Salmonellosis - What Is The Diet?

Salmonellosis is an acute disease in which the lining of the stomach and intestines is affected by an infection with bacteria from the salmonella group. The infectious process requires careful food selection. They should not irritate the mucosa further. Restricting and even depriving oneself of food is also the wrong decision. On the contrary, taking the right products can help the healing process. 

Salmonellosis develops after consuming contaminated foods of animal origin, meat, eggs, and even dairy products.

Symptoms appear 2-3 hours after eating and depend on which organ is affected by the infection and how widespread it is in the digestive tract.
For example, symptoms such as vomiting, severe abdominal pain, cramps and a slight rise in temperature indicate that only the stomach is affected.

Diarrhea is a sign of infection of the small intestine. Then the stools have specific features - they are watery, with a greenish tinge and mucus. The high temperature is more pronounced. Unlike the first case, the cure takes not a maximum of 4 but 7 days.

Sometimes salmonellosis is not obvious to the affected person. The disease may not report diarrhea, but rather sparse bowel movements with green mucus and sometimes blood. In this case, the patient complains of spasms in the lower abdomen in the first days of the disease.

The condition of the patient with salmonellosis should not be neglected, as its complications lead to renal failure, meningitis, hepatitis and pneumonia.

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Severe forms require hospital treatment. A solution of sodium or potassium chloride and glucose is usually prescribed.

Fluid intake is essential for the healing process and prevention of dehydration, so the patient should drink fluids corresponding to the secretions, between 2-4 liters per day.

What can the patient eat?

The diet includes products that are easily digestible and do not burden the stomach and intestines. Suitable foods are: potatoes and carrots, fruits - apples and bananas, as well as yogurt. Watermelon, blueberries, lemons can also be consumed. 

Vegetables and fruits, which contain a high amount of starch and fine cellulose, in addition to giving the body fast energy and not irritating the mucous membranes, "rob" some of the causes of infection and toxins that they release. Consumption of mashed potatoes, carrots and apples helps to limit the infectious process in the digestive tract.

Yogurt, as well as sour fruits, help eliminate the symptoms of poisoning. To diversify the patient's menu, he can be offered compotes, fruit purees, but only on the basis of rice, semolina and buckwheat.
 

Toasted slices of white bread are also allowed.

In order to prevent the body from deficient in protein, the regime allows eating cottage cheese, lean meat and fish.

The products must be well cooked, mashed or finely chopped. It is recommended to chew food well.
 

What should be avoided?

Foods that should be avoided in salmonellosis are: legumes - old beans, green beans, lentils, soybeans; beets, cucumbers, cabbage, radishes, onions; of fruits - oranges, tangerines, pears, plums, grapes due to the presence of membranes that irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Oatmeal is also an unsuitable product - they generally improve intestinal peristalsis, which is not a sought-after property in the presence of abdominal cramps.

Fatty foods, fatty meats, fish, and milk should be avoided.

Sweet and pasta carbohydrate foods lead to flatulence, which does not improve but worsens the condition and should be limited to a maximum.

It is recommended to follow the diet for a few days after the disease.