Bad Tacos

I began my three day weekend off right with lunch with a friend and a rock climbing session at Berkeley Ironworks. As I left the gym, I felt happy, satisfied and was looking forward to an outdoor rock climb on Sunday at Goat Rock State Beach. I meandered over to Emeryville to check out some of the sales and do a few errands. About an hour later I started to feel really nauseated. Within twenty minutes I was vomiting in the bathroom of a local pet store. For the next 12 hours I continued to be violently ill. I have not been that sick since traveling in Oaxaca, Mexico about 15 years ago.I had contracted food poisoning from one of my favorite taco trucks.

Food poisoning occurs when we ingest food that has harmful toxins or micro organisms in it. Symptoms usually appear within 12 - 72 hours of eating contaminated food, but may also occur thirty minutes to several weeks later. The typical symptoms of food poisoning are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache, chills and fever. These symptoms can last from a few hours to a few days or longer. People often misdiagnose food poisoning as the flu or a cold. Common culprits of food poisoning are: Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, C. botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella spp.

• It is very important to make sure that your food is fresh, washed and cooked thoroughly. Keep juices from raw meat, seafood and poultry away from other foods. Refrigerate foods promptly. Handlers should employ proper hand washing techniques. Wash cooking utensils and dishes.

• Even with these precautions, food poisoning still occurs so here are some tips on what to do if it happens to you:

1) Try to stay hydrated. Dehydration can happen quickly. It is important to replenish fluids and electrolytes, especially when there is a lot of vomiting and diarrhea. Drink plenty of clear fluids. Unsweetened coconut water is one of my favorites beverages to rehydrate. There have been a number of studies over the years that have demonstrated the successful use of coconut water intravenously for the treatment of malnutrition and dehydration.
2) Avoid milk products, caffeinated, sugary or alcoholic beverages. Sugary drinks and dairy can worsen diarrhea.
3) When you tolerate fluids and nausea and vomiting have stopped, you can start eating small amounts of food that is easy to digest. Try rice, bananas, applesauce, toast, and chicken or vegetable soup.
4) You can use Pedialyte for kids to rehydrate them. If you use a sports beverage with electrolytes for adults, make sure to dilute it with water by at least half. Recharge and coconut water are great natural alternatives to Gatorade.
5) Most people recover in a few days as the toxins are expelled from their bodies. Weakness and a sensitive digestive system may linger for a bit longer. If initial symptoms worsen or persist for more than 24 hours, go see your doctor.