Food poisoning can be painful, exhausting, and honestly disgusting. The worst part about food poisoning is that once you get it, there’s not much you can do. For hours or days or however long it takes for the offending morsel to leave your system, you’re out of commission — sipping electrolytes on your couch with a bucket in hand.
“Food poisoning” is a blanket term for any form of illness that results from eating expired or contaminated food. Food can become contaminated with bacteria such as E. coli, viruses such as hepatitis, and even some forms of parasites. Symptoms vary, but common experiences include fever, aches, pains, vomiting, and frequent trips to the bathroom.
Some extreme cases of food poisoning can result in a hospital visit or even death — but these cases often involve other interfering factors, such as an already poor state of health or effects of dehydration. If you do get food poisoning, it’s crucial to stay hydrated. Other tactics for surviving the onslaught of illness include eating simple, unseasoned staple foods such as bread and rice and avoiding substances like dairy, caffeine, and alcohol. You should also take care to eat slowly, so you can gauge your stomach’s reaction to the food before it’s too late. Though you can’t guarantee you’ll avoid it entirely, food poisoning is somewhat preventable. Use these simple tips to avoid food poisoning as best you can:
- Always Wash Your Hands
- Use a Cooking Thermometer
- Refrigerate Your Leftovers Immediately
- Keep Your Kitchen Clean
- Wash Your Dishcloths
- Store Raw Meat on the Bottom Shelf
- Keep Your Fridge Cold Enough
- Look Out for ‘Use By’ and ‘Best By’ Dates
- Avoid Unpasteurized Dairy Products
- Know Which Foods Pose the Most Risk
- Keep Cold Foods Bagged Together
- Store Your Food Properly
- Keep Up With Product Recalls
- Defrost Food Carefully
- Never Reheat Leftovers More Than Once
