Food or waterborne illness is commonly called food poisoning. It occurs when a toxin contaminates a food, or drink, and causes illness. The source of the toxin is usually bacteria however toxins can also be produced by plants or mushrooms or come from the food handler.

Toxins may be pesticides or chemicals in seafood, fruits or vegetables. The most common causes of this type of illness are salmonella and staphylococcus. E. coli, campylobacter and botulism less commonly cause food poisoning. The best way to prevent food or water borne illness is to practice proper food preparation and cooking methods.

Similar in presentation to the stomach flu, food poisoning and waterborne illness can be difficult to diagnose correctly. Food poisoning has some tell tale symptoms such as gastrointestinal upset and abdominal pain, however many symptoms depend upon the cause of food poisoning. Symptoms that are common across many different infectious agents include vomiting and bloody diarrhea, fever, nausea and dizziness/light-headedness. A dangerous side-effect of food poisoning and its symptoms is dehydration, which has a greater prevalence among children and the elderly.

Food poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because of the wide range of time it takes for different organisms to cause the appearance of symptoms in infected individuals – often ranging from 6 hours to several days. Unless many people fall ill from the same source, it is sometimes a mystery as to which food or drink caused the illness. Luckily there are many natural treatments that can be used to prevent and treat food poisoning.

Conventional treatment involves the use of antibiotics. This usually takes care of the current infection. However, the body becomes susceptible to subsequent infections if friendly bacteria are not replaced.

The overuse of antibiotics has also lead to antibiotic resistant strains of various organisms. Individuals can help to minimize resistance by using antibiotics sparingly and always taking prescriptions until they are finished.

Good hygiene is important to prevent food or waterborne illness. Wash your hands, with soap, before each meal and wash your hands frequently when preparing food.

Keep all kitchen tools that come into contact with raw meat, eggs or seafood away from other food and disinfect them appropriately. Do not use antibacterial soaps or cleaning products.

They can actually lead to an increase in the virulence, or disease-causing potential, of viruses and bacteria in the home. Always cook foods fully and do not leave food out at room temperature or in the sun for long periods of time. Use caution when rewarming or recooling foods. Use a fork thermometer for checking the temperature inside of cuts of meat. Do not add stuffing to poultry until it is ready to be cooked. Never eat food from a damaged tin can. Use proper technique when doing canning at home. Do not give honey to infants under 1 year because their body is unable to fight botulism.

Dietary treatment of food poisoning includes increasing fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Consider using electrolyte replacement drinks. Make a broth with garlic (an antimicrobial) and potassium-rich vegetables like parsley and celery. Adding garlic to a meal is one of the best ways to kill any bacteria that are present in the food. Spices like cinnamon and cloves are also antimicrobial. Drink fruit and vegetable juices that are high in vitamin C to detoxify the body. Eating blueberries can help to stop diarrhea.

The following herbs can be used as teas to stop nausea and soothe the digestive tract: ginger, fennel and peppermint.