Food Poisoning - Complementary and Alternative Treatments
Nutrition and SupplementationAvoid solid food, and drink plenty of liquids. Take 5 charcoal tablets to absorb toxins; repeat 6 hours later. As you recover, experts recommend that you drink several glasses of fresh carrot and beet juice and reduce solid foods in the diet for one to three days. Garlic and citrus help combat any bacterial organisms that may have been ingested.
To replace gut flora after excessive vomiting, follow these daily suggestions:
Most Important
- Lactobaccillus acidolphilus and bifidobacteria capsules or powders (as directed on label)
- garlic capsules (as directed on package label)
- potassium (99 mg)-restores electrolyte balance
- vitamin C (8000 mg in divided doses)-detoxifies the system
Also Recommended
- citrus seed extract (as directed on package label)
- glutamine (2 g)-promotes intestinal health
- N-acetyl glucosamine (as directed on label) promotes intestinal health
- gamma orizanol (as directed on label)-promotes intestinal health
- N-acetyl cysteine (200 mg)-detoxifies intestinal tract
(Take supplements until your symptoms subside. If symptoms persist, seek the advice of your health care provider.)
Ayurvedic Medicine
To ease the discomfort and symptoms of mild food poisoning, Ayurvedic practitioners may advise first fasting, then drinking cumincoriander-fennel tea.
Herbal Therapy
Ginger is one of the best home remedies for soothing a queasy stomach. Drink a cup of ginger tea every two hours while symptoms last, or take two capsules. To make the tea, boil 1 ounce of the root in 1 cup water for 15 to 20 minutes; strain. Other helpful herbal teas include meadowsweet, catnip, and slippery elm. To make any of these teas, steep 2 teaspoons of the herb in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes; strain.
Homeopathy
A homeopathic practitioner may suggest one of the following treatments, depending on your symptoms:
- Arsenicum album-for stomach upset from eating bad meat; you may feel extremely weak and anxious
- Pulsatilla-for stomach upset from eating overly rich foods
- Nux vomica-for stomach upset from Over indulgence in food and alcohol
- Veratrum album-for stomach upset with diarrhea and vomiting; you may feel extremely cold
Hydrotherapy
To settle your stomach during a bout of food poisoning, sip a mixture of 1/4 cup of activated charcoal mixed into 1 cup of water. Activated charcoal can be found in many health food stores as well as in some pharmacies.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture Acupuncture can be used to improve circulation, thereby speeding toxins out of the body. It can also be used to help relieve an upset stomach (though it should not be used to stop vomiting, as this is the body’s way of eliminating the contaminated substance).
Acupressure Applying pressure to Pericardium 6 (on the inner forearm above the wrist) and Stomach 36 (beneath the kneecap) may help relieve food poisoning-induced nausea.
Chinese Herbal Therapy Chinese herbs or herbal formulas should be taken only after you have sought medical attention-and should be used under the guidance of a trained herbalist. Ginger, taken in two 5 to 15 gram decoctions, can help soothe the ravages of food poisoning. The Chinese herbal formula, called Pill Curing, also can help relieve discomfort.
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