spiced, acidic, or fatty. Otherwise, you would just extend the recovery period.
3. Not Staying Hydrated
Dehydration is a typical worry when you get food poisoning since vomiting and diarrhea can quickly deplete your fluid reserves.
Dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea can exacerbate symptoms and lengthen the recovery process.
To replenish electrolytes that have been lost and to avoid dehydration, it is crucial to consume sufficient fluids.
Drinking clear liquids like water, clear broth, and electrolyte-rich beverages is crucial for maintaining hydration. Moreover, avoid beverages with alcohol or caffeine because they can further dehydrate you.
4. Eating Heavy or Fatty Foods
Avoiding heavy or fatty foods is advised when you are already unwell because they are harder for the digestive system to handle.
Before introducing solid foods, it’s crucial to give your digestive system time to relax and recuperate.
Till your symptoms go away, stick to light, bland foods like rice, bread, and bananas.
Reintroduce solid foods into your diet gradually when your symptoms have subsided.
5. Not Seeking Medical Attention When Necessary
While the majority of food poisoning episodes are minor and go away on their own, some can be serious and need medical intervention.
Seek medical help if your symptoms are severe or last for more than a few days.
Bloody diarrhea, a high temperature, and excruciating abdominal discomfort are signs of a more severe ailment that needs immediate medical attention.
6. Not Washing Your Hands Worsen Food Poisoning
Consuming food that is infected with dangerous germs or viruses is a common cause of food poisoning. Washing your hands thoroughly before handling food or consuming it is one technique to avoid getting sick.
To prevent transmitting the illness to others, continue to wash your hands often, even if you already have a cold.
7. Not Getting Enough Rest
Rest is necessary for your body to recover from food sickness. To help your body fight off the illness, it’s crucial to pay attention to your body and get the rest you require.
Take a break from your everyday tasks or job and try to get as much rest as possible. This is because your medicines and healthy food will only work when you’ll allow your body to rest.
8. Taking Medications That Can Worsen Symptoms
Some over-the-counter drugs may make the signs of food poisoning worse.
Anti-diarrheal drugs, for instance, might slow down digestion and let your body store hazardous pollutants for longer.
Besides, many people also believe that antibiotics can be an effective treatment for food poisoning, but that’s not always true.
Only bacterial illnesses respond to antibiotics, and many episodes of food poisoning are brought on by viruses or toxins. Before using antibiotics to treat the signs of food poisoning, it’s crucial to speak with a doctor.
Taking a Quick Recap On Tips When Food Poisoning Happens
A variety of hazardous bacteria, viruses, and parasites can result in food poisoning, an uncomfortable and occasionally severe sickness. While it’s important to understand how to avoid getting food poisoning, it’s just as critical to steer clear of blunders that might exacerbate symptoms if you already have the illness.
Thus, it is advised to speed up your body’s recovery from food poisoning by avoiding fatty, greasy foods, and acidic foods.
In addition, do not consume alcohol, hydrate yourself, and take complete rest. You will start feeling refreshed and energetic within a few days.
Our super author here at Famous Parenting and an absolute wealth of knowledge. She has studied many topics including creative writing, psychology and journalism but her real passion lies in raising her 3 children. Between working from home, homeschooling her youngest 2 children and navigating the world of teenagers she is a guru for parents.
