When most people feel sick to their stomach, they wonder what caused it. Could it be something they ate that’s behind their queasiness? Stomach sickness is often considered the stomach flu or food poisoning. What’s the difference between the two?
Stomach
flu is caused by a viral infection that
attacks the digestive system while real flu attacks the respiratory system. People infected with stomach flu are
contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill, and for the first few days
after they recover. People that care for someone who has the stomach virus
should take precautions. The stomach flu
is found in the vomit and stool of infected people.
Stomach flu can be spread in the following ways: People eating food or drinking liquids that
have been contaminated; or a person with direct or indirect mouth contact with
an infected person (or a surface with the virus on it). Here are some suggestions while recovering at home from a stomach virus:
1. Avoid certain substances until
feeling better. These include dairy, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and fatty or
highly seasoned foods.
2.
Clean and disinfect potentially
contaminated surfaces. People should immediately clean and disinfect
contaminated surfaces after vomiting or diarrhea.
3. Ease back into eating. Start with
bland easy-to-digest food such as soda crackers, toast, and rice. Stop eating
if nausea returns.
4. Let the stomach settle. Try not to
eat any solid foods for several hours.
5.
People
should be cautious of over-the-counter medications as some can make the infection
worse. Even anti-diarrhea medications can make the situation worse if the cause
of the infection is certain bacteria.
6.
Practice proper hand hygiene. People
should always wash their hands with soap and water, especially after using the
toilet, changing diapers, or before eating or preparing food.
7. Suck on ice chips, or take small
sips of water. People should drink plenty of liquids to not get dehydrated.
Avoid juice or other beverages which can make diarrhea worse.
8.
Take precautions when in the
kitchen. It is important to rinse fruits and vegetables and cook all food
thoroughly.
9.
Wash laundry thoroughly. The stomach
virus can easily be carried from person to person so any clothing contaminated
with vomit or stool should be removed and washed.
Food poisoning is a broad term that
is caused by bacterial infection. Your immune system induces food poisoning to
expel the illness and can present the following symptoms: bloating
and gas, muscle
aches, weakness, and abdominal pain and cramping.
Food poisoning and the stomach flu are often confused due to
their similar symptoms. Food poisoning is caused by eating food that contains
bacteria, viruses, or parasites, which can get into food at various points
during production.
People can help prevent food poisoning by making sure meats,
salads, dressings, and other foods are kept at the right temperature. People
should not eat food that has been kept out for more than 2 hours.
The symptoms of food poisoning occur
more quickly than those of stomach flu:
·
Cross-contamination
is often the cause of food poisoning. This is when harmful organisms transfer
from one surface to another. Raw foods and ready-to-eat foods such as salads
are particularly at risk of contamination.
·
Bacteria
can also grow rapidly when foods such as meats, dairy products, and sauces are
not kept at the right temperature. The bacteria and other harmful organisms can
produce poisonous substances that cause inflammation of the intestines when eaten
·
Wash your hands in warm, soapy water for at least 20 to 30
seconds
·
Avoid sharing your food or drink to prevent
spreading the illness to others
·
Take time off from school or work to allow the
illness to heal
.
·
Keep your
kitchen clean
in
case your utensils have come into contact with other foods conducive to viral
growth
·
Do not consume
expired food
even
if the food looks and smells fine as you should respect the “use by” date to be
careful on all of the harmful microscopic organisms.
·
Be mindful of
your leftovers
in
case they’ve been left outside of proper refrigeration for too long or have
already expired
·
If
you are dining with street food such as at taco trucks, then you should be mindful
of how to explore street food without
the perils as
sanitary food preparation is important to avoid food poisoning.
Dear Unsuspecting Victim,
I
will seek and find you. I shall take you to bed, and have my way with you. I
will make you ache, shake, [and] sweat until you moan [and] groan. I will make you beg for mercy, beg
for me to stop. I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when
I'm finished with you. And when I am finished, you will be weak for days.
Sincerely, the Flu [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Four
Differences between the Stomach Flu and Food Poisoning” by Kinder Mender
·
“How to Tell
if You Have a Stomach Virus or Food Poisoning” by Brian Wu
·
“Stomach Flu or Food Poisoning: What’s the
Difference?” by PlushCare
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