Summer poisoning: “What are your plans for the evening?” – “Nothing good: poisoned …” Ah, well, of course. The usual thing in the summer. Winter luxury to cook soup and forget about the stove for a couple of days in a warm season turns into serious danger. Add a sweet cherry or two straight from the package, which is so easy to be seduced on the way home. Who didn’t do that? Do not do more. If suddenly, then we know how to escape.
You can get poisoned at any time of the year. But in summer the risks are much higher. Because of the temperature, food spoils faster, and eating something potentially dangerous is now much easier. Vegetables, fruits, berries, greens – they are loved not only by people but also by harmful microbes. Not only do they multiply faster: before you managed to touch the purchase of those who collected it, transported, sold …
Poorly washed food is one of the main causes of summer poisoning. Plus – a dangerous neighborhood. Breeding bacteria migrate. Any raw or spoiled food in the fridge is dangerous for everything that is in it.
Once in the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria begin to multiply and cause intoxication. The body seeks to get rid of the danger as soon as possible and remove harmful substances. There are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. The stomach hurts, the temperature rises, it can fever and shiver. Against this background, there is a weakness and appetite is lost.
What to do in case of poisoning
The best thing to do is to see a doctor. Only he is able to eliminate dysentery, botulism and other conditions in which the delay “and suddenly passes by itself” can be costly. But in any case, measures should be taken immediately, as soon as the poisoning is felt. Your two main tasks are to minimize intoxication and avoid dehydration.
Action plan for poisoning:
- Rinse the stomach. To induce vomiting, you need to drink plenty of water (1-2 liters). Potassium permanganate and other additives are optional – ordinary water at room temperature will be sufficient. Further, it is clear – two fingers on the root of the tongue, etc. The sooner the washing happens, the better.
- Take sorbents. They absorb toxins that are still in the gastrointestinal tract. For this fit and activated carbon, and special powders, gels, pastes. It is better that they were always in the home first aid kit. In case of poisoning, it is important to “catch” as many toxins as possible before the body has time to absorb them. Scurry in pharmacies will select the precious time, and after a few hours, the sorbents will already be useless.
- Drink, and as much as possible. Take a few sips as often as possible – large portions can cause vomiting. Water should be barely warm or room temperature. The gastric mucosa and so suffered irritation with cold and hot water to her now to anything. To restore the balance of electrolytes, you can drink special solutions like rehydron.
Drugs for poisoning
The drugs are used to reduce the main symptoms of poisoning – diarrhea and vomiting:
- Antidiarrheal drugs: loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate.
- Antiemetic drugs: chlorpromazine and metoclopramide.
Talk to your doctor before taking any medications, as some of them may, on the contrary, worsen your condition.
Probiotics for poisoning
Probiotics (live “good” bacteria and yeast) can also be useful in treating poisoning. One study found that taking probiotics by children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis reduced their hospital stay by an average of 1.12 days.
In particular, there is some evidence supporting the use of the following strains of beneficial bacteria in the treatment of poisoning in children, along with the use of oral rehydration solutions:
If after the measures taken the condition has improved, then everything is in order. Now you need to help the body recover – unload it for a few days. The first day is better not to eat at all. After that, continue to drink more water, about raw vegetables and fruits, as well as juices, until you forget. Eat porridge on water (oatmeal, rice), crackers, donuts, cookies, but only fresh.
But if vomiting and diarrhea do not stop, there are convulsions, fainting happens, the temperature rises – only the doctor will help, and it must be called immediately! Remember all that ate. If the menu contains fish, mushrooms, canned food, berries, new products for you, this is a reason to be safe. You should not risk children, elderly people and those who are sick or have recently recovered – in these cases, the poisoning can be more difficult.
Products that are best to eat after food poisoning
After poisoning, it is best to eat foods that are easily digested. This may mean following a diet for an upset stomach, known as the BRAT diet.
BRAT stands for:
- Bananas
- Figure
- Applesauce
- Toast
The BRAT diet is one of the basic dietary recommendations for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. This food helps the body to recover, as these products are quite light and contain a lot of starch, which helps restore normal bowel function and stop diarrhea.
Despite the lack of studies confirming the effectiveness of the BRAT diet, there is some evidence that green bananas and rice are beneficial for diarrhea. Bananas also contain large amounts of potassium, which helps replenish lost electrolytes.
Other products useful in poisoning are:
- Fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut.
- Broth.
- Oatmeal without sugar.
- Potatoes.
- Salty crackers.
- Baked chicken without the skin.
- Turkey meat.
These foods are beneficial because of their softness, starchiness and nutritional value. The longer the symptoms last, the more protein a person needs to speed up the healing process and prevent muscle breakdown in the absence of enough food and calories.
4 life hacking to protect against poisoning
- Wash everything you can – hands, vegetables, fruits, greens, dishes (as soon as possible, not in the evening). The smaller the bacteria, the lower the risk.
- Do not feel sorry for suspicious products. If something looks or smells not very scary, but not as it should be, it is time for him to go to the trash can. Garbage, by the way, is also better not to leave until the morning; take it out right away.
- Buy exactly as much as you need. Especially fish, meat and dairy products. Maximum stock – one to two days.
- Cook at one time. Ideally, do not keep things in the refrigerator that can spoil. If something is left, keep in a closed container or tighten with cling film and do not place it near raw food. The temperature in the refrigerator is also better to lower to 4 degrees.