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Gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD , answers some commonly asked questions about how to get through a bout of food poisoning.
A: You get food poisoning from eating or drinking food that is contaminated with pathogenic viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites or toxic chemicals. It could come from perfectly good food that was just improperly handled or cooked. For example, common food poisoning like Bacillus cereus can set in within 6 to 16 hours.
But there are some foodborne illnesses that are latent, meaning they have to reproduce in your system and get into a large load. Hepatitis A virus, for example, can take 15 to 50 days to present.
A: That also depends on the individual. In general, 1 to 10 days, but it can be longer in some circumstances. A: Yes, viral or bacterial food poisoning can sometimes produce fever.
Once a person can keep down these mild foods, they should be able to return to their regular diet within 24 to 48 hours of being able to tolerate food intake. Some people may also wish to eat some fermented foods to replace the beneficial gut bacteria lost during the illness. Fermented foods include:. When a person has food poisoning, they lose electrolytes via diarrhea and vomiting. These minerals help maintain the balance of fluids in the body.
As a result, the individual may need to drink oral rehydration solutions. Examples of these include:. These fluids are designed to rehydrate a person after they have been unable to keep foods or drinks down. Oral rehydration solutions are available to purchase online.
Other options include caffeine-free teas. Examples can include ginger or lemon tea. Peppermint teas may also help to soothe an upset stomach. However, a person should try to use oral rehydration solutions first. It is important to avoid caffeinated drinks, as these can irritate the stomach and some may be more dehydrating than rehydrating.
Research has shown that people can prevent and recover from food-borne illness with foods and supplements containing probiotics or healthy bacteria. Foods rich in probiotics include some dairy products, such as live yogurt and kefir, and fermented foods, such as sauerkraut.
Food poisoning often irritates and inflames the stomach and intestines. Consequently, after food poisoning, people may choose to eat foods that do not overstimulate the stomach and are not likely to a cause stomach upset. Dairy foods such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt can upset the stomach after food poisoning. So, people may want to avoid them in favor of hydrating beverages and less-irritating foods. Fried foods such as fried chicken, french fries, and other high-fat items can all cause rapid emptying of the stomach and worsening diarrhea-related symptoms.
Spicy foods that people prepare with hot peppers can irritate the stomach and result in a stomach upset. A person may also wish to avoid foods rich in fermentable carbohydrates. While few researchers have studied reducing FODMAPs to help with food poisoning, doing so may reduce gas, bloating, or cramping.
Many people may consider electrolyte-containing beverages a good alternative to oral rehydration solutions. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC caution against using electrolyte beverages, such as Gatorade or Powerade, because they are not designed to replace diarrhea-related losses. These drinks can also contain high amounts of sugar, which can be stimulating to the bowels and could worsen symptoms.
Though your appetite may be non-existent, drinking the right liquids and eating the right foods can help speed up your recovery. This is because your body has lost a lot of fluids, nutrients and electrolytes due to vomiting and diarrhea. In fact, drinking is something you should try to do from the time your first symptom rears its ugly head. While water is best, you can try herbal teas, sports drinks, or Pedialyte as long as you are able to keep them down. Small sips every few minutes will go a long way to help stay hydrated.
Other than drinking preferably non-sugary liquids to stay hydrated, there are no hard and fast rules about when and what to eat after food poisoning or stomach bug symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea have subsided. Every patient reacts differently to food—or to the idea of eating again. Whenever your appetite does return, you can go back to eating, even if you still have diarrhea.
Most medical experts do not recommend fasting or following a restricted diet when you have diarrhea. This is to help your body restore its energy and to regain its lost fluids, nutrients and electrolytes. Your gage will be how well you tolerate food. When your stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea have fully or partially subsided, you may feel up to eating again.
The goal is to reintroduce bland foods that are easy for your stomach to digest. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Plus, their high starch content will help bind your stool together, which may reduce bouts of continued diarrhea.
BRAT foods are considered low-residual, meaning they stay in your stomach for less time. Here are some additional foods that may help get your appetite and strength back. These can be much harder for your stomach to digest than the bland BRAT diet. You may want to be cautious of dairy products, even with probiotics, since they may irritate your stomach.
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