How to feel better from food poisoning fast

An estimated 1 in 6 Americans gets sick with food poisoning every year.

Symptoms of food poisoning can include diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, fever and chills, headache, and nausea.

These symptoms can appear within a few hours of eating food contaminated with bacteria, parasites, viruses, or toxins.

Staphylococcus and E. coli are the most common causes of food poisoning.

Food can get contaminated with these bacteria and other germs through unclean food preparation, not storing foods at the proper temperature, undercooking meat or eggs, and other means of contamination. 

Generally, people who get food poisoning recover in a couple of days. During this time, several at-home remedies can help you to feel better. 

Rest Your Body

Resting your body can help your body to recover when you feel unwell from food poisoning.

If you can, taking time off of school or work can help you to feel better faster. 

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Drink Electrolytes

Two of the most common symptoms of food poisoning, diarrhea, and vomiting, can lead to a loss of fluids and electrolytes in the body.

Replacing lost fluids and electrolytes can help to prevent dehydration and make you feel better. 

Ways to replace fluids and electrolytes lost as a result of diarrhea and/or vomiting include drinking water, fruit juices, sports drinks, and clear broths.

Eating saltine crackers can also help. Alternatively, you can buy an over-the-counter (OTC) oral rehydration powder that can help to replace lost fluids and minerals.

Follow the BRAT Diet

When symptoms of food poisoning first begin, you’re unlikely to have an appetite.

Letting your body rest and avoiding food or drink for several hours can help your stomach to settle.

Once your stomach starts to feel better, drinking water, sports drinks, and other hydrating liquids is the next best step. 

As symptoms improve even further and you feel ready to eat, it’s a good idea to stick to a bland diet and eat small amounts of gentle foods that are easy to digest.

The foods included in a BRAT diet, such as bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, are good options for when you’re recovering from food poisoning.

If your stomach feels worse after eating, take a break until your symptoms improve.

Probiotic supplements help to reintroduce beneficial bacteria into your stomach and digestive system.

Though researchers are still studying the use of probiotics to treat food poisoning, some evidence suggests that certain probiotic supplements may help to reduce the duration of some food poisoning symptoms, like diarrhea.

However, it’s important to talk with your provider before taking probiotics for food poisoning.

Take OTC Medications

Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help to treat diarrhea caused by food poisoning.

These OTC medications include:

• Loperamide (Imodium)
• Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) 

Keep in mind that these medications are not intended for use in children. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) can cause your stools to appear black.

Drink Ginger Ale

The ginger plant has been shown to have a soothing effect on the stomach and digestive system.

Though there’s no evidence that ginger ale can help to treat food poisoning, it can be soothing to drink and easy on the stomach when you feel unwell.

Avoid Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon Juice

Apple cider vinegar, which is made by fermenting apple juice, has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties.

For this reason, it’s often recommended as a natural remedy for many ailments.

Unfortunately, there’s no evidence to suggest that drinking apple cider vinegar will help to soothe or treat food poisoning. In fact, it could irritate your gastrointestinal system even further. 

Use Peppermints

Sucking on a peppermint candy or drinking peppermint tea may help to soothe an upset stomach caused by food poisoning.

In fact, one review found that peppermint oil (one of the main ingredients in both peppermint candy and peppermint teas) may help to smoothen muscle relaxation in the digestive system. 

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When To See a Medical Professional

In most cases, symptoms of food poisoning will resolve on their own within 24-72 hours.

But if your symptoms are not improving or if you experience any of the following severe symptoms, reach out to a medical professional for urgent care:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than three days that does not improve
• Bloody diarrhea
• Weakness
• Frequent and consistent vomiting
• Inability to keep liquids down
• Dehydration (symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up, and not urinating as frequently)

How K Health Can Help

Did you know you can get affordable primary care with the K Health app?

Download K to check your symptoms, explore conditions and treatments, and, if needed, text with a doctor in minutes. K Health’s AI-powered app is HIPAA compliant and based on 20 years of clinical data.

How do you treat food poisoning on your own?

In most cases, symptoms of food poisoning (including diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, fever and chills, headache, and nausea) will resolve on their own within 1-3 days. In the meantime, it’s important to give your body plenty of rest and to replace fluids and electrolytes (like sports drinks or clear broths) lost as a result of vomiting and/or diarrhea. You can also reach out to your medical provider to ask whether a probiotic supplement can help your recovery. If your symptoms don’t improve within 3 days, reach out to a medical professional for help.

How do I get instant relief from food poisoning?

Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to get instant relief from food poisoning. But the good news is that your symptoms will likely resolve on their own within 1-3 days. But, in the meantime, it’s a good idea to get as much rest as possible and drink as much fluids as possible. Once your stomach starts to feel better, take your time transitioning back to regular foods. Eating bland foods to start, like rice, bananas, toast, and applesauce can help to resettle your stomach as you recover from food poisoning. It’s also a good idea to avoid alcohol, caffeine, dairy products, and fried or high-fat foods or drinks during this time.

K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

Food poisoning - everyone's heard about it and no one wants it. It can happen to anyone and even if you enjoyed your food when you ate it, you won't enjoy seeing it again. Seafood, meat, unwashed vegetables, and dairy can all make you sick if they are not prepared correctly or left out for too long, and that's not an encompassing list! Food poisoning, also called "food-borne illness," is when your food is contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites that make you sick. This contamination can happen at any time, from when the food is produced to when it is cooked in your home. Food poisoning can occur within a few hours to a couple of days after eating the contaminated food. The illness can last for a few hours to several days. Symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. In most cases the illness is mild and will pass on its own, but if you experience more severe symptoms such as blood in your vomit/diarrhea, a high fever, or your symptoms lasting longer than 3 days, you should see your doctor immediately. In severe cases of food-borne illness, you may need to stay at the hospital for treatment.

If you are experiencing vomiting and diarrhea you likely are losing more fluid than you are taking in and you are at a high risk for dehydration.

Rest, hydrate, and follow the BRAT diet:

• You need to give your body time to rest. You'll likely be feeling weaker than normal since you're not eating and drinking normally. Treat your body the way it deserves to be treated and take some time to lie down and fight off the illness.
• If you are experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, you likely are losing more fluid than you are taking in and you are at a high risk for dehydration. You can alleviate this by sucking on ice, drinking lukewarm water slowly, and avoiding caffeine. If you still can't retain enough water in your body to stay hydrated, try an oral rehydration solution. An ORS can rapidly rehydrate you even if you're experiencing abdominal distress. If you have certain medical conditions (e.g., kidney disease) make sure you talk to your doctor before using an ORS.
• Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast - also known as the BRAT diet - are all foods that are nutritious and easy for your body to digest. When trying to introduce food into your body while sick be sure that you are using bland options that will not worsen your stomach upset.

Do your best to avoid this all from happening to you by washing your hands, utensils, and food thoroughly, cook your food all the way through at a safe temperature, and throw out food if you aren't certain it's safe.