Nutrition After Poisoning: Allowed Foods, Sample Menu, Recipes

Causes and symptoms of food poisoning

Every year, about 48 million Americans suffer from food poisoning. And while most cases of food poisoning cause only mild to moderate discomfort, it's not nearly as harmless as it might seem at first glance: 128,000 people are hospitalized every year and 3,000 people die every year from food poisoning. It makes you think, doesn't it?

What are the causes of food poisoning and what can generally be considered food poisoning? Unfortunately, many disease-causing microbes can contaminate food, so there are many different foodborne infections (also known as foodborne illness or food poisoning).

Researchers have identified over 250 foodborne diseases. Most of them are infections caused by various bacteria, viruses and parasites. Harmful toxins and chemicals can also contaminate food and cause disease.

Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any time during processing or production. Contamination can also occur in the home if food is not properly processed or prepared.

Symptoms of food poisoning can begin within hours of eating contaminated food. Most often they include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Most often, food poisoning is mild and goes away without treatment. But some people may need hospitalization.

Although the exact symptoms vary depending on the specific microbe (eg, bacteria, virus, or parasite) contaminating food or drink, most people with food poisoning do experience nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, which can usually be managed on their own. In some cases, antibiotics or hospitalization for intravenous fluids may still be required.

Food poisoning can affect a single person or an entire group of people who are exposed to contaminated food or drink. It depends on how much of the microbe or toxin each person has consumed. It also depends on how sensitive each person is to the microbe or toxin.

There are various ways to contaminate food or drink. Food can be contaminated with viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites, etc. Sometimes food can also be contaminated with toxins that are present in the food itself. A good example of this is the poisons (toxins) found in certain mushrooms or seafood.

Food poisoning can lead to so many health problems that can range from mild to quite serious. In some cases, food poisoning can even be fatal.

There are various causes of food poisoning. Health experts tend to divide the causes of food poisoning into two main categories: infectious agents and toxic agents.

Infectious agents that cause food poisoning include viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Toxic substances deal with poisons that come naturally from the food itself, or poisons that are ingested by pesticides and other chemicals.

Food can be contaminated at any stage of its "life". It may be contaminated at the stage of production, storage, transportation or at the stage of preparation for human consumption. More often than not, our food is contaminated as a result of poor sanitation or improper preparation. An example of the latter case is the improper preparation of certain mushrooms and fish containing poisonous parts that must be skillfully and carefully removed.

In fact, many foods can cause food poisoning. For example, foods that should only be stored in the cold, but are kept at room temperature for a long time. This is why food poisoning is more common at picnics and buffets. There, foods (such as mayonnaise in potato salad) are often left out of the refrigerator for a long time.

Other common sources of food poisoning:

• raw or undercooked meat or poultry;

• unpasteurized dairy products;

• raw shellfish;

• unwashed fruits;

• unwashed vegetables.

Many cases of food poisoning are never officially diagnosed. This is because most people recover within a few days at home. If you have severe symptoms of food poisoning, your doctor should diagnose you. He may order a blood test to determine if food poisoning is caused by bacteria. You may also need a stool sample to find out which microbe is causing food poisoning.

Here are some simple tips to help you avoid food poisoning:

• Make sure that foods that should be eaten hot are actually served hot, and that foods that should be kept cold stay cold the entire time they are eaten.

• Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before eating or preparing food. Always use disinfectants before handling or preparing any food.

• Also, make sure the utensils in which you cook or serve food are always very clean, in order to prevent bacteria or germs from getting into them and contaminating the food.

• Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them raw. It is advisable to wash them in salt water. The salt in the water will kill any germ or bacteria on fruits and vegetables. Also now on sale there are special eco products for washing fruits and vegetables, which are very convenient to use.

• Food preparation surfaces should always be clean and free of germs and bacteria.

• Do not mix foods that should be eaten raw with foods that should be cooked before eating. For example, it is not recommended to store raw meat or fish in the same container as fruits and vegetables that you intend to eat raw. This can lead to so-called cross-contamination - germs or bacteria from raw meat can easily get on fruit or vegetables and contaminate them.

• Before eating, make sure that the meat and fish are cooked very well. Meat should always be cooked at the recommended temperature. When food is cooked at the recommended temperature, neither germs nor bacteria can survive in it. For this purpose, you can use a food thermometer to check if you have cooked your food to the recommended temperature.

• Any canned food that is defective should be thrown away. Do not eat canned food that is leaking or has dents.

• Any food that smells like spoiled or has a peculiar taste should be thrown away.

• Clean countertops, cutting boards, knives, and utensils before exposing them to a variety of foods.

• If the knives have been used to cut raw chicken, do not use them to cut other ingredients that will not be cooked.

• Do not use packaged foods that have expired.

• Leftover food, if it is not eaten within 4 hours, put it in the refrigerator.

• Don't eat wild mushrooms.

• When traveling abroad, do not eat raw fruits or vegetables that have not been washed in an antimicrobial rinse. Avoid unfiltered (or unboiled) tap water.

• When in restaurants or at any event, avoid food that has been left out of the refrigerator for a long time.

In fact, there are many symptoms of food poisoning. According to medical experts, most symptoms of food poisoning begin to appear about 2-6 hours after eating contaminated food. Signs and symptoms of food poisoning may also appear a day or more after you have eaten contaminated food. The time it takes for symptoms and signs to appear usually depends on the type of infection or the degree of infection.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are:

• Nausea and frequent vomiting.

• Abdominal cramps are a symptom of food poisoning. Stomach pain can range from mild to very severe.

• Diarrhea.

• Fever and chills

• Weakness.

• Headache.

• Dehydration (usually accompanied by dry mouth and thirst).

• Dizziness (health experts say that dizziness is due to dehydration).

• In severe cases of food poisoning, respiratory arrest may occur.

• Difficulty swallowing food or water.

• Severe food poisoning can also lead to kidney problems.

Although many symptoms can be managed on your own, in some cases it is still worthwhile to see a doctor.

You should visit a doctor if:

• Severe diarrhea lasts more than 3 days.

• Frequent vomiting lasts more than 2 days.

• You see blood in your stool.

• You are on diuretics and have diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

• You have a high temperature.

• Older people have a weaker immune system than younger people. This makes it difficult to fight infectious organisms such as bacteria and viruses. Suppose a 25 year old man and a 70 year old man eat equal portions of the same contaminated food, the older person is more likely to suffer from food poisoning symptoms than the younger person.

• Small children. The same applies to small children. This category of people also has a weak immune system, so they can easily suffer from food poisoning.

• Pregnant women. Pregnant women are also very susceptible to food poisoning. Doctors say this is due to the changes in metabolism that occur during pregnancy.

• People suffering from chronic diseases. When you suffer from a chronic disease such as diabetes, your immune system automatically weakens, making it unable to protect you effectively.

As we have already said, food contamination can occur at any stage of production: growing, harvesting, processing, storage, transportation or preparation. The cause is often cross-contamination – the transfer of pests from one surface to another. This is especially dangerous for raw, ready-to-eat foods such as salads or other foods. Because these foods are not cooked, the pests are not killed before eating and can cause food poisoning.

Many bacterial, viral, or parasitic agents cause food poisoning. The table shows some of the possible contaminants, the time before you start to feel the first symptoms and the general routes of spread.

pollutant

Start of symptoms

Affected foodstuffs and means of transmission

Campylobacter

2 to 5 days

Meat and poultry. Contamination occurs during processing if animal feces come into contact with the surface of the meat. Other sources include unpasteurized milk and contaminated water.

Clostridium botulinum

12 to 72 hours

Low-acid home canned foods, improperly canned commercial foods, smoked or salted fish, potatoes baked in aluminum foil, and other foods that keep too long at warm temperatures.

Clostridium perfringens

From 8 to 16 hours

Meat, stews and sauces.

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

1 to 8 days

Beef contaminated with faeces at the time of slaughter. It is distributed mainly by undercooked ground beef. Other sources include unpasteurized milk and apple cider, alfalfa sprouts, and contaminated water.

lamblia

1 to 2 weeks

Raw, ready-to-eat foods and contaminated water. May be spread by an infected food handler.

Hepatitis A

28 days

Raw, ready-to-eat foods and shellfish from contaminated water. May be spread by an infected food handler.

Listeria

9 to 48 hours

Hot dogs, cold cuts, unpasteurized milk and cheeses, unwashed raw foods. May spread through contaminated soil and water.

Noroviruses (Norwalk)

12 to 48 hours

Raw, ready-to-eat foods and shellfish from contaminated water. May be spread by an infected food handler.

Rotavirus

1 to 3 days

Raw, ready-to-eat foods. May be spread by an infected food handler.

Salmonella

1 to 3 days

Raw or contaminated meat, poultry, milk, or egg yolks. Improper food preparation. Can be spread by knives, cutting surfaces.

shigella

24 to 48 hours

Seafood and raw, ready-to-eat foods. May be spread by an infected food handler.

Staphylococcus aureus

1 to 6 hours

Meat and ready-made salads, cream sauces and cream cakes. Can be spread by hand contact, coughing and sneezing.

Vibrio vulnificus

1 to 7 days

Raw oysters and raw or undercooked mussels, clams and whole scallops. May be spread through contaminated seawater.

Why do we need a diet after poisoning, general recommendations, diet principles

Diet during and after poisoning is the most important component of effective and quick treatment. It helps to restore the body and improves the functioning of the digestive system.

A diet after poisoning is necessary for a complete recovery, as well as for the prevention of complications of the disease. It helps to further restore these disorders in the body:

• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa.

• Violation of electrolytes, lack of proteins, violation of blood pH. Along with vomiting and diarrhea, the body loses a large amount of protein and trace elements. A well-chosen diet solves this problem.

• Problems with the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis often develops with poisoning in children. The pancreas is the main organ involved in digestion.

• Liver damage. For example, a diet for alcohol poisoning makes it possible to reduce the load on this organ, as it passes through itself and neutralizes all alcohol. The liver is affected in the first place and in case of poisoning with mushrooms, poisons.

• Kidneys. Most toxins and poisons are excreted by the kidneys. In case of poisoning with mushrooms, alcohol, chemicals, kidney failure may develop.

In the diet after food poisoning, you should follow the rules of the mode of intake, selection and preparation of food. Here are some tips to help you recover faster from poisoning:

• Eat small meals and often. The volume should not exceed the size of your fist. Breaks between meals 2-3 hours. Diet after food poisoning regulates the motility of the stomach, intestines, improves the functioning of the pancreas and liver.

• The diet for food poisoning in adults involves a complete cessation of smoking and drinking alcohol. Also for a while you need to forget about coffee and strong tea. If you can't quit smoking, try to quit smoking as infrequently as possible, including after meals.

• Cook foods in a double boiler, oven or boil them. Fried and smoked should be discarded.

• Do not eat canned or processed foods.

• Eat only homemade food. In case of poisoning and diarrhea, it is not recommended to buy ready-made meals in supermarkets or cafes. A weakened body is very susceptible to infections and there is a high risk of recurrence.

• Buy products only in official markets and supermarkets. Do not buy products if you are not sure of their quality.

• When buying products, carefully check the date of manufacture and the integrity of the packaging. Check the meat for smell. During the diet period, food should be especially safe.

• When cooking, do not add spices, bay leaves, vinegar. To improve the taste of products, you can add a little salt.

Diet in case of poisoning: allowed and prohibited foods, duration of the diet

During a diet for poisoning, some general recommendations should be followed:

• All food should be consumed only in the form of heat. This will help not irritate the stomach lining.

• Products should be steamed, bringing to a puree state.

• Fractional meals in small portions 5-6 times a day.

• Drinking large amounts of water or herbal infusions (preferably chamomile or rose hips).

First of all, you need to know which foods are categorically contraindicated in case of food poisoning. These include:

• Spicy, fried, fatty foods and canned food.

• For a while, you will have to forget about fiber-rich plant foods. This will cause irritation and aggravate the inflammatory process.

• Bread, fresh bread, confectionery - all this is prohibited, because it lingers in the intestines for a long time and forms an excess of acid, leading to fermentation.

List of foods that can be consumed in case of poisoning:

• Baked apples are a healthy dish. Fresh, these fruits are not recommended for food poisoning, but baked or boiled apples improve intestinal health and supply the body with fiber and vitamins.

• Chicken broth is one of the best dishes for poisoning. Helps replenish lost proteins and minerals in the body, restores the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

• Lean meat of chicken, turkey, sea fish.

• Oatmeal, buckwheat and rice porridge. You need to boil them in plain water.

• Boiled eggs or steamed eggs. You can eat two eggs or four quail eggs a day.

• Dried bread, crackers. Do not buy store-bought crackers with a huge amount of additives, it is better to cook them yourself, dry them in the oven or microwave.

• Bananas are the only fresh fruit that can be eaten when poisoned.

• Stewed or boiled vegetables (carrots, zucchini, potatoes).

• You can drink a decoction of wild rose and St. John's wort, weak black or green tea, alkaline mineral water.

List of prohibited foods and dishes during poisoning:

• fatty meat or fish;

• all types of canned food;

• coffee, cocoa;

• chocolate, marmalade, marshmallows;

• flour products;

• dairy;

• fresh fruits and vegetables (except bananas);

• legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, asparagus);

• mushrooms;

• semi-finished products;

• chips, saltine crackers, snacks, popcorn, corn sticks;

• fresh and store-bought juice;

• carbonated drinks;

• sauces (mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup);

• all kinds of spices (only a little salt can be added to food);

• oil, lard;

• nuts, seeds.

What can you eat a few hours after poisoning

On the first day of poisoning, if diarrhea, nausea or vomiting are still bothering, it is necessary to refuse any food altogether. Proper nutrition for these days will consist of drinking plenty of water. The fact is that any food can become an additional provoking factor - intoxication will continue. At this time, you can drink plain water, mineral water without gas, a weak decoction of wild rose or chamomile. Oral rehydration products (for example, Regidron) are very useful, which will help normalize the water-salt balance. It will also be useful to use an adsorbent - Phosphalugel, Enterosgel, activated carbon and other drugs. Remember that on the first day it is forbidden to add lemon to tea. This will increase the acidity of the gastric juice and will irritate the mucous membrane.

Starting from the second day, foods can be gradually introduced into the diet. When a person reintroduces food after food poisoning, the goal is to consume foods that are easy to digest. For example, following the indigestion diet known as the BRAT diet.

BRAT stands for:

• bananas;

• rice;

• applesauce;

• toasts.

While there is no research to support this diet for children, there is some evidence that green bananas and rice are good for children with diarrhea.

Other foods that can be consumed during poisoning:

• broths, especially bone broths;

• oatmeal;

• potato;

• baked chicken without skin;

• turkey.

These foods are suitable because of their softness, starchyness and nutritional value. The longer the illness lasts, the more protein a person needs to help the healing process and prevent muscle breakdown in the absence of adequate food and calories.

Once a person is able to give up these bland foods, they should gradually return to their normal diet. Some people may also add some fermented foods to replace the good gut bacteria lost during poisoning.

Fermented foods include:

• yogurt;

• Miso soup;

• tempe;

• tea mushroom.

During food poisoning, a person loses electrolytes through diarrhea and vomiting. These minerals help maintain fluid balance in the body. As a result, oral rehydration solutions may be required. Other options include decaffeinated teas such as ginger or lemon. Peppermint tea can also help soothe an upset stomach. However, a person should first try using oral rehydration solutions.

It is important to avoid caffeinated drinks as they can irritate the stomach and cause dehydration.

Another way to cope with poisoning is probiotics. Research has shown that people can prevent and treat foodborne illnesses with foods and supplements containing probiotics or healthy bacteria. Foods rich in probiotics include some dairy products such as live yogurt and kefir, as well as fermented foods such as sauerkraut.

Examples of foods to avoid:

• Dairy. Dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt can cause stomach upset after food poisoning.

• Fried foods such as fried chicken, french fries, and other high-fat foods can cause rapid stomach emptying and worsening symptoms associated with diarrhea.

• The spicy food that people cook with hot peppers can irritate the stomach and lead to indigestion.

• Foods that cause bloating. A person may also avoid foods rich in fermented carbohydrates. Nutritionists call them FODMAPs, and they can cause bloating in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While few researchers have studied reducing FODMAP to help with food poisoning, it can still reduce gas, bloating, or cramps.

Examples of foods rich in FODMAPs:

• apples;

• beans;

• cabbage;

• onion;

• garlic.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• decrease in the amount of urine, or its darkening;

• dry mouth;

• drowsiness or tiredness;

• strong thirst;

• headache;

• dizziness.

To deal with mild dehydration:

• Try taking frequent sips of water.

• Use soups and drinks with plenty of pure water.

• Avoid coffee, tea, sodas and other caffeinated drinks. These drinks can make dehydration worse.

• Try ginger - its anti-nausea benefits are so pronounced that everyone from pregnant women to those undergoing chemotherapy can use it to beat nausea. Add fresh ginger root to hot water and enjoy.

Drinks to avoid:

• coffee;

• soda;

• milk;

• tea with caffeine.

These drinks can affect a person's hydration status and be more dehydrating than hydrating. In the case of milk, some people develop temporary lactose intolerance after a gastrointestinal infection and may experience symptoms when drinking it.

Nutrition tips for different types of poisoning

Often food poisoning affects the smallest. The reason may be not only poor-quality nutrition, but also non-compliance with the rules of elementary hygiene. The diet after poisoning in children will be as strict as in adults: for household poisoning - from three days to a week and up to several months, if food poisoning is associated with a number of disorders in the work of other organs.

Symptoms of food poisoning in a child:

• frequent vomiting;

• diarrhea;

• fever;

• lethargy;

• stomach ache;

• in isolated cases, convulsions and loss of consciousness are noted.

Parents should pay attention to the fact that children should not be forced to eat after food poisoning if they refuse. If the baby refuses food, then the process of removing toxins from the body has not yet been completed, and fresh food can only aggravate the condition.

Recommendations for dietary therapy after food poisoning in children:

• Rice or buckwheat are suitable for making cereals. They are boiled only in water until the consistency of thick jelly. Oil cannot be added.

• From fruits, baked apples or bananas are allowed. From vegetables: boiled and mashed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots.

• It is necessary to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates. You can resume their reception no earlier than on the third day.

• Reduced-fat fermented milk products with food intoxication can only be given with the permission of a doctor, and not earlier than a week later.

• From the fourth day, low-fat fish can be included in the children's menu: pollock, cod, perch, boiled or baked.

• Completely exclude: fatty, smoked, spicy and fresh herbs.

• It is necessary to supplement the diet of children after poisoning with a complex of vitamins and minerals.

The diet after the poisoning of the child allows you to minimize the harmful effects of certain foods on the weakened body of the baby. Eating after food poisoning should be carefully monitored by parents to avoid a recurrence. Also, the child should be given the closest attention, because this state is new for him, and the care of his parents will be important and necessary for them.

It is no secret that poisonous species sometimes grow among tasty and healthy mushrooms, and it can be quite difficult to distinguish between them. The most common fly agaric and pale grebes. These are very dangerous mushrooms that, as a result of food intoxication, can damage the nervous system or even lead to death. Therefore, in the case of their use, even in minimal quantities, immediate medical attention is required.

After a series of procedures, the patient is recommended bed rest and moderate nutrition. The first day - hungry, the second - on the broth with breadcrumbs. On the third day, you can add porridge on the water, jelly and steamed vegetables to the menu. It will be possible to return to the usual diet in two or more weeks.

Poisoning after the holidays is a common occurrence. This is not always caused by the abuse of alcoholic beverages, often alcohol intoxication is caused by surrogate products. Alcohol poisoning is dangerous not only by general intoxication of the body, but also by liver damage.

Basics of nutrition for recovery after alcohol poisoning:

• plentiful drink;

• eating vegetables and fruits - they help to remove toxins;

• fractional nutrition;

• preferably steamed and baked food.

To avoid food poisoning, carefully monitor the quality and shelf life of products, pay due attention to storage conditions.

Diet after poisoning during pregnancy is a common occurrence. Often expectant mothers try to buy unusual foods, including foreign fruits and vegetables, and they are often oversaturated with nitrates. Or, going for a walk in the warm season, they buy pastries or fast food on the street, forgetting that during the onset of heat, pathogenic bacteria develop much faster.

The main actions before the arrival of the doctor:

• Do not flush the stomach - this can cause bleeding and miscarriage.

• When vomiting - drink a small amount of water or Regidron.

• Take sorbents: Enterosgel, Smecta.

After providing assistance and the disappearance of signs of food intoxication, you should temporarily forget about fried, smoked and spicy foods. You will have to limit yourself to watery cereals, mashed vegetables and steamed food.

What drugs can be taken along with the diet

Saccharomycetes

according to instructions

Antidiarrheal agent. Saccharomyces boulardii has an antimicrobial effect, has an antitoxin effect, and increases the enzymatic function of the intestine.

Vetom

according to instructions

To normalize the microflora of the small intestine after infectious diseases, taking antibiotics.

Turmeric

according to instructions

Reduces inflammation, supports detoxification.

Enterosgel

according to instructions

Sorbent, removes metabolic products, promotes detoxification.

psyllium

1 teaspoon per glass of water

Natural sorbent, removes metabolic products, promotes detoxification.

Probiotic

according to instructions

Recovery of intestinal microflora after poisoning and intestinal infections.

Sample menu with recipes

Breakfast: porridge on the water, boiled egg and unsweetened chamomile tea;

Snacks: Steam cutlets and vegetable puree, rosehip broth;

Lunch: chicken broth, a piece of boiled meat, a couple of slices of bread and tea;

Dinner: boiled fish and steamed vegetables;

At night: herbal infusion.

Chicken bouillon:

1. Cooking chicken fillet.

2. Drain the first water after boiling, do not add pepper and spices.

3. Meat from the broth is best eaten separately, during different meals.

4. The broth can be eaten with dried bread.

Beefsteaks. They can be eaten on the third or fourth day after food poisoning.

• You will need a piece of lean veal or turkey meat, which must be processed twice in a meat grinder.

• Add onion if desired.

• Shape into balls and put them in the steamer.

• Approximate cooking time is 30-45 minutes.

Porridge on the water.

• For a glass of liquid, you need 2 tablespoons of cereals.

• Cook over low heat until done.

• It is better to make the dish more liquid - so it will be well absorbed and will not cause irritation of the intestinal mucosa.

Most cases of food poisoning are mild and resolve within a few days. During this time, the goal is to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is the loss of fluids and electrolytes (nutrients and minerals) our body needs. Solid foods and dairy products should be avoided until vomiting and diarrhea have subsided. Try soft foods like toast and bananas. Avoid spicy foods, fried foods, dairy products, and foods high in fat and sugar. Drink plenty of fluids, but avoid milk and caffeinated drinks.