Prevention from monsoon diseases: food-poisoning
Updated: Dec 31, 2019
Food poisoning and gastroenteritis are extremely common during the monsoon season as the high humidity during this time, shoots up the growth of these disease-causing bacteria. The symptoms generally noticed are stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Fever and fatigue can also develop through the course of this illness.

Even though food poisoning is very common, it can be prevented and combatted just as easily as it is contracted. Here are a few preventive measures you should follow if you want to stay clear of the common monsoon illness - food poisoning:
Wash your hands before cooking or eating food.
Keep your kitchen and worktops clean and disinfected.
Store your raw foods separately.
Cook your food thoroughly and always eat freshly-prepared food.
Avoid eating raw foods such as salads, fruits, and breads.
Say no to roadside food.
Drink only boiled water or water from a purifier to avoid water borne diseases such as typhoid, jaundice, gastroenteritis, and diarrhoea.

In case you still end up with food poisoning, there are a few tried and tested home remedies you can follow to battle it:
Keep yourself hydrated at all times.
Eat a bland diet which includes rice, curds, fruits such as banana, apple.
Drink as much electrolyte drinks as you can. Coconut water and ORS are highly recommended.
Drink ginger tea to soothe your stomach and adding honey to this tea will help to subside the symptoms. Ginger has antimicrobial properties and it helps in improving the absorption of essential nutrients and aid digestion. Honey is used to speed up the process of recovery. Together, they help get rid of some explosive symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
Eating lots of yogurt helps your body regenerate the healthy bacteria lost in the food poisoning purge and get your digestive and immune system back on track.
Lemon juice is used for overall healing of the body as it is a rich source of antioxidants. It is also known for aiding digestion. Mixing ½ a lemon with 1 glass of water will help cure food poisoning.
Consuming other fruits like orange, guava, kiwi, etc. that are rich in vitamin C will also help you treat food poisoning easily.