that moment… the sweating starts, the queasiness peaks, and the uncertainty turn to certainty: you have food poisoning — and there’s nothing to be done but to live through it. Food poisoning is essentially the opposite of what anyone considers a good time, and while it may be impossible to avoid in total, there are quite a few things to be done according to gut health guru, Donna Gates, and some of them might surprise you. Here are eight natural solutions to prevent and deal with food poisoning and help your body bounce back fast…

If you’ve ever been victim to food poisoning, you know how awful it can be. The CDC estimates that 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick from foodborne diseases each year.  Even if you eat organic food, you’re still subject to the 250 foodborne diseases out there.

So whether you’ve dealt with food poisoning before or not, you’ll want to keep this information tucked away safely for when you may need it. Either way, you’ll want to know how to prevent it too.

Food Poisoning vs. Foodborne Illness

What we typically call food poisoning is actually a foodborne illness. Food poisoning happens if you consume poison or toxin, but foodborne illnesses are infections caused by pathogenic (bad) bacteria, viruses and parasites.

More than 200 diseases can be transmitted through food, though salmonella is one of the most common culprits. This pathogenic bacteria, and others like it, can contaminate food and cause a range of symptoms including: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, fever, chills, bloody stools, and dehydration.

Symptoms can start within 30 minutes of eating contaminated food or begin up to 48 hours later.

Good Gut Health To The Rescue

Most foodborne illness prevention tips only address how to handle your food, but strengthening your immunity is the best way to avoid illness.

Foodborne illnesses are often caused by viruses and pathogenic bacteria, but you need healthy microflora (good bacteria and yeast) in your body to protect yourself from the bad kinds. Microflora (probiotics) colonize the lining of your intestines and make it difficult for illness-causing bad bacteria to thrive.

Using high-quality probiotics—that include the powerful Lactobacillus Plantarum and bifidobacteria—are one of the most powerful ways to help prevent and ease the symptoms of foodborne illnesses. Lactobacillus Plantarum can live in your gut and keep pathogenic disease-causing microorganisms from flourishing. Bifidobacteria is native to the gut of a healthy breastfed baby, but their numbers gradually decline as we age—and not without consequence. Studies show that regular use of probiotics help balance the good bacteria in the gut and also reduce the severity of diarrhea.

An 8-Step Guide to Naturally Preventing Foodborne Illness

You can prevent and treat foodborne illnesses by enhancing your immune system and building a vibrant inner ecosystem of good bacteria and yeast. Here are the guidelines to do just that:

Drink probiotic beverages | Fermented drinks like young coconut kefir add beneficial microflora, which help colonize your intestines to prevent infection. Certain probiotic liquids contain a blend of beneficial bacteria and yeast that are meant for the human digestive system, so they survive harsh stomach acids and promote colonization in your intestines. You truly can protect yourself from foodborne illnesses by boosting your immune system with probiotics.

Eat fermented foods | Cultured vegetables are raw fermented vegetables that are rich in fiber and probiotics to give you a healthy dose of good bacteria at every meal.

Learn the principles of food combining | When you properly combine your meals, you will more easily digest your food and avoid creating a toxic environment in your intestines where bad bacteria and yeast can thrive.

Cut out refined flour products | Processed foods made with flour ‘clog up’ your digestive tract and make your gut inviting to pathogens.

Eliminate sugar from your diet | Sugar compromises your immune system and makes your body more susceptible to bacterial and viral infection.

Eat prebiotics | Prebiotics are an ideal food for the probiotics. Prebiotics encourage the growth of healthy microflora in your system so that you have a bigger army to fight pathogens.

Start your day with phages | Phages are century-old antibiotic alternatives that scientists and researchers are now hailing as possible solutions for a multitude of diseases, including those that are foodborne.

Wash your veggies | Regardless of whether you buy organic produce or not, washing vegetables (and fruits) with food grade hydrogen peroxide 3% gives you an extra level of protection when it comes to getting rid of bacteria.

What If Food Poisoning Strikes Anyway?

If you (or someone close to you) have severe symptoms of foodborne illness, one of the first things I would do is to start drinking 2 ounces of probiotic liquids daily to replace the lost good bacteria in the gut and also take 1 to 2 phages per day to kill any pathogens. (If symptoms persist, please see a doctor.)

Given the quality of today’s food supply, we really do need to take more of a preventative approach when it comes to what we choose to put in our bodies. You can protect yourself from getting sick by building your immunity with good bacteria to create an environment that will keep you healthy.

The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs.