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Natural Remedies for Food Poisoning

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221834 main full Natural Remedies for Food Poisoning

So, I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday, or to do much else for that matter. In fact, I spent most of the day getting a very close view of just how badly the inside of the toilet needed to be cleaned.

After a lovely date with my husband on Wednesday night, I started to have a weird feeling in my stomach. I drank some Apple Cider Vinegar, which is my normal remedy for any kind of tummy troubles and the feeling went away… until 3 am.

At 3 am, I was awoken by that feeling of needing to vomit but not being able to. I spent the next few hours with horribly cramping stomach aches and awful nausea. Then the vomiting hit… and did it ever!

I’ll spare you the rest of the details, but basically, I couldn’t keep anything down, including water, for the next 8 hours and I had really bad stomach cramps, dizziness, chills, etc. In fact, I had every symptom under the definition of “Food Poisoning” on WebMD.

At some point Thursday afternoon when I was debating going to the hospital to get an IV so I would have some fluids to be able to nurse the baby, I remembered the vinegar and how it had helped for a few hours. I also remembered something I learned in a class long ago about activated charcoal being a fast remedy for food poisoning.

Figuring I had nothing to lose because I’d be heading to the hospital anyway if I couldn’t stop vomiting, I started slowly sipping a mixture of equal parts Apple Cider Vinegar and Water and chasing with 1/2 tsp activated charcoal mixed into applesauce.

Yes, it tasted awful. Vinegar was pretty much the last thing I wanted at that point and the charcoal in the applesauce looked like tar, but within a few minutes, I actually started to feel a lot better. (Apparently, this is a common remedy that works really well, according to this forum thread)

I took a few more doses of each, probably about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar total and a few teaspoons of activated charcoal. I was still really tired that night and sore from the vomiting, but was back to normal the next day. From what I’ve read of food poisoning, it can last days or weeks, so I’m very grateful that the Vinegar and Charcoal worked.

I share this so that hopefully any of you who ever get food poisoning can do without the 8 hours of vomiting and just take these two right away. I will definitely be keeping both on hand at all times!

Quick Reference:

- At first signs of symptoms, take equal parts water (or juice) and apple cider vinegar (organic, with the mother!)

-In water or some kind of soft food, take 1/2 tsp or more of activated charcoal (or capsules if you can swallow them)

-Repeat until symptoms stop.

Ever had food poisoning? How did you recover?

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Wellness Mama is a full-time housewife with a background in nutrition, journalism and communications. Her passion is helping others achieve optimal health through a “Wellness Lifestyle.” She has helped hundreds of clients lose weight, increase athletic performance, improve fertility, and overcome numerous health problems and diseases. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, & Pinterest.

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  • Amy

    I’ve had food poisoning twice in my adult life, both from fast food — big surprise there, huh?

    First time from some bad oysters (lesson #1: don’t eat fast food fried oysters at 1:00am).  I didn’t know what to do so I suffered through two days of vomiting and other fun things, and another day trying to recover.  My body decided that I should never eat shellfish again, and I had an allergic reaction the next time I ate some, complete with hives and a swelling tongue.  Haven’t touched shellfish in years because of this.

    Second time, I was traveling in Germany and ate something bad at a well-known, worldwide burger chain because I needed to grab a meal while on the Army base (lesson #2…).  Being in Germany, I was able to easily find activated charcoal at a local shop.  That solved the problem pretty quickly the first day.

    I wish I had known about the apple cider vinegar then.  That stuff is amazing!!

  • Dazane

    Last Saturday night, while staying in a hotel, I became violently ill.  Started with diarrhea, then vomiting and diarrhea.  Began at midnight and continued until about 4 AM.  I have known for years the benefit of charcoal, so always travel with it, and took it at the first sign of discomfort.  I’m always a little late with it as I don’t want to lose the benefit of the meal and supplements I take with my meals.  But now that you’re advising folks what to do about this misery, let me share the recipe for “Black Magic,” which is a better way to go, especially with young children.  When my children were young the clerk in a Seventh Day Adventist bakery (this was during my bread eating days) shared this recipe when I told her how ill my little boy had been.  He had had diarrhea so badly that a neighbor talked me into giving him kaopectate.  Well, the directions were a tablespoon every time he went to the bathroom, so that’s what I did.  Soon he was green, the diarrhea continued only in much smaller volume, and he complained contantly of wanting to have a bowel movement.  Soon I figured out that I had created a blockage with the kaopectate.  That was when I learned of Black Magic.  1 tablespoon of charcoal powder (or tablets or capsules), 1 tablespoon slippery elm, and 1 tablespoon of carob powder, all blended together in the blender with enough honey to make it palatable.  The kids loved the stuff because it was black and they could pretend crazy adventures about drinking weird black stuff.  The charcoal soaks up everything, the slippery elm helps move it out, and, I’m told, the carob powder helps heal the gut.  After only one glass of Black Magic my little guy was dancing around the living room and singing, “I’m well!  I’m well!”  Even if the potion gets vomited up, it soaks up enough that there is still benefit.  Once I’m better after a digestive upset of this kind, I pull out a jar of blackberry applesauce and  eat small dishes of that until I feel like eating a normal diet.  Of my three sons, one of them never leaves home without charcoal, another has it in the house, though his wife thinks it’s goofy, and the third, alas, is a product of the AMA and would rather subject his gut and liver (and those of his little family) to the ravages of prescription medication.  :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/mandikaake Amanda Kaake

    Oh yes this is what we use too and it’s amazing!  Usually works within 15 minutes to 1/2 hour.  So glad you found this because while the expulsion of fluids doesn’t last over a couple days, the pain and weakness lasts for several days after that.

  • Kellyc

    I take high doses of probiotics (Garden of Life Primal Defense is my favorite.)for any gastrointestinal problems.  I will take 4-6 capsules, three times a day until symptoms stop.  Usually, I only have to take them once or twice.  I have stopped several very severe illnesses this way.  I empty the tablets into a small cup of water.  I use half of the dosage for the kids.  I also take a Mutaflor with each dose but it’s very hard to buy in the U.S..  I order it from Canada.

  • Kat

    Hi would other types of vinegar work?  I have fructose malabsorption and am meant to avoid apple cider vinegar. Thanks.

  • Britte

    Very interesting!  I didn’t even know you could buy activated charcoal for home use.  I will keep this post in mind, especially for my kids, who are prone to upset tummies.  I’ve never tried the apple cider vinegar in those instances, but I will!

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    I’d just skip the vinegar and just use the activated charcoal in that case.

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    Probiotics are great. I took them too, but still kept throwing up so much I don’t think the capsules had time to dissolve. Took a bunch after it all stopped though!

  • Dazane

    Hey, I forgot the all important 8 ounces of tepid water with this concoction.  Sorry.  I hope no one tried it without the water.  -dazane

  • Dana

    Is this just for food poisoning or throwing up for any reason?  Using the charcoal that is?

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    I’ve had other readers say it worked for flu and stomach bugs too

  • Kendall

    I am finally startIng to feel better after a horrible bout of food poisoning (I suspect a fast food chicken sandwich). The most important thing is to allow all of your symptoms to fully commence so you can get all the bacteria out of your system. Otherwise, you’re just going to prolong the illness. Then, you can start taking meds to control the nausea. I really like Nauzene tablets, which work in minutes. I am also sticking to the BRAT diet until I am 100%.

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  • Jeri

    The symptoms for food poisoning are very similar to gallstones..Have you ever been checked for gallstones? I had the very same symptoms you were describing in this post, and like you I thought that I had food poisoning. This “food poisoning” usually happened after eating out- usually something fatty or greasy. But it didn’t come on right away, usually it would rouse me from my sleep. I always felt nauseous, as though if I made myself throw up I would feel better. I had god awful stomach pain. And usually after a bout of puking, the next day I was sore, but fine. This would happen to me every so often, and I never went to the ER/DR. to get myself checked out. Well, one day it got so bad I had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. To make matters worse, I was also pregnant at the time, and baby and I spent 3 weeks in the hospital with gallstone pancreatitis. The baby is now a year old, she and I no worse for wear after that. But it is pretty serious stuff, and I wish I had known then what I know now. So that’s why I’m sharing this with you. Anyway, Hi! I found you on Pinterest and I am really digging your site. I’ve embraced my hippy mom side and have recently become a raw food vegan. Best wishes! Jeri.

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  • Kaybi

    I’ve used charcoal for years now, anytime my kids have any sort of stomach/ digestive anything. (I did learn to not be tablets, only capsules.) Never tried the vinegar, but I will keep it in mind. I used acidophilus at first, now I use my kefir milk &/or water … if nothing is staying down, just a tablespoon or so every 15 minutes. Charcoal to absorb bad stuff. Probiotic good guys to fight the bad guys.

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  • Mepin

    Is it safe to have the activated charcoal when you are breastfeeding?  that is my concern right now.  Stomach cramping for 4 whole days now and I remembered the charcoal thing, but wasnt’ sure it would go to my breastmilk.

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  • Christina Mendoza

    When a family member had chronic diarrhea — which may or may not have been due to food poisoning — I searched for quite a while for a natural remedy to recommend that would work. The coconut cookies many people recommended did not help, but I finally found one obscure post that recommended turmeric tea. You make it with a teaspoon or so of turmeric powder mixed into a glass of warm water, and drink it. That really did the trick; the symptoms improved and then completely went away after a few doses!

  • Randa Khouri

    Is activated charcoal safe to use while pregnant? (not as a regular supplement, but just for acute needs)
    Thanks!

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    I’d ask a doc before taking anything while pregnant, but I do know of cases where it was used in hospitals for acute problems and I personally would take it if needed…

  • Xahra Alexander

    My mom is sooo sick thanks for the info! i hope this works

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  • Will R.

    I like the PRAT diet, PASTA, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. I was travelling with my family and had a HORRIBLE case of the stomach bug, my mom and sister caught it. The first thing I ate was fresh pasta and it was filling and didnt upset my stomach.