This article is very good at telling us the possible causes of stomach ailments. But it does not tell us - in most cases - what to do to prevent these scenarios. I would have appreciated that information.
1
I wonder if the naysayers travel out of country. I have no trouble with stomach bugs when I'm at home, but when I hit the road, it's a crapshoot--pun intended.
Tends to make a person afraid to eat almost anything!
1
I have been deathly ill in my adults life (I am now a senior) three times from a acute stomach bug.
All three times it was my fault.
1-Sharing a meal from a friend who just got back from So. America and said she felt sick.
2-Eating food from a buffet in a Irish bar in Manhattan.
3-Eating a hamburger from Denny's after they warned me to burn the burger because e coli was going around in their chain.
Other times, mild stomach trouble, can also be traced back to too much to eat or drink or eating foods that know will not agree with you.
If you live like a robot and only eat the same amount of safe food every time, you will fig.ly never have any problem.
The problem is, nobody wants to live that way.
4
I hear a lot from anti-meat-eaters about all the food "rotting" in our digestive tracts because humans were never really meant to eat meat. What's the truth behind that, if any? I think I'd be dead if real "rot" and putrefaction were happening there.
Cook your own food. Period.
More PC delusion in the Well section. This reminds me of TV ads (I have to think back, I don't have a TV anymore) for antacids, wherein everyone looks otherwise healthy and trim, practically athletic. The fact is, people who use antacids are almost always overweight, obese, or worse. And surely if some are not their use is rare, while the giant volume are sold to people who seem not to understand that you necessarily digest with acid.
Same here, the "gastrointestinal event" is, 1. Not natural or common, 2. A characteristic of the people who eat too much and often add "diets don't work" and 3. Are obese.
It's not the offending meal, it's the offensive gluttony.
1
I went to a Starbucks wannabe coffee shop the other day and ordered a drink that called for the inclusion of milk. After downing this drink I could feel in my stomach a mild case of food poisoning that I attribute to the speculation that the milk was spoiled. it wasn't the first time I had the discomfort for milk and simply tolerated the problem for a short while and was back to normal. but i did offset the discomfort with a sausage sandwich that helped too.
This is a very informative article. Thank you! I had an 'episode' ealier this year during which I was rushed and admitted to hospital. Suffered significant weight loss. Kidneys et al now appear to be on the mend. This can be deadly if not treated promptly.
I was so inspired by Martha Stewart's brilliant recipes and gorgeous photography in her magazine back in the early 90's that I made a giant pan of roasted brussel sprouts all for myself. Worst 24 hours of my life............ ugh
3
I've already had 2 horrible attacks this year because I kept vegetables and sauce beyond the sell by date. Homemade chicken soup from neighborhood grocer; burnt toast and a lot of water helped until I could tolerate bland food..
Chevk your sell by dates.
3
Ginger tea. It cured it for me
2
The piece didn't mention flying to and from Europe for instance in the back end of a crowded aircraft with hundreds of people, horrible food and overused toilets. I travel a lot for work and get gastroenteritis once a year after a trip. However, this year I've contracted gastroenteritis three times which manifested itself 48 hours after arriving home. When I travel business class it's never happened.
1
I fly a lot for work too and one thing I do not do is use my phone for my boarding pass. Everyone in the airport places their phone on the boarding pass reader, and then if you place yours there, well it is like kissing everyone in the airport. Also, the first thing I do after clearing security is to wash my hands.
5
@Scrumper I got back from Europe two days ago six hours off my flight I became violently Which would make it a proximately 12 hours after I ate the first meal on the flight which was the only meal I had and by the way I was in business class so I don’t think it makes any difference
A very helpful article. What was not clearly addressed was acute food poisoning, which (to those who've experienced it) can be quite dangerous. It doesn't seem to follow quite the same schedule as what is mentioned for simple distress or diarrhea. In my two experiences (from pizza and seafood) it was about 4 to 6 hrs before I became completely debilitated, first with dizziness, fever, vomiting then later diarrhea. In extreme cases it requires hospitalization and can even be fatal.
3
At least once a year? Maybe on average, but not at least, certainly. I haven´t had an acute gastric event since 1997!
5
Regrettably, I ate salmon at a really nice cafe in the Time Warner Center. This was Monday, I'm just getting over the stomach bug now.
With all the fresh produce at farmers markets this time of years folks are doing canning and fermentation. Done right this is a great way to store food but done wrong it is a good way to get sick. Canning should be done by following directions to the letter.
Fermentation, like sauerkraut or dill pickles, is relatively forgiving and easy to do and relies on the good bacteria on the produce to turn the sugars into CO2. The bad bacteria are kept in check by the salt.
1
I was astonished to learn many years ago as a medical journalist that it's usually something eaten at least six hours to as many as several days earlier. That's because -- assuming some bacterial contamination as opposed to toxic substance -- the bugs have to multiply inside of you to numbers large enough to cause their trouble. Comforting isn't it.
3
I was going to say someday people will wake up but I don't think they will. The medical world doesn't make you better - I work in it and watch people get sicker and sicker. Go plant based (low fat -unprocessed). Research supports it. Your diet IS making you sick. Think about the junk you are eating - chips, soda, mac & cheese, tacos with fried shells. Meat is a ticket to cancer, heart disease and gut problems. Saturated fat is clogging your veins and giving you chronic illnesses including Alzheimers. Look up pink slime they put in your meat (not all types of meat- of course) but all meat is getting sketchier not only in terms of fat content but the bacterial environment. Even fish is full of saturated fat and toxins.
6
I suffered gastrointestinally for 5 years after I retired and commenced extensive world traveling (front of air craft / five star hotels, bottled water, rigorous hand washing). Finally did an expensive stool test. (Genova labs in Georgia). I had TWO parasites...ugh. A nasty cleanse later and suffering is over. Worth every penny. Hope this helps someone.
11
I used to be a specialty produce vendor for high end restaurants. If you knew what I knew about the servers, you would never eat out again. One server who was fired, retaliated with a civil suit describing all the various ailments he had while serving food, all of which were a result of his bizarre lifestyle. Fine for him to make decisions in regard to his own health, but not to handle patrons' meals with un-gloved hands.
7
Something like this happened to me one night. What worried me was that it might be a heart attack. How do I know whether to hurry to the hospital? i didn't and it was fine, but we are always advised to get to the hospital fast if we might have a heart attack, but the symptoms are often not all that clear.
4
Is your immune system more important than bacteria?
Streams have had bacteria and parasites forever but only in the last thirty years have hikers been told to always treat, filter or boil water.
Many who hiked before filters never use them and don't get sick. More likely "pure" modern hikers would.
Streams have had bacteria and parasites forever but only in the last thirty years have hikers been told to always treat, filter or boil water.
Many who hiked before filters never use them and don't get sick. More likely "pure" modern hikers would.
2
Could be the streams content has changed?
2
A new thing to think about is exposure to Lone Star tick bites, especially on the East End. A tick bite can cause Alpha-gal allergy to mammalian meat which can manifest itself in acute gastrointestinal distress, as well as the traditional allergic reactions such as hives, etc. It is a delayed reaction (4-6 hrs) after consuming especially high fat meats such as a burger or steak. People will wake up in middle of night after eating meat for dinner. We suspect many local cases of gastrointestinal distress are really alpha gal allergy. For more info call Stony Brook Southampton Hospital tick help line. 631-726-tick.
4
When I was growing up in the early 60's my mother referred to acute episodes of nausea and vomitting as " Intestinal Grip " or IG. We lived in Baltimore then where your local pharmacist carried small bottles of Coca Cola syrup. She would serve it to me over chipped ice to sip. Can't recall if it helped but as a kid it sure tasted great.
5
Definitely not "at least once a year". A handful of times in my 56 years. And I regularly eat food at room temperature.
5
Can you get this from eating too much rich food, or foods you typically don't eat? I love Portuguese food, which is the healthiest. However, was just in Portugal, and ate the most delicious meat, a food a I rarely if ever eat. Later had a real whipped cream pastry. Next night spent all night vomiting. No one else in the family had the problem, so I don't think it was the food itself, but lack of exposure to those types of foods. I wonder if that's a possibility?
Further evidence that living is bad for you!
10
"Finally, there’s stress. What’s going on in your head has an enormous effect on your gut and vice versa." I've never had other than routine digestive problems until last October, when, after 2 months of constant nausea, I finally went to my doctor. I joked that I thought it was because I was stressed about Trump possibly, and then, becoming President. I thought she would laugh, but she just looked at me and said, "You're not the first patient I've had with this recently." Once I got used to chronic despair, things settled down.
31
It's such a pity that we must get used to "chronic despair." The reign of Trump and his horrid gvt, has made me mentally AND physically ill too!
4
James Comey was much more fortunate, with only some mild nausea.
1
In early November I had my annual visit to my GP and we briefly discussed the upcoming election. Regarding his patients' feelings of dread, he said, "I have been medicating people." That was BEFORE the election!
1
So timely. Thank you for this article. Very informative. I'm a fool for shrimp, ate it 2 days in a row and I'm paying the Iron Price for betraying my body. It seems that as I've aged, shrimp has become more of a problem. I'm sick and annoyed.
3
Well, just think of the poor shrimp!
10
For me, the occasional violent event is due to a slow stomach emptying. Reglan has helped a great deal in regulating the problem.
2
This is why I love NYT. Keep these kind of stories coming guys.
6
Another source of germs is not the food you ate in the restaurant but the menu you handled. It's probably been handled by thousands of others since the latest version was printed, and even more than a thousand if it's plasticized or comes in a cover which is reused.
I use hand sanitizer after the menus have been cleared away.
I use hand sanitizer after the menus have been cleared away.
17
Also from the condiment bottles on the tables!
5
Me, too!!
2
My water bottles! constantly being refilled and cycled through the freezer are the probable culprit of my recent gastric seismologic event.
As much as I try to be environmentally sensitive, I won't replace them but rather will start -washing them thoroughly- before refreezing.
As much as I try to be environmentally sensitive, I won't replace them but rather will start -washing them thoroughly- before refreezing.
3
Surprising- Freeze/Thaw is a great way to kill bugs...I do it all the time in the lab. Works great
3
You might also be allergic to shellfish or brevetoxins that the shellfish have been exposed to. There's a very interesting article called "Not all shellfish 'allergy' is allergy" from Clinical and Translational Allergy in 2011 that explains the different types of reactions and their causes. It's open access, so if you look it up, you can read it.
1
I haven't been sick with a gastro bug in years....and I eat all the foods, regularly (no pun intended mentioned). I remember back in the 50's and 60's the stomach flu would, on a regular basis, wipe out our family every year...but not everyone would get it. Some had immunity from the previous bout. As we got older ( and I asked after reading this) these episodes have completely disappeared. So, this may be a new set of bugs going around, or food sensitivities. In any event I agree the systems, from stem to stern are interrelated.
2
Recently I have had a craving for fruit bars sold by Nestle. A few hours later I had cramps and diarrhea. I checked the carton to see where they were made. It stated distributed from Oakland, California I emailed them and they said some were made here and some in Mexico. They would not say which ones. No more Nestle fruit bars. I expect a company to be more forthright
2
If you read the article you'd learn that those bars and Mexico most likely had nothing to do with it. It takes a lot longer than a few hours for the thing you ate to make it from your mouth to the exit ramp.
9
Not to mention, heilobacteriums and other cancer causing bugs. No mention? Maybe the article missed some things.
2
It would have been wiser to show the "sick" person as green, rather than a pinkish white person turning brown when sick. Nitpicking, maybe.
6
Blue, I thought the same thing.
1
How do you know they meant to show a white person? Could be a person from the Indian subcontinent for all we know about the artist. Maybe turn the outrage dial down a bit.
7
Once a winter for me. Other than that, it's been third-world food poisoning. More than three gastric purges in half an hour, I assume I've got food poisoning and send my husband to the pharmacy.
1
No, I know, but if it serves a purpose I like to try. Like that party that my wife dragged me off to that I really didn't want to go to, later that night when I was throwing up, for sure I was going to make her feel it was her fault.
1
Why implicate something as innocent as smoothies? The message here is that you'll get sick no matter what you do. I suspect the writer of this article is a sadist.
1
Something not mentioned here is why stomach "bugs" spread like crazy . Some gastric illnesses can be passed to others for a DAY BEFORE you even have any symptoms! Plus, after you are well, you can sometimes it on to others for TWO WEEKS! It is also so contagious because unlike many other illnesses, only a very few germs are needed to infect a person. (this info from the Mayo Clinic site)
4
Ohhhh.... Shigella. Hospital. IV fluids. Took a month to feel better. It might have been an unwashed apple.
1
Well I guess it's nice to enumerate all potential causes, most of which we are all probably familiar with (and how about a big greasy meal too). But it doesn't really offer any real help or strategy to figure out the cause of any individual illness. How does the corn kernel test help you identify stress or too many veggies as a factor
1
Since ginger is known to be beneficial to the digestive system, as noted by some readers, it simply reinforces the wonderful news that one should perhaps indulge in more ginger beer...finally, some good news!
4
Take a ginger shot with lemon, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Kills every bug in your gut and keeps your immune system in top shape. Also very good for colds. 70% of your immunity depends on your digestive health and adding good bacteria through fermented foods e.g kimchi, miso, refigerated jarred pickles, sauerkraut, tempeh etc. keeps the bad bugs at bay.
Lots of wishes for good digestion to all.
Lots of wishes for good digestion to all.
2
For good bacteria you should add yogurt to your list.
1
Do not eat yogurt - or any dairy product - which in the grip of severe gastroenteritis. The bad bugs feed off the lactose and make thing worse! Once you are well again, yogurt can help with a balanced diet - althogh most 'pro-biotic' yogurts make no difference at all, as the 'good' bugs in them are killed by stomach acid.
1
This is all well and good, but don't stress about trying to avoid all such exposures - your immune system is designed to deal with pathogens, and sanitizing every surface may contribute to (1) resistant organisms and (2) weak immunity over the long-term from lack of exposure. Moderation! Wash your hands, and your produce, but don't spray everything with disinfectant. And let your kids play in the dirt for goodness sake. - dr. j
7
No eating dirt? Gosh! When I was a kid (70 years ago), I'd borrow a tablespoon from the kitchen and try tastes of dark mud or pale dust. Don't remember if it gave me GE problems, though. Probably made me tougher.
Good column to point out that a lot of time -- maybe most of the time -- it has nothing to do with food at all. People get viruses from door handles, from sneezes, from simply brushing by other people in crowded spaces.
Sometimes those viruses give us colds and flu, but sometimes the symptoms are gastrointestinal. People blame intestinal distress on something they ate, which is certainly understandable, but it's often not what they ate.
Every bite of food we eat in our lives is basically covered with bacteria -- the only exception might be the tube food that astronauts eat in space. It's unavoidable. But the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs usually takes care o the germs for us. A healthy stomach (not on permanent antacids) is a really important line of defense for food poisoning -- doesn't get mentioned enough in articles like this..
Sometimes those viruses give us colds and flu, but sometimes the symptoms are gastrointestinal. People blame intestinal distress on something they ate, which is certainly understandable, but it's often not what they ate.
Every bite of food we eat in our lives is basically covered with bacteria -- the only exception might be the tube food that astronauts eat in space. It's unavoidable. But the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs usually takes care o the germs for us. A healthy stomach (not on permanent antacids) is a really important line of defense for food poisoning -- doesn't get mentioned enough in articles like this..
7
Maybe I'm just an entitled millennial but these comments shock me. I experience this type of severe gastrointestinal distress at least twice a year. Who are all these superhumans reading the NYT?
10
A normal physiological transit through the intestinal tract may take the time reported. However, when toxins are released everything changes. How about increased motility, stomach emptying etc. Things can speed up quickly when an insult is perceived, and boom, shit happens.
10
Happens to all of us at least once a year? I don't think so.
It has happened to me maybe a couple of times in my adult life (I'm 62) and, I'm pretty sure, just as infrequently to family and friends.
What are you eating!?
It has happened to me maybe a couple of times in my adult life (I'm 62) and, I'm pretty sure, just as infrequently to family and friends.
What are you eating!?
14
Probably international travel to Third World countries and "adventurous" restaurant meals at sketchy places!
Agreed. I recently had such an event. This was the third time in my entire 60 years. Of course my standard for severity is whether I felt I was actually dying in the midst of the worst of it. So far, that has only been three times.
My dear husband has intermittent stomach issues and no one is able to resolve them. He's had fecal tests, his colon examined, etc., etc. Another fact: my husband does not like to take off his shoes. He has particular knee issues and this one pair shoes helps him to feel comfortable. Furthermore, he is also a big walker, uses public transit (doesn't drive), walks our dog, etc. He wears this one pair, all the time. Could the shoes be carrying the germs that make his stomach sick?
2
I don't know about intestinal germs, but since you live in the city (public transit) I would be more concerned about TB. Another big concern is asphalt overlay, I am guessing they use it there also. Studies have shown it is highly carcinogenic and some researchers even attribute the high rates of childhood cancers to this product, used often on playgrounds. I have virtually no cartilage in my knees (for 20 years) and Born shoes and Birkenstocks are the only shoes I wear. I LOVE Teva Mush flip flops, and wear them around the house when my knees/ back are particularly bad. Make sure they are "Mush". Like walking on a cloud! p.s. I don't allow shoes in my house!
1
I don't know. Why don't you just replace them and make the others disappear? He can fume, but soon he'll want to walk somewhere. Either that or try throwing his favorite, gross pair in the dryer.
Naot "Roma" slides are my knee comfort house shoes.
Metformin is another common medication that causes stomach cramping and diarrhea. It is prescribed for those who are pre-diabetic or diabetic to help lower blood sugars.
1
I totally agree. I took it for diabetes for several years without any side effects and then suddenly began experiencing uncontrollable diarrhea
1
After my high fasting glucose rate stood at 152 and the hba1c test which tracks a three month period measured 6.3, a nurse practitioner at my primary doc reflexively prescribed metformyn. Concerned about side effects, I immediately went on a high carb low fat diet (for more info see dietdoctor.com). Within six months, I had dropped nearly 30 pounds, most of it belly fat, the main culprit in diabetes Better yet, my fasting glucose dropped to 102 and the hbaic was was 5.7. Voila, my doctor took me off metformyn. This is sometimes called diet-controlled diabetes, but whatever its name, my blood tests continue to keep me in the no diabetes range. There are natural ways to fight the assembly line deliveyr of drugs.
I've always wondered whether the retching that leads to a death wish helps the body defend against the germs by expelling them or whether the germs are just playing a sadistic game, tucked away and flexing their muscles as they merrily live out their life cycle.
4
Let's hypothesize that a particular microbe does induce vomiting. If so, this might be case because it helps them to spread to other people. If we all practiced very careful hygiene when sick or around someone who is sick then microbes with this ability might gradually lose it since there would have no advantage (careful hygiene would prevent contamination of others).
Fortunately they are not likely to have sadistic impulses though at certain moments that may seem extremely probable.
Fortunately they are not likely to have sadistic impulses though at certain moments that may seem extremely probable.
1
Like many readers, I was very surprised that to read that the CDC estimates that an "acute gastrointestinal event" happens to each of us at least once a year. This seems very unlikely to me. I poked around the CDC website and could not find that assertion. Perhaps another reader could post the link that supports that statement.
10
Obviously, multiple causes here. One other to consider is the use of proton pump inhibitors that reduce stomach hydrochloric acid. This acid is important in killing bugs in our food as well as starting the digestive process.
7
Those PPIs have terrible side effects. Like bone loss, for example. And I hear that people are abusing them by taking them for longer than the recommended two weeks. I'm beginning to suspect that this could be why I see a kind of arms race between chain restaurants, seeing who can make the most overspiced and fat-laden junk food we're supposed to see as an actual meal. Since I won't take PPIs, those restaurants have become off limits to me.
1
On a recent trip to South Africa and Botswana, my husband came down with a stomach bug. On the third day of being sick, I took him to the hospital in Johannesburg at 5am. A nice, young doctor, who said she sees this all the time, prescribed four different IVs and a bag of prescriptions. After fours hours in the ER, he was good to go. The bill was about 200 hundred US dollars! We just made the flight to Botswana. We met others who were sick. Some blamed the malaria medication they were taking.
1
Thanks for this article, I've been wondering about this for years. For me its not about the occasional bad event, but the weekly shifting from "good" bowel movements to "bad" bowel movements and wondering what I could have eaten to cause it. Not a full blown event, just a day or so where my stomach aches and I feel like I am in the bathroom a lot of times followed by a sudden improvement. I didn't realize that the time for digestion is so different for people, I just assumed that it was what I ate 24 hours before as that was the average time taken to digest a meal. I now have a feeling (yes with corn!) that I digest food faster so now I'll start scrutinizing the last meal or the meal before that. Still think I should go see a gastro but I am glad someone was willing to make an article on a subject that most people are squeamish about. Thanks again!
7
So you aren't what you eat, but what's eating you. Makes sense.
2
Much food-borne infectious illness is preventable by cheap, safe irradiation. It isn't used because Americans have irrational fears and reject science.
2
Try eating irradiated ground beef (several supermarket chains carry it). It tastes disgusting.
2
I rarely get stomach bugs but my husband gets them often. I eat lots of chocolate (a panacea if ever there were one), fruits, fruits, fruits and lots of pasta, oatmeal, and cooked vegetables. I have about five cups of tea with milk and honey a day and one or more cookies or the like. He eats lots of meat and drinks coffee, Coke, lots of wine, and one large whiskey-based cocktail a night. I am also OCD about cleanliness and food storage. It's easy to see why I have less trouble with my tummy than he does.
4
My wife has been to specialists from Mayo to Minneapolis to Denver with the only answer being Stress. And since humans can either be alive or dead; then maybe "belly aches" should have different names to reflect the different causes for them. This is just another example of taking an issue; let's say stress, and looking for different names. Stress is stress, deal with it, take a walk, play tennis, take a swim, climb a mountain.
1
It is not that easy .. because there are underlying factors that you might
not be able to control.
not be able to control.
8
Restaurants are obliged to insure that food handlers adequately cleanse their hands when leaving the toilet. Most restaurants have signs in English in their toilets as reminders. But employees may read only Spanish, Chinese, Hindi or a number of other languages and no English. Some may not e able to read any language. Checking by management is too time consuming and/or is regarded as an intrusion into he personal habits of the employee and too "personal."
To insure some safety, most folks know that food has to be cooked thoroughly, and/or to an interior temperature of 160 F. Salads and other cold foods, prepared outside the home are a gamble at best, unless the folks and methods of preparation are known to the diner. My preferences, based on thoughts of safety, are for pizza and thoroughly cooked hamburgers with no pink in the center of the meat. I have my salads and fruit...well washed...at home.
To insure some safety, most folks know that food has to be cooked thoroughly, and/or to an interior temperature of 160 F. Salads and other cold foods, prepared outside the home are a gamble at best, unless the folks and methods of preparation are known to the diner. My preferences, based on thoughts of safety, are for pizza and thoroughly cooked hamburgers with no pink in the center of the meat. I have my salads and fruit...well washed...at home.
2
Read up on sous vide cooking, done in homes and fine dining places. Food is cooked at lower temperatures, say 135 F for several hours for beef. It is the time/temperature relationship which kills the bad bugs in sous vide. The 160F is just for doing the job for cooking for a short time. Regardless of how it is cooked it is important not to leave the food out at room temperature for hours for bacteria to multiply.
1
This article does not mention the worst culprit of all - Norovirus, which I have had three times. After the first bout I became meticulous about hygiene, but that did not prevent further occurrences.
An antidote or vaccination is needed for this illness which afflict millions every year, with a concomitant loss in work days, and which kills some.
An antidote or vaccination is needed for this illness which afflict millions every year, with a concomitant loss in work days, and which kills some.
8
Help is on the way, possibly. http://www.biospace.com/News/vaxart-challenges-takeda-with-oral-noroviru...
1
Not mentioned is the possibility that the culprit could be what you drink, not what you eat. For many years I was mystified by the occasional occurrence of what I will delicately call "the purge," usually within 12 hours of eating a nice meal at a pricey restaurant. When I dined at a fast food place, this never happened. I thought maybe I was allergic to some unusual herb that I never used in my home cooking. Finally it dawned on me that at these restaurants I had a tendency to order strange and unusual cocktails--you know, the ones involving a fruit puree, liqueur, and at least three other ingredients. Once I cut that out and limited myself to a glass of wine or a beer with my meal, the problem vanished.
10
Wow I thought "Uneeda Biscuits " and ginger ale was just a family remedy for an intestinal virus.
8
Nothing here about lactose intolerance, a major and common culprit of GI distress. This is another article - lite from the NYT.
3
Q: What we're Elvis ' s last words?
A: Oh! Corn!
A: Oh! Corn!
Is this true or just a sick joke?
If the (bugs in) the colon ain't happy ain't nobody happy. Eat deep-green greens, cook em first. Collards, kale, chard, beet greens, maybe spinach. Ya they're a little bitter, mix them with other foods, get to like them, you can.
7
Thanks for hopelessly narrowing it down to everything. Now let me go just throw up so I can feel better and best not even think nor care why.
14
My local Starbucks staff knows me as the nutty guy who reminds them to please use tissue from the pastry case or a glove to put the lid on my coffee. I have yet to understand how the health department approves Starbucks' process of allowing those who handle cash and all the massive bacteria on it to then turn and put a lid on the coffee cup I will drink out of. This and other transgressions appear epidemic nearly everywhere I eat or drink in NYC. Most food service people appear to have no training whatsoever in "bacterial awareness" (my term) or even how to wash their hands properly. It's all a good reason to eat at home, which I do more and more.
32
Put the lid on your own coffee. At the coffee shops I frequent, they just hand you the cup and you put on the lid from a stack next to the cream, etc. I'm sure you would not choose the lid at the top of the stack though.
6
Thanks for this article. Just this week I am suffering with a "stomach bug." Seems to hit me every year.
The long and short of it is, everything including just doing nothing including just breathing can make you sick. It could happen for no reason and it could be 1 thing or a combination of many. Being a germaphobe like our 'leader' won't make a difference either. I always thought touching currency was probably the worst, outside of using public bathrooms and touching anything in one. Now I see, it's literally a crapshoot, pun intended!
14
Last year my son, daughter and two friends ate at a chicken wing restaurant on the UWS. Three ate the baby carrots, one did not. The three who ate the carrots were violently ill. One ended up in the infirmary at a sporting event with an IV he was so dehydrated. Though they notified the restaurant I'm sure the restaurant did not notify the health department. Giant bags of those slimy baby carrots probably made their way around the country. I wonder how many people were sickened?
3
Why didn't YOU notify the health department?
14
One problem that affects this is the same irrational crowd who fear GMOs also would fear irradiated food. At the least all ground beef in the US should be irradiated.
8
I don't get sick at least once a year. I eat everything and rarely wash anything. I love raw hamburger, and have been spared by and large.
But looking back over my life, the worst events I have suffered have been within a day or two of heavy drinking. As usual, alcohol is left out of Ms. Murphy's list of lurking horrors, as it is left out of most medical journalism.
But alcohol strips the mucosa of the stomach, making for good sites for organisms to get a party of their own. Further, lots of foods constipate or cause diarrhea, but that doesn't mean you are sick.
Having written this I will probably be rewarded by some sort of stomach flu going around.......but not by food poisoning.
But looking back over my life, the worst events I have suffered have been within a day or two of heavy drinking. As usual, alcohol is left out of Ms. Murphy's list of lurking horrors, as it is left out of most medical journalism.
But alcohol strips the mucosa of the stomach, making for good sites for organisms to get a party of their own. Further, lots of foods constipate or cause diarrhea, but that doesn't mean you are sick.
Having written this I will probably be rewarded by some sort of stomach flu going around.......but not by food poisoning.
3
Can someone explain why frozen peas would lead to gastric distress? Seems like the most neutral possible food item.
3
The author neglected to include Listeria in her list of stomach bugs. This bacteria loves your refrigerator's low temperature down to 39 degrees, and thrives in dairy products and meat. It also hangs around the shelves and bins, like, forever.
3
What about H-pylori? Where does that bacteria come from? The only
way to kill it is with a 2 week regimen of antibiotics. There are
a number of tests for it that are noninvasive (endoscopy). It won't go
away on its own.
way to kill it is with a 2 week regimen of antibiotics. There are
a number of tests for it that are noninvasive (endoscopy). It won't go
away on its own.
This is the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. The discovery of this fact is fairly recent. Before that, people often had to have surgery or even died from ulcers, and all the reasons given then for ulcers were all wrong!
1
It really should not happen once a year if you pay any attention to what you eat and to hand hygiene. And I have yet to experience the Fodmap phenomenon, despite eating tons of the supposedly offending items. love the corn test though!
7
I agree. My husband, daughter & I rarely have stomach bugs - far less than once a year! Perhaps because we mostly eat food we cook ourselves, put leftovers away promptly after serving, and just ordinary care in preparation (wash hands before cooking and after handling raw meat or eggs - nothing elaborate). And we, especially I, eat oodles of fresh & frozen produce with no ill effects. Perhaps one's body adjusts.
It would be a pity if this article's readers take it as advice to eat less vegetation. Most people eat far less than the recommended amount.
It would be a pity if this article's readers take it as advice to eat less vegetation. Most people eat far less than the recommended amount.
7
Thanks for the advice. From now on I will eat I eat only potato chips, Cheetos and Nacho Cheese Doritos - all straight from the bag.
10
You can tell the CDC that such distress does not happen to all of us at least once each year. Some of us prepare our own meals in our own kitchens with soap and sanitizer and cleaner at the ready. We wash our hands and our produce, including the bagged "ready-to-eat" greens. And call us old-fashioned, but we do not eat while swiping the phone that we held while on the toilet.
11
Is it really necessary to take your I-phone with you into the toilet? Unless you are a surgeon on call, I would think not.
6
I have always believed the brain, in appearance, resembled the intestine to closely to not be related. The intestine always appeared as if the brain had shed its skin, like a snake, in the womb at some time. Of course it was quite tiny time when it all occurs, but I have a hunch. So, the next time someone tells you have ?blank? for brains, look at them and smile!
1
"Stomach flu" is a myth. You have food poisoning which can be quite variable from person to person.
4
I read the comments and marvel that I am almost 65! Based on so many people's opinions of all the deadly germs out there - its a wonder any of us still exist!
Bread and water for me from now.....is it safe?
Bread and water for me from now.....is it safe?
6
Eat a yogurt every morning and I bet half of these issues would go away.
4
as long as the expiration date hasn't passed! hoo boy, a mistake i'll hopefully never make again.
2
Can be thousands of other sources. I found out that not only do you have to change the Pur faucet mount filter every 3 months, but also the mount more than once a year. Refrigerators adjacent to stoves or refrigerator door gaskets not snug because of heavy liquidsi inside door shelves.
2
You have failed to mention a major cause of acute gastrointestinal events in some people: Celiac disease, an auto-immune condition that is genetically determined. I used to have these "acute gastrointestinal events" not once or twice but many times a year. With each year that I aged, they got more frequent and intense. Then at the age of 44, after consulting various doctors for years, I finally found out about celiac disease. I got extensive testing which proved it. Now that I have permanently altered my diet, I have not been bothered by "acute gastrointestinal events" for a decade (except for getting Montezuma's Revenge on a couple of extended stays in Mexico). And yes, I have to explain the deepest irony of it all -- my parents named me "Wheat"; the name has been in our family for 125 years -- and I have celiac disease meaning that I'm gluten-intolerant.
6
Don't forget food sensitivities and allergies in the bigger picture. If you get ill infrequently, no big deal.
But frequent bouts of gastrointestinal illness - especially if recovery is fast, and the illness doesn't run through the family - can be from allergies rather than pathogens. In our family, mushrooms, nuts and shellfish are suspect for different family members. Same symptoms, different foods. For others, nightshades cause problems. Most of us tolerate dairy.
But we have become more adept at seeing connections to foods and acute misery. We wonder about less acute symptoms, and puzzle over whether they are food intolerances too.
Mostly, if you don't end up hospitalized, there is no real reason to wonder if it was lunch or dinner today or yesterday that dod you in. That need only arises if the CDC has to trace the pathogen, or a person has to learn to eliminate a foodstuff from the diet.
But frequent bouts of gastrointestinal illness - especially if recovery is fast, and the illness doesn't run through the family - can be from allergies rather than pathogens. In our family, mushrooms, nuts and shellfish are suspect for different family members. Same symptoms, different foods. For others, nightshades cause problems. Most of us tolerate dairy.
But we have become more adept at seeing connections to foods and acute misery. We wonder about less acute symptoms, and puzzle over whether they are food intolerances too.
Mostly, if you don't end up hospitalized, there is no real reason to wonder if it was lunch or dinner today or yesterday that dod you in. That need only arises if the CDC has to trace the pathogen, or a person has to learn to eliminate a foodstuff from the diet.
3
Two additional important points:
- restaurants with a low turnover rate are more likely to serve spoiled food; in Mexico I tell people that one way to avoid getting sick is to eat only at popular restaurants
- taking aspirin in small doses over a long time can cause perpetual gastric distress -- I had chronic stomach issues and decided to cut out my daily baby aspirin which quickly resolved the issue, much to my surprise
- restaurants with a low turnover rate are more likely to serve spoiled food; in Mexico I tell people that one way to avoid getting sick is to eat only at popular restaurants
- taking aspirin in small doses over a long time can cause perpetual gastric distress -- I had chronic stomach issues and decided to cut out my daily baby aspirin which quickly resolved the issue, much to my surprise
2
Interesting that a push towards eating more healthfully could have these unintended consequences. The last time I had a horrible stomach bug was fairy recently and it was during a week in which I ate salad every day. So I was surprised and just assumed I caught it from someone else; it couldn't be something I ate because I was eating healthy food and making it myself, at home, right? Apparently wrong. (Not that I'm going to quit salad now, or that anyone else should!)
Along the same lines, I think taking new vitamins/supplements could be a culprit in the short term. When I first started taking probiotics, I got horrible stomach cramps (but no other symptoms like vomiting), and it hurt so much I almost stopped taking them. After about 10 days, though, the cramps subsided. I did some Internet research on the matter and found that this is very common, because when you first start taking them, your body has to flush out all the "bad bacteria" that has built up in the absence/deficiency of this "good" bacteria. Once that initial flushing period is over, there is a better balance of your gut flora and so taking good bacteria (probiotics) doesn't hurt anymore.
Along the same lines, I think taking new vitamins/supplements could be a culprit in the short term. When I first started taking probiotics, I got horrible stomach cramps (but no other symptoms like vomiting), and it hurt so much I almost stopped taking them. After about 10 days, though, the cramps subsided. I did some Internet research on the matter and found that this is very common, because when you first start taking them, your body has to flush out all the "bad bacteria" that has built up in the absence/deficiency of this "good" bacteria. Once that initial flushing period is over, there is a better balance of your gut flora and so taking good bacteria (probiotics) doesn't hurt anymore.
2
I have IBS and have to be careful about what I can eat. But I was totally unprepared when I developed what can only be described as food poisoning. Since I had only eaten one thing that day, it had to be something from Wendy's.
Unfortunately, I was at the beginning of a lengthy road trip to visit my elderly father-in-law. About six hours into the trip, it hit. It took me a while to figure it out. I had twice been around people with acute food poisoning and it was pretty ugly but now I knew what I had.
I had given birth to three children and suffer from acute migraines but this was the sickest I had ever been in my life. I was in the middle of nowhere and I had to keep stopping in midwestern cornfields to tend to my GI needs.
The acute phase lasted about 10 hours. After that, I was extremely weak and light-headed -- just in time to turn around and make the six-hour trip home. If food poisoning were to hit me now, I am older and wiser. I know that I would have to be hospitalized for several days to recover.
I will never eat at Wendy's again
Unfortunately, I was at the beginning of a lengthy road trip to visit my elderly father-in-law. About six hours into the trip, it hit. It took me a while to figure it out. I had twice been around people with acute food poisoning and it was pretty ugly but now I knew what I had.
I had given birth to three children and suffer from acute migraines but this was the sickest I had ever been in my life. I was in the middle of nowhere and I had to keep stopping in midwestern cornfields to tend to my GI needs.
The acute phase lasted about 10 hours. After that, I was extremely weak and light-headed -- just in time to turn around and make the six-hour trip home. If food poisoning were to hit me now, I am older and wiser. I know that I would have to be hospitalized for several days to recover.
I will never eat at Wendy's again
3
Frozen peas? Whoda' thought?!
I'm no medical professional, but I think if you are getting a full-on gastrointestinal event at least once a year, you might want to change your eating and hygiene habits. If you have a healthy gut, your are better able to manage what goes through it.
I'm no medical professional, but I think if you are getting a full-on gastrointestinal event at least once a year, you might want to change your eating and hygiene habits. If you have a healthy gut, your are better able to manage what goes through it.
3
It should be made clear that "swelling in the intestines" (angioedema of the gut) from ACE inhibitors is a quite uncommon reaction. This is a very important class of medications for heart and diabetic patients and should not be stopped because of gastrointestinal symptoms without consulting with your healthcare provider.
3
Good column but it's still emphasizing what you ate. A lot of time if not most of the time it's just a virus that you just picked up from people around you -- just like a cold. Only the symptoms aren't sniffles, they're intestinal.
People wouldn't blame food for giving them a head cold; likewise we shouldn't necessarily blame food for intestinal bugs.
People wouldn't blame food for giving them a head cold; likewise we shouldn't necessarily blame food for intestinal bugs.
12
A lot of time if not most of the time it's just a virus that you just picked up from people around you -- just like a cold......Much more likely from a virus you ingested.
1
My point is simply that most of what people call "food poisoning" does not come from food. People think it's food because their symptoms are gastrointestinal. But most of the time these are viral infections and the virus is picked up from doorknobs, furniture, counters and tables, people coughing sneezing -- he same way people pick up colds and flu.
2
"One minute you’re fine, and the next you begin to sweat as crippling cramps move wavelike through your belly. You vomit or have diarrhea, or both....And then it goes away. You’re back to your old self, maybe after a day or two."
If you're older, don't wait that long. This happened to me when I was 68. I assumed that it 'one of those things', and waited 2 1/2 days before going to the hospital. At this point, I was almost too sick to be driven there. I ended up in Intensive Care, with severe dehydration, seriously low blood pressure, and near kidney failure. I had C. difficile, an intestinal super-bug. I was in the hospital for 5 days, It's usually contracted in the hospital, but I got it at home after taking antibiotics for dental work. After leaving the hospital, it took a another month or so of antibiotic experimentation to completely wipe it out.
If you're older, don't wait that long. This happened to me when I was 68. I assumed that it 'one of those things', and waited 2 1/2 days before going to the hospital. At this point, I was almost too sick to be driven there. I ended up in Intensive Care, with severe dehydration, seriously low blood pressure, and near kidney failure. I had C. difficile, an intestinal super-bug. I was in the hospital for 5 days, It's usually contracted in the hospital, but I got it at home after taking antibiotics for dental work. After leaving the hospital, it took a another month or so of antibiotic experimentation to completely wipe it out.
25
I must be fortunate because none of the foods on the list ever bother me and I eat them in abundance. I once suffered from IBS but haven't had any symptoms in a few years except when I visit my family in New Jersey. I was blaming it on the restaurant food in New Jersey, but maybe it's being around family that upsets my gut.
~sohy~
~sohy~
18
"Corn? When did I have corn?" -attributed to Carol Channing
6
Urban myth, but still hilarious.
2
Digestive enzymes and herbs and homeopathics to prevent cramping ended the terrible episodes I had. Poor stomach acid and enzyme production render people vulnerable to bacteria and imdigestion. Sugar causes overgrowth of yeast and fermentative organisms. Yogurt and especially, kefir help prevent this. Modern wheat is high gluten, and short rising times in most commercial bread production fail to allow those proteins to be pre-digested. Antique grains such as Kamut and Senatore Capelli from Italy, made using traditional methods with long rising, reaolve this problem for many people. Carbohydrate overload can be helped by digestive enzymes. Vinegar in water or HCL with meals can adress problems of low stomach acid. Enzymes and atomach acid help kill bacteria. In food. As to meat, even organi meat is full of toxic chemicals now, not to mention the bacteria, ane environmental damage from raising it, maintain a clean body and environment, don't eat it. Vegetarians live longer and your animal friends will appreciate not being abused and killed. Peace starts with respect for all sentient beings.
4
In the first part of your post you listed just about all of the pseudo-scientific, hysteria-fueled internet babble that I encounter daily. It's simply not correct.
4
What I just learned about dairy production, in the United States, unless one owns a small farm with cows, and is meticulously clean, instantly caused me to eliminate all dairy, to the extent possible, from my diet.
Apparently the amount of pus allowed in dairy products, from the milking process, especially in the large factory type dairy farms, is extraordinary, likely meaning we are all ingesting all manner of deathly microbes.
My revulsion has me unable to eat even chocolate, which I dearly love.
Now I'm an almond milk convert.
Apparently the amount of pus allowed in dairy products, from the milking process, especially in the large factory type dairy farms, is extraordinary, likely meaning we are all ingesting all manner of deathly microbes.
My revulsion has me unable to eat even chocolate, which I dearly love.
Now I'm an almond milk convert.
4
On behalf of cows everywhere, I thank you!
2
Some of the tips in this article not only relate to the horrible stomach event - but to other nasty bugs as well - such as colds and the flu --
I try to increase the odds in my favor by following some guidelines I've established for myself -
I always carry a pack or two of pocket-sized tissues, which I use whenever I'm out in public and feel the need to use my hand to wipe away a tear or an itch in my eye -- I have learned to NEVER rub my eye - a gateway for germs into the body - with my bare hand while out in public because I don't know what germs my hands may have picked up along the way -- so I now reflexively reach for a tissue -
When you're in the supermarket, and you want to open one of the plastic bags in the produce department, what do you do without even thinking about it --?
You lick your fingers to make it easier to separate those slippery pieces of plastic -- thus providing the equivalent of a water slide for germs to enter your system -- especially after grasping that dingy handle on the shopping cart or one of those plastic carry-baskets --
I try breathing on my hands to create just enough moisture to slip open the bag - and it works most of the time --
If I'm in public (the subway, bus, etc) and someone near me is coughing, sniffling or wiping their nose with their hands - I quietly stand up and move away --
And finally --
The very first thing I do when I come inside (either home or away) --is wash my hands --
Not foolproof - but it helps the odds...
I try to increase the odds in my favor by following some guidelines I've established for myself -
I always carry a pack or two of pocket-sized tissues, which I use whenever I'm out in public and feel the need to use my hand to wipe away a tear or an itch in my eye -- I have learned to NEVER rub my eye - a gateway for germs into the body - with my bare hand while out in public because I don't know what germs my hands may have picked up along the way -- so I now reflexively reach for a tissue -
When you're in the supermarket, and you want to open one of the plastic bags in the produce department, what do you do without even thinking about it --?
You lick your fingers to make it easier to separate those slippery pieces of plastic -- thus providing the equivalent of a water slide for germs to enter your system -- especially after grasping that dingy handle on the shopping cart or one of those plastic carry-baskets --
I try breathing on my hands to create just enough moisture to slip open the bag - and it works most of the time --
If I'm in public (the subway, bus, etc) and someone near me is coughing, sniffling or wiping their nose with their hands - I quietly stand up and move away --
And finally --
The very first thing I do when I come inside (either home or away) --is wash my hands --
Not foolproof - but it helps the odds...
14
Howard that's exactly what I do. My rule is: once I leave my house, I do not touch my face until I wash my hands when I get home!
4
Crumple the edge of the bag between your thumbs and rub it against itself vigorously. It will open up.
Someone told me a long time ago that most viruses are killed by stomach acid, so hand-to-mouth is not a primary infection point. The bugs want direct access to your mucous membranes, via your nose or eyes. But norovirus is a monster. If you want to scare yourself into living in a sanitized box and never ventur8ng out again, read this:
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/02/the-norovirus-a-study...
Excerpt: "In 2010, scientists surveyed a hospital for noroviruses and found 21 different types sitting on a single countertop. It takes fewer than twenty noroviruses slipping into a person’s mouth to start a new infection."
Now hop right on that subway car and grab a pole.
Someone told me a long time ago that most viruses are killed by stomach acid, so hand-to-mouth is not a primary infection point. The bugs want direct access to your mucous membranes, via your nose or eyes. But norovirus is a monster. If you want to scare yourself into living in a sanitized box and never ventur8ng out again, read this:
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/02/the-norovirus-a-study...
Excerpt: "In 2010, scientists surveyed a hospital for noroviruses and found 21 different types sitting on a single countertop. It takes fewer than twenty noroviruses slipping into a person’s mouth to start a new infection."
Now hop right on that subway car and grab a pole.
1
Yes, some people lick their fingers as you say. When I se people do this I think, what are they doing? Mostly older people doing this (>60).
1
You state "if you throw up something and don’t have diarrhea or roiling further down, it could be that what made you ill was something you ate within the last four to six hours." I ate chicken at a Cheddar's Casual Cafe in Florida last year and had nausea and vomiting within that 4-6 hour time frame. It was so bad I had to cancel my flight. I did not experience the diarrhea or roiling further down, indicating by your article that it was the chicken that made me sick. However, Cheddar's refused to take any responsibility for it and said the symptoms would take 24-48 hours to present and included fever, abdominal pain, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Don't eat there!
16
I don't have stomach "flu" ever. I wasn't a good handwasher as a kid and am not much better now. As I've gotten older I don't digest food like cabbage and beans as easily as I used to, but I keep a box of "degestive aid" enzyme tablets on the table and they help.
I'm also a vegetarian and eat mostly organic food. I doubt this has anything to do with a lack of upsets. More likely is I developed a tough microbiome as a child and it has served me well since. I still play in dirt in a large garden.
I'm also a vegetarian and eat mostly organic food. I doubt this has anything to do with a lack of upsets. More likely is I developed a tough microbiome as a child and it has served me well since. I still play in dirt in a large garden.
8
This is kind of an odd mishmash article. If you're going to veer from foodborne pathogens (and since this article does, frankly the hed needs changing) all the way over to other causes of GI problems, why no mention of a common source of GI distress in women -- hormones? Nausea and diarrhea caused by cyclical hormone changes are common, for some women especially during perimenopause. Also missing is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which can cause diarrhea for some. I mean really, the scope of this article is too broad. Should have just stuck to foodborne pathogens and transit time.
5
Staying away from FODMAPS has been a godsend for me. It may one reason I've been thin into my 70's. Because my stomach would get so bloated from foods I've always loved - like onions, apples, mushrooms, broccoli and so on. I used to prefer an empty stomach instead, which isn't the best way to sustain life.
2
I don't know if it's true, but I'm pretty confident that living full-time in Mexico has built up my resistance to all sorts of stuff. Maybe the idea is be careful, but not paranoid?
9
This is every hypochondriac's nightmare: A whole plethora of new toxins to worry about. What doesn't kill us won't necessarily make us stronger, it just might take longer to kill us.
12
Coconut oil (milk, cream, whatever you want to call it). It's a laxative that affects some people more strongly than others--I can't touch the stuff--but I think it affects everyone at least a little. But people put it in food because they think it's "healthy" and then wonder why they have diarrhea and/or stomach cramps!
3
Maybe you have an intollerance. Maybe you don't digest the fats well. Many asian and island cultures use coconuts and coconut oil, unrefined coconut oil is a very stable fat which like clarified butter and ghee is less prone to oxidation. The oxidized fats and oxidation in the arteries ( aka free radical stress ) causes the damage and inflammation of cardiovascular disease. Microclots from bad gut flora form when there is leakage through the gut wall into blood vessels. Acid forming bacteria clot the proteins in the blood like lemon juice clots the proteins in milk. Yhe microclots injure the lining of the arteries initaiting the formation of plaque. Microclots can also block fine circulation in the brain, causing dementia.
2
A spiral-shaped bacteria called campylobacter is responsible for a lot of these brief but intense illnesses. Campylobacter is usually present in about 70-75% of chicken sold in the US. Care when preparing chicken, such as cleaning cutting boards and washing your hands often and using soap, can help prevent ingesting the bacteria. Thorough cooking also helps tremendously and investing in a meat thermometer is a wise idea.
6
Not sure becoming a germophobe is the right direction. Scientists have demonstrated the opposite, that a gut that lacks foreign agents to fight off sometimes turns its powerful evolutionary defenses against itself, causing a wide range of autoimmune disease.
Better to emphasize probiotics and insoluble fiber in your diet, as the presence of good bacteria in sufficient abundance prevents the bad stuff like C-Difficile from overwhelming your microbiome. Antibiotics can start a negative cycle, especially with a bad diet.
The medical profession has been slow to catch on because their knowledge base is so heavily influenced by the research of the pharmaceutical industry.
If half as much money was flowing into research into human microbiome, we'd know a heck of a lot more about it and the connections to autoimmune disease.
Better to emphasize probiotics and insoluble fiber in your diet, as the presence of good bacteria in sufficient abundance prevents the bad stuff like C-Difficile from overwhelming your microbiome. Antibiotics can start a negative cycle, especially with a bad diet.
The medical profession has been slow to catch on because their knowledge base is so heavily influenced by the research of the pharmaceutical industry.
If half as much money was flowing into research into human microbiome, we'd know a heck of a lot more about it and the connections to autoimmune disease.
22
The things I am very careful about are preparation of poultry and hamburgers. The beef production business has created mutated strains of e-Coli that are resistant to stomach acids, our first line of defense. The poultry industry has similar problems because of the use of antibiotics. Processors now add a little bleach in packaging raw poultry to offset the risk of contamination. You don't want to know what goes into hamburger.
Its actually pretty challenging to avoid contaminating your kitchen with e-Coli and salmonella. Handles of refrigerators and cabinet doors are hotspots.
Its actually pretty challenging to avoid contaminating your kitchen with e-Coli and salmonella. Handles of refrigerators and cabinet doors are hotspots.
2
Reading your article made me sick!! Live your life normally for God's sake! Becoming this paranoid will require at least a year with a shrink costing your thousands of dollars and as such stress and then back to a gastrointestinal event...aaaaagh!!!!
9
Well, knowledge of something does not have to lead to obsession with it and a shrink's couch. I assume most people don't walk out in front of a moving vehicle coming down the street, and lots of people don't walk under painters' ladders, not because it's bad luck but because the paint might fall off and douse them. We do these things automatically and they don't make us tremble every minute of every day. One reason we humans are still around is that our ancestors figured out that washing your hands, the food and thorough cooking of it, even if that is not the chic thing to do these days, keep you available for other necessary activities. I wish we could ask CJ, during his/her next gastrointestinal event, to type this same message again with as much fervor. From my own experience, I have suffered with the norovirus, I think -- I was, ironically, too sick to go to the hospital -- and the only thing that I can remember being as bad was a strep throat with a 104-degree fever that almost landed me in the hospital (back in the days when doctors made house calls) when I was nine. Both times I didn't think my body could take it. Any tips to avoid the same thing are welcome by me, and it was interesting to read why that super-healthy food broccoli (as well as others) sometimes gives me stomach cramps: this reaction is a very different feeling from that norovirus episode, though, and doesn't involve a splitting headache and high fever.
6
This is a really interesting article. Thank you!
6
After reading the article, I may never eat anything again.
20
"stress, what's going on in your head has an enormous impact on your gut and vice versa"
if we worried less about germs antiseptic cleaning and avoid antibiotics, there by potentially strengening the immune system; fast food salad,public restroom, type pathogens wouldn't make us sick in the first place.
if we worried less about germs antiseptic cleaning and avoid antibiotics, there by potentially strengening the immune system; fast food salad,public restroom, type pathogens wouldn't make us sick in the first place.
1
Kind of a broad generalization--no one could get infectious diseases?
2
Some key details and concepts are missing. "Culinary" herbs. Why culinary? Why only textured melons? All melons grow sitting on the ground in fertilizer, aren't washed properly and can harbor E. coli and should be refrigerated to control bacterial growth. And the eggs in the carton, are pasteurized, etc. even if they did come from a thousand chickens, not the same as the hamburger analogy. All consumers should be aware of the true health risks of what they are eating. And as a chef, I NEVER eat at a buffet, even at a five star hotel.
12
Textured melons are more at risk because the rind is, textured. That creates thousands of nooks for bacteria to hide, increasing risk that some will be missed or remain after cleaning, if cleaned at all. You'd be surprised at how many people don't wash their produce. As a blade slices through textured melon rind, it transfers bacteria onto the flesh. Smooth rinds are more likely to be more thoroughly cleaned.
"Culinary" herbs are herbs we eat as food. There is a class of herbs used in medicinal applications that may be consumed, however, their preparation would destroy pathogens causing foodborne illness.
Regarding eggs, salmonella is a threat whether or not an egg is pasteurized. Once washed and chilled, the airtight layer protecting eggshells is removed and if during shipping and storing the eggs are kept above the safe temperature zone, bacteria will grow, regardless of pasteurization. Anyone competent in the food service prep or management professions knows this, and HAACP regulations require checking randomly selected internal egg temperatures before accepting a shipment of eggs from a supplier.
Also, most foodborne illness is caused not by preparation, but by leaving food sitting out, storing at improper temperatures and cross-contamination. Most occurs in the home because, to put it bluntly, people are gross and not always smart. Incidentally, some bacteria can take up to 36 hours to incubate, grow and present symptoms.
"Culinary" herbs are herbs we eat as food. There is a class of herbs used in medicinal applications that may be consumed, however, their preparation would destroy pathogens causing foodborne illness.
Regarding eggs, salmonella is a threat whether or not an egg is pasteurized. Once washed and chilled, the airtight layer protecting eggshells is removed and if during shipping and storing the eggs are kept above the safe temperature zone, bacteria will grow, regardless of pasteurization. Anyone competent in the food service prep or management professions knows this, and HAACP regulations require checking randomly selected internal egg temperatures before accepting a shipment of eggs from a supplier.
Also, most foodborne illness is caused not by preparation, but by leaving food sitting out, storing at improper temperatures and cross-contamination. Most occurs in the home because, to put it bluntly, people are gross and not always smart. Incidentally, some bacteria can take up to 36 hours to incubate, grow and present symptoms.
1
Be careful to always wash fruit to avoid food poisoning, just as your momma told you. My worst case of nausea started several hours after I ate fruit from a bowl in our superb suite on a cruise ship, two days out of Florida. The first night out I washed the fruit and ate it without problems. But the crew seemed to be so serious about cleanliness and health that I didn't bother washing the fruit the second night. Bad assumption!
3
You forgot to mention alcohol in this article.
When I'm traveling for business and I have meetings in the morning, I always limit my alcohol intake at dinner to the bare minimum. Overdoing the red wine often makes for intestinal discomfort the following morning - nothing to do with hangover, it's really just a bad gut reaction.
I have also developed a very weird intolerance to beer - if I drink beer in the evening and I go to sleep on it, I will be sick with terrible cramps the following morning, making it impossible to go anywhere or do anything more than 3 feet away from the bathroom! But if I drink beer during the day, no problem at all. Weird!!
When I'm traveling for business and I have meetings in the morning, I always limit my alcohol intake at dinner to the bare minimum. Overdoing the red wine often makes for intestinal discomfort the following morning - nothing to do with hangover, it's really just a bad gut reaction.
I have also developed a very weird intolerance to beer - if I drink beer in the evening and I go to sleep on it, I will be sick with terrible cramps the following morning, making it impossible to go anywhere or do anything more than 3 feet away from the bathroom! But if I drink beer during the day, no problem at all. Weird!!
7
Too many fermentative bacteria in the gut will do that. When you digestion slows when you go to sleep, the fermentation gets worse.
3
"You can easily find out what’s normal for you by eating corn and watching for when the indigestible kernels appear in your stool."
A standup comedian I saw c. 1955-1990, perhaps Paul Reiser but Google cannot confirm, remarked that "we can put a man on the moon, but we still can't get the human body to digest corn."
A standup comedian I saw c. 1955-1990, perhaps Paul Reiser but Google cannot confirm, remarked that "we can put a man on the moon, but we still can't get the human body to digest corn."
18
Slice the kernels down the middle while on the cob and eat their contents without the hard exterior cover, which will remain on the cob. And chew...
2
Too bad you didn't mention ways to make the system feel better during the event. Besides ginger ale and dry crackers which can reduce crackers, my go-to for this sort of thing is bismuth subsalicylate, the pink stuff in pepto-bismol and kaopectate. It helps with cramps as well as diarrhea.
7
Here's an idea: stop eating so much meat.
6
Vegetables and fruit are more often the vectors of these microbes. Read the article.
8
Amen. Notice though that the article points out all the healthy things that are probably the least likely causes.
4
If you stop eatimg fruits and vegetables , you will have even lower immunity to food borne illneas.
1
No mention of Mast Cell degranulation? That's a big one for those with asthma and/or allergies.
4
You forgot endocrine causes (I think you know what I mean).
1
I work in the food industry and I tell everyone in my family and I'll share it with you, NEVER get a salad while dining out. Let me repeat that, NEVER.
46
I get nervous at buffet-style places with lots of small kids running around with coughs and hand sanit
6
I had GI distress for years until I ended my 20 year relationship which was literally constipating me in every area of my life. Ah, The freedom of letting go!
26
I've had norovirus attacks twice in the last two years from eating raw oysters and found out several local oysters farms had been closed as contaminated.
More recently I decided to self-medicate with Turmeric Curcumin and Resveratol for prostate cancer. After three doses of each during the day plus turmeric added to a curry soup, I explosively evacuated the lower colon. Too much of a supposedly good thing.
More recently I decided to self-medicate with Turmeric Curcumin and Resveratol for prostate cancer. After three doses of each during the day plus turmeric added to a curry soup, I explosively evacuated the lower colon. Too much of a supposedly good thing.
1
The rule is to slowly add things in smaller doses. Your diarrhea vould have been from massive over kill yeast, etc in your gut.
1
Tumeric can do that.
2
As someone who didn't develop a capsaicin (pepper) allergy until I was 28, I can confirm how debilitating stomach cramps and diarrhea are. I am 56 years old now and even carry allergy cards( translated while traveling) to give to servers when ordering at restaurants. I don't get sick when I cook at home but that is not always possible. It is the rare week when I don't suffer a bout of stomach cramps, feverish heat and chills and then horrible diarrhea. My husband feels so badly for me and often teases that I am cheating on my diet. The CDC estimate is likely accurate, especially when there are people like me who are careful and still become exposed to
6
I have been on on the Paleo diet, for several years. Since I went on the diet, this has literally never happened to me. The concept is very simple – it's not a diet at all. Simply consume only foods that were consumed by our ancestors for millions of years. Our bodies evolved to process these foods easily and completely. Foods introduced during the agrarian revolution – less than 50,000 years ago – are treated by our bodies as toxic in part. Blood tests after consuming such food easily confirms this. Doesn't that make logical sense? 50,000 years is not nearly enough time to allow our stomachs to evolve to deal with these new foods easily and without a partial toxic reaction.
11
"it's not a diet at all." You may need to look up the definition of 'diet'. Not all diets are intended as weight reduction regimens. A 'diet' is simply what you regularly eat.
7
Some of our foods have been introduced in just the past few hundred years. Sugar, potatoes, corn, rice are examples, especially for those of us with ancestors from Europe. Wheat goes back maybe 5-10 thousand years.
Sugar has been around for several centuries in SE Asia and elsewhere, but according to Wikipedia, "Sugar was a luxury in Europe until the 18th century, when it became more widely available. It then became popular and by the 19th century, sugar came to be considered a necessity." That means that only a half-dozen generations back, sugar was not consumed much at all by many of our ancestors.
Sugar has been around for several centuries in SE Asia and elsewhere, but according to Wikipedia, "Sugar was a luxury in Europe until the 18th century, when it became more widely available. It then became popular and by the 19th century, sugar came to be considered a necessity." That means that only a half-dozen generations back, sugar was not consumed much at all by many of our ancestors.
3
Sugar causes inflammation by causing fermentation. Also cancer cells ferment for energy, normal cells don't. There was a Nobel prize to Otto Warburg for that discovery.
2
Tomatoes: ingest sparingly!
5
Stomach discomfort was the impetus for my treatment of h. Pylori (not a fun disease to recover from because of the strong meds). One doesn't need to experience more overt symptoms (as described in the article) to learn that something is wrong and ask their doctor about it.
3
I think all reporters should be required to pass a class in "reporting of statistics". Dividing the number of cases by the total population does NOT indicate that each person had this set of symptoms at least annually.
27
I've had several such attacks in the past, but the worst was about 30 years ago when I had some vegetable soup from a health-food store. I was so sick that I called my doctor, and he wasn't surprised--health-food stores are notorious for causing food poisoning, he said. I hope they're more dependable now, but I haven't been to one in a long time. (And one item that the author didn't mention--many of the same symptoms could be warnings of a heart attack.)
8
You had an incident 30 years ago and so, therefore, all health food stores are suspect??? Unfounded theory, sorry. And, if your doctor made the claim you state, he or she should have been replaced as a doctor for making such a foolish statement. I've eaten, at least in the last 30 years, at a lot of "health food" stores and have never gotten sick. I have, however, gotten sick from food poisoning from restaurants and food purchased from "other" stores. I still don't claim "other" stores are, therefore, suspect, nor say that of all restaurants.
19
Some food borne bacteria can make you sick almost immediately. A contaminated can of Tuna I ate contained a common seafood bug which is known to cause violent vomiting whiting 90 minutes, so no the corn test of this article is not definitely accurate.
8
You failed to read the article accurately. The corn test is for large bowel upset. The article makes clear that vomiting implicates a culprit with a much shorter time frame. "For example, if you throw up something and don’t have diarrhea or roiling further down, it could be that what made you ill was something you ate within the last four to six hours."
It amazes me how many adults do not, or cannot, distinguish between their stomachs and their bowels.
It amazes me how many adults do not, or cannot, distinguish between their stomachs and their bowels.
14
With the new food safety law, the may hands that touch produce in the handling process are quite clean. Most people are unaware of the degree of clearnliness that is standard nowadays. An example of what these places look like is in this photo:
http://vegpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Photographe-Labont%C3%A9-MA...
http://vegpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Photographe-Labont%C3%A9-MA...
9
Do ya think this will change under the Trump administration?
4
I read that budget cuts will reduce the smallish force of food inspectors even further. Apparently the administration believes that it's everyone for him or herself when it comes to public food safety. Then of course, if you do get sick from eating in a restaurant, trumpcare may not cover you for that eventuality since it's everyone for him or herself when it comes to healthcare as well.
2
What if the last meal you ate was prepared in a different time zone than where you ate it? Could this make you sick from the last meal you ate?
10
I suffered horribly from irritable bowel syndrome almost daily from the time I was a small child till, miraculously and unexpectedly, when I was about 5 months pregnant with my first child at age 33. The problem ceased and never returned. All the doctors could think was that there was a physical constriction that moving the intestines around had fixed. Amazing!!! I was skinny like Olive Oil and after that became a normal weight.
25
It could also have to do with your hormone levels. A lot of autoimmune type illnesses go into remission during pregnancy.
8
Could have been some weird gut configuration. I suffered from IBS (short for we aren't sure) for 40 yrs--feared being confined without a bathroom after every meal, etc. Then at age 73, I developed a visible hernia the size of a softball sticking up...emergency surgery...and now 9 weeks out, the whole intestine thing is much better. They said it probably started with a C-section followed in two yrs by a hysterectomy...who even knows anymore. I had tried everything, FODMAPS yes, FODMAPS, no, dairy no, you name it. Imodium is my friend and I still go nowhere without it.
9
Interesting. My pregnancy changed my body as well but in a different way. I had horrific cramps every month until I was pregnant with my first child. After being pregnant, never had those bad cramps again. Life changing. Pregnancy truly changes you.
"this scenario, known as an “acute gastrointestinal event,” happens to all of us at least once a year."
Really? I've had one such event in about the last 15 years. Am I really such an extreme outlier, or is there a mistake in that statistic?
Really? I've had one such event in about the last 15 years. Am I really such an extreme outlier, or is there a mistake in that statistic?
50
Is it perhaps supposed to say "on average at least once a year?" Something is wrong with the quote--the manner in which it is stated indicates that literally every member of the population experiences this once a year and, of course, that statement cannot be made unless every member of the population is polled.
7
I just weathered an impressive bout, and it was my first since 2006. Does that mean some poor slob has had two episodes per year in the interim?
This happened to me a few days ago. I am lactose intolerant, but had consumed nothing with dairy. I was confounded until I remembered taking an antibiotic a few months back. The container had a label warning that the medication could cause diarrhea, even months after completing the course of medication. Same thing happened to me five years ago.
9
Umm, that warning is probably not for a one off event months down the road.
2
had similar experience 6 weeks after an antibiotic....suffered for about 10 days, got better with help of probiotics (they are expensive at 1 buck per day)....
I always take a probiotic when taking antibiotics. A serious bout of diarrhea and bleeding taught me this painful lesson. I don't know why most doctors don't recommend the probiotic when prescribing antibiotics. Upsetting the natural bacteria in your G.I.system with an antibiotic requires balancing.
11
I will have these "issues" sometimes from sugar-free candy. I won't eat many of them (ex: sugar free gummie bears) for this reason. The candies are delicious, but the pain they cause just isn't worth it.
22
Yep, that would be polyols (mentioned in the Fodmaps paragraph of this article) that's to blame there. Polyols include several artificial sweeteners (the ones that end with 'ol') which the large intestine struggles to digest.
Interestingly avocado and stonefruit are also high in polyols, so I can't have too much of them in one go either.
Interestingly avocado and stonefruit are also high in polyols, so I can't have too much of them in one go either.
9
Yup. Sugar free candies...my doctor and i thought it was a water borne bug, but it turned out to be my consumption of sugar free life savers!
7
Xylitol.
9
Not proud to say I went to the ER last weekend after being up all night with stomach pains. Their best guess was a cracked rib close to my stomach aggravated it to the point of distress. I didn't even know I had cracked the rib gardening then bench pressing.
9
Gardening is one thing; bench pressing right after, quite another. Moderation in all things (even exercising) is the wise way.
This happens to people once a year? Good grief. This has happened to me once in my lifetime (50 years). What percentage of the population has guts of steel?
53
I am surprised that there was no mention of h. Pylori, unless I overlooked it.
8
H Pylori is in a class by itself.
3
H. pylori causes ulcers, not so much stomach upset. The 'sour stomach' or 'acid stomach' or cramps are those little devils at work, boring holes in your intestines. Thankfully, two Aussies proved that Hp was the root cause of most ulcers that cocktail of antibiotics would CURE but it took nearly 20 YEARS for medicine to accept it because Big Pharma had just invented a pill that would reduce stomach acid secretion and 'everyone knew' that stomach acid was the cause of ulcers. NOPE.
BUT, resistance to evidence is nothing new for human kind. We have been successfully resisting facts for millennia. Trump is just the latest reincarnation of ignorance cloaked in power.
"There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones. The hesitation of the latter arises in part from the fear of their adversaries, who have the laws on their side, and in part from the general skepticism of mankind which does not really believe in an innovation until experience proves its value. So it happens that whenever his enemies have occasion to attack the innovator they do so with the passion of partisans while the others defend him sluggishly, so that the innovator and party are alike vulnerable."
Niccolo Machiavelli
“The Prince” 1513
BUT, resistance to evidence is nothing new for human kind. We have been successfully resisting facts for millennia. Trump is just the latest reincarnation of ignorance cloaked in power.
"There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones. The hesitation of the latter arises in part from the fear of their adversaries, who have the laws on their side, and in part from the general skepticism of mankind which does not really believe in an innovation until experience proves its value. So it happens that whenever his enemies have occasion to attack the innovator they do so with the passion of partisans while the others defend him sluggishly, so that the innovator and party are alike vulnerable."
Niccolo Machiavelli
“The Prince” 1513
7
I have had this problem and it is not fun. I gave my GI a copy of the book,"A Confederacy of Dunces." The protagonist in this book suffers from an array of emotional and physical problems that he always blames on h. Pylori
Oh the fiber!
Too much of a good thing?
Absolutely.
Too much of a good thing?
Absolutely.
17
Those who doubt the frequency per year and think it overwrought are forgetting that exceptions do not break the rule. Assuming these exceptions are accurate.
Eclectic Pragmatism — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
Eclectic Pragmatism — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
7
... this scenario, known as an “acute gastrointestinal event,” happens to all of us at least once a year.
---------
Well, if there are exceptions, and there seem to be many people to whom it doesn't happen, then it DOESN't happen to ALL of us at least once a year, and the rule should be stated differently.
---------
Well, if there are exceptions, and there seem to be many people to whom it doesn't happen, then it DOESN't happen to ALL of us at least once a year, and the rule should be stated differently.
1
I will never forget the time I ordered a side salad at a neighborhood pub. It was summer time, and many of the workers were teen-agers. I happened to be seated near the kitchen, and while waiting for my entree and salad, I looked over at the kitchen and saw our server USE HIS UNGLOVED HANDS to toss my salad greens. Ugh! I quickly canceled my entire order, and left the restaurant.
Unless I am eating in a higher -end restaurant, ever since that day, I have never again ordered a salad. That especially goes for airports too.
I don't mean to bash teen workers, but I have to wonder if they "get" the absolute importance for food safety and hand washing diligence?
I did call the restaurant owner later and report my observation. He was grateful.
Unless I am eating in a higher -end restaurant, ever since that day, I have never again ordered a salad. That especially goes for airports too.
I don't mean to bash teen workers, but I have to wonder if they "get" the absolute importance for food safety and hand washing diligence?
I did call the restaurant owner later and report my observation. He was grateful.
64
My kid worked at Wendy's--she had to pass a food handlers test to get hired. I notice she wears gloves for every task now. I guess mileage varies.
8
Good observations.
At a local pizza parlor while waiting for my pizza, I witnessed one worker braiding the hair of another long-haired surfer dude worker behind the counter near the food. Aghast, I pulled the braider aside and told her "not good," explaining not only the optics but the health issues. Thankfully, she apologized and washed her hands.
At a local pizza parlor while waiting for my pizza, I witnessed one worker braiding the hair of another long-haired surfer dude worker behind the counter near the food. Aghast, I pulled the braider aside and told her "not good," explaining not only the optics but the health issues. Thankfully, she apologized and washed her hands.
4
Yes. I threw out an order at a drive-thru because the young man who handed it to me had the dirtiest hands and fingernails I've ever seen. Didn't say anything because I didn't want to embarrass him, but I probably should have.
6
Big culprit: breakfast bars in hotels, especially where children are allowed to run amok. They pass E. coli along on serving spoons and utensils, plates, glassware, etc., not to mention the food.
30
It is not only the kids. Look at the adults. They should know better; little kids have the excuse of age, adults have none.
9
Saw same thing at WHOLE FOODS recently. Child was licking serving utensil, then put it back while her mother was chatting with store employee. I grabbed utensil and brought it to their attention. Mother got angry at me for speaking harshly about her child's mistake. Store employee was silent throughout but took the item from me. I'm sure this happens often....
5
And when I had my most violent event of this sort, it was the result of developing an alpha-gal allergy from a tick bite over a month earlier. There are all kinds of possibilities with these symptoms.
11
Post gall bladder removal almost all food seems to cause violent GI nightmares. Viberzi helped some until it nearly killed me. So now I"m back to barely able to eat without problems.
4
I had one of these episodes last November, out of the blue, in a cafe, which apparently triggered the vasovagal response. Broke out in cold sweat, ran to bathroom, mass nausea and diarrhea. Then it happened two more times, each about a month apart, which got me to the doctor for EKG and ultrasound, both negative. Happened once more after that, mild, and not in the past 3 months. Wonder what it was all about...possibly the particular probiotics mix I was taking didn't play well with my own gut biome?
5
Please google Mast Cell Activation. The symptoms you described are classic signs of mast cell degranulation. Especially, with the drop in blood pressure. A more appropriate treatment would have been IV Benadryl and fluids, possibly an epi pen. People often confuse anaphylaxis with anaphylactic shock. You may want to avoid probiotics for a bit along with any aged or fermented foods. Freeze any animal proteins within a few hours of cooking them. Low Histamine diet is the way to go.
4
Agreed. Food allergy happens quickly and this article did not address it. Some people respond uniquely. I have had a similar response to shell fish. The first time it happened people said I ate a bad clam. Then I tried it again and my reaction was worse! I was young and didn't think about Benadryl. Now I don't leave home without it. and an Epi Pen.
Okay then, time for breakfast! Any food article makes me hungry, but skipping the corn.
9
I have had more problems since I changed my diet in January cutting out a lot of sugar. I eat more lettuce, but I'm careful about cleaning it each time after a number of bad episodes. Also, in the summer heat, overheating can bring on an episode. I haven't found the perfect solution but I'm very aware of it now.
8
In other words, it could be anything.
132
As a celiac who has suffered from IBS and malabsorption FODMAP issues for many years I am well acquainted with the themes of this article. I know exactly how long it takes for food to pass through me and can usually pinpoint where I went wrong, if at all. It's also noteworthy to mention that other physical factors may be affecting digestion. Pelvic floor disorder can cause constipation and painful elimination that one might attribute to something ingested.
10
Fascinating, especially going over to the chart of FODMAPs, which I'd never heard of. Now I'll be more aware next time my stomach acts up, which isn't all that often.
That said, the one time I was sure I had food poisoning was when I fell ill, in Paris, about five hours after I ate the classic 'gastro event' combo of poached eggs and mayo. The vomiting and diarrhea lasted about 10 hours -- ugh.
That said, the one time I was sure I had food poisoning was when I fell ill, in Paris, about five hours after I ate the classic 'gastro event' combo of poached eggs and mayo. The vomiting and diarrhea lasted about 10 hours -- ugh.
11
It may be the last thing we ate, but it may have been how our body takes it in and how it will react to it like allergy reactions. For example, some people cannot eat raw fish, raw meat, hot peppers, and more because of how their stomach cannot digest it properly. And now because of this article I am now aware of more reasons why we have our most common stomach problems.
5
My dog does better than me, and you should see what she eats. French fries under picnic tables seem to create immunity.
63
LOL--I used to live two doors from a McDonalds and sometimes kids would have lunch on my stoop--putting the fries on the sidealk and applying catsup...Yu-um. I often wondered if it just created more antibodies.
8
Your dog comment is funny, but truthfully dogs and cats can easily tolerate food that would make their humans sick. The ph of a healthy animal's stomach acid will easily kill deadly (to humans) bacteria, such as salmonella.
I've been feeding my dog raw for 10 years and my cat now for one. And they are healthy as can be. And on a happy note, I obviously have a successful cleaning routine, because I've never gotten sick, even with all the handling of raw meat that I do, which is much more than if I was preparing meat for just myself!
I've been feeding my dog raw for 10 years and my cat now for one. And they are healthy as can be. And on a happy note, I obviously have a successful cleaning routine, because I've never gotten sick, even with all the handling of raw meat that I do, which is much more than if I was preparing meat for just myself!
What gives me stomach problems more than anything else is trying to rush to get somewhere (such as work) quickly in the heat. Even when it's not so hot and humid, it is hot down in the subway. Walking 15 minutes to the train, starting with going down 4 flights of stairs in a hot, stuffy hallway that is not clean, then walking in the sun 10 minutes and down to the underground often has a sickening effect on me. Then on the other end of the trip walking up the subway stairs -- 2-3 flights and out in to the sun and humidity again and another 12 minutes to get to the office.
25
This sounds to me like classic dehydration. Consider sipping water or a "sports drink" throughout that excursion.
9
Ugh.....I remember having to do that. It is truly nauseating.
3
M. Lewis,
I'd forgotten, after years away from NYC. Better remember when I sometimes long to return!
I'd forgotten, after years away from NYC. Better remember when I sometimes long to return!
1
I find this piece a little unbalanced. For perspective, consider all the crazy things you ate, and the varied sources they came from, during the last year that didn't make you sick. Give you're body some credit for generally doing an amazing job digesting your complex diet. Plus, a complex diet encourages diversity in your gut microbiota. The article says stress is a risk factor for GI disturbance so try not to worry too much.
57
Thinking about growing up decades ago and eating anything within reach. And none of us attributed it to contaminated foods. Of course we did get a variety of illnesses, some of which may have been food poisoning.
3
Sorry, but the "corn test" to estimate your normal intestinal transit time is not a useful indicator of the transit time when you've eaten something that is causing an acute episode of diarrhea. I'm a physician, but you don't need a medical degree to understand that if you have diarrhea, things are moving through your gut much more quickly.
66
I think you may have misunderstood (or maybe I did), but I read the "corn" test to be done while you are not having gastrointestinal symptoms.
29
The corn test is to see how quickly you transit food on a normal day.
I think the doctor was saying that when you eat something that is contaminated your gut reacts quickly. And the author quoted evidence to the contrary. Most people with chronic gut sensitivities who also eat out much of the time would probably differ with the news presented in this article.
I think the doctor was saying that when you eat something that is contaminated your gut reacts quickly. And the author quoted evidence to the contrary. Most people with chronic gut sensitivities who also eat out much of the time would probably differ with the news presented in this article.
One of the most helpful articles the NYT has published lately! I am one of the people who DOES get the urps at least once a year, just as described here. The comments appended to the article also provide useful information and tips. Thanks!
22
Difficulties arise on long distance flights, from the US to Europe. From Munich to Rome, this spring, by way of illustration, the stewardess announced -in economy class- for breakfast, the existential choice of lemon cake or a salami sandwich. Dining on air plane food can be catastrophic. Paul Theroux wrote of the necessity of having imodium: to never travel without it. The iconic chef James Beard traveled with a roasted chicken.
17
Imodium is gooood. Did the inventor get a Nobel?
5
Apologies to Karl Malden, but I never leave home without it!
5
yaaay for Imodium! The previous drug before that one was called "lomotil" and before that? paregoric? maybe before that? not sure.
5
This was very informative. Thans!
10
I've always perceived rancid oil to be the most common source of my food borne illnesses. I'm more sensitive to it than anyone else I know.
3
Dr gabbard claims that the high THC in Cannabis causes cannabinoid hyperemesis, but there is no evidence showing that THC is the culprit. The jury is still out on that one.
7
I chose "What to Blame For Your Stomach Bug? Not Always Yhe Last Thing You Ate." By Kate Murphy
I decided to read this article because there is almost always someone sick in my family and when they ask the reason for their sickness to my mom she simply it was something you ate or didn't eat enough of but is that really the answer? People of this era have presumed themselves as doctors and diagnose, treat, and figure out where they became sick from all by themselves without consulting a professional most of the time they are wrong about most of it from how how they got it to how to treat it. The most common answer for where is came from is the last thjng they are which is t entirely wrong but is not always the right answer. People can get sick from almost everything such as their beloved pets, cellular devices, medication, allergies and many more common everyday things. So the next time you are sick don't be to quick to judge and consult a professional before making any rational decisions.
I decided to read this article because there is almost always someone sick in my family and when they ask the reason for their sickness to my mom she simply it was something you ate or didn't eat enough of but is that really the answer? People of this era have presumed themselves as doctors and diagnose, treat, and figure out where they became sick from all by themselves without consulting a professional most of the time they are wrong about most of it from how how they got it to how to treat it. The most common answer for where is came from is the last thjng they are which is t entirely wrong but is not always the right answer. People can get sick from almost everything such as their beloved pets, cellular devices, medication, allergies and many more common everyday things. So the next time you are sick don't be to quick to judge and consult a professional before making any rational decisions.
2
The problem is the individual observing over time can probably come up with as many good theories as the doc.
3
Sorbitol, a fruit acid (it can also be made from glucose) is used as a sweetener in many products, particularly cough drops, breath mints, and toothpastes. It can have an emetic effect when consumed too often, drawing water into the lower intestine causing diarrhea and vomiting.
14
I had an intestinal gas test about 10 years ago, and found that I have trouble digesting fructose and sorbitol, and a lot of trouble with lactose. That trouble (genetic?) is probably more common than we think.
I've had a series of these "events" in the past 11 months. I finally saw a gastroenterologist who did a physical exam and ordered upper GI and small bowel series. The radiologist told me he bad news: "there's nothing wrong with you". I returned to the gastro and his conclusion was :You don't need me; you need Colombo". From that point, I've called the events "The Colombo Disease".
8
Are you prone to allergies in general that wax and wane like this? If your symptoms include nausea, headache, you may want to look into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. The treatment you described by your doctor is what many of us experienced before getting diagnosed. Ask them to stain your biopsies for with Giemsa and tryptase stains, with antibodies for CD117, CD2, CD25 and CD34.
Meantime, you may want to adopt a low Histamine diet and see if you respond to it. Other treatments include antihistamines and Benadryl as a rescue drug. Good luck!
Meantime, you may want to adopt a low Histamine diet and see if you respond to it. Other treatments include antihistamines and Benadryl as a rescue drug. Good luck!
1
Recognizing that the plural of anecdote is not data....I'll pile on here. Women should never forget that hormones are often a contributor to such "acute gastrointestinal events" - something I didn't figure out until experiencing menopause. I had those awful bouts at least once a year for most of my adult life, and now they've essentially stopped.
14
I also learned in my 40 yrs of dealing with this issue that women's intestines are more complicated and not identical to men's.
3
@Sarah --
In addition to recognizing the wisdom of your remarks, let me thank you for an addition to my inventory of useful apothegms:
Recognizing that the plural of anecdote is not data....
In addition to recognizing the wisdom of your remarks, let me thank you for an addition to my inventory of useful apothegms:
Recognizing that the plural of anecdote is not data....
I think the most important part in this article is to eat corn on the cob and see your transit time. That gives you a baseline for evaluation. Most comments are very good. Cook food adequately to appropriate temperatures and don't cross contaminate. If you eat at home, you can better control things. If you eat out, you can't do as well. Everyone gets some upset now and then; it isn't always food poisoning or even food. Keep a diary if you need to. Or, as I do, live with it and if something looks questionable in a restaurant, don't eat it. You have no way of knowing what goes on in the kitchen; that is beyond your control. I still eat out now and then and just live with it. Not every cockroach will carry disease :).
6
As a kid my sisters and I would have these symptoms 2 or 3 times a years. We were told we had "touchy stomachs." Looking back I realize my mother was probably trying to kill us with food left out during the summer at picnics and various family gatherings. I am healthy, not hyper-clean, and eat what I want. What didn't kill me made me stronger, I guess!
8
"It happens like a bolt out of the blue. One minute you’re fine, and the next you begin to sweat as crippling cramps move wavelike through your belly. You vomit or have diarrhea, or both, fearing you won’t live to see another day.
"And then it goes away. You’re back to your old self, maybe after a day or two of binge-watching Netflix and chasing dry crackers with ginger ale.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates this scenario, known as an 'acute gastrointestinal event,' happens to all of us at least once a year. The bouts, while extremely unpleasant, usually don’t occasion a trip to the doctor or require any medication."
This is has to be a misquote of the CDC. The last time I had such an experience is over 30 years ago, and the only person I know who even approaches this stat frequents Chinese restaurants and also has bouts of CHS, which he usually attributes to the Chinese food he's eaten the night before. I don't believe most people are having two days of disabling puking/the runs every year. It's just not credible.
The span of time between ingestion of the germs or bad food and the manifestation of symptoms is much greater than a day or even a week. It can take a month or longer for invasive listeriosis symptoms to appear, for example, and Listeria is currently a major player on food recall lists. IOW, it may be what you ate last night that's upending your world or it may be that dinner five weeks ago that you made from contaminated ingredients.
"And then it goes away. You’re back to your old self, maybe after a day or two of binge-watching Netflix and chasing dry crackers with ginger ale.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates this scenario, known as an 'acute gastrointestinal event,' happens to all of us at least once a year. The bouts, while extremely unpleasant, usually don’t occasion a trip to the doctor or require any medication."
This is has to be a misquote of the CDC. The last time I had such an experience is over 30 years ago, and the only person I know who even approaches this stat frequents Chinese restaurants and also has bouts of CHS, which he usually attributes to the Chinese food he's eaten the night before. I don't believe most people are having two days of disabling puking/the runs every year. It's just not credible.
The span of time between ingestion of the germs or bad food and the manifestation of symptoms is much greater than a day or even a week. It can take a month or longer for invasive listeriosis symptoms to appear, for example, and Listeria is currently a major player on food recall lists. IOW, it may be what you ate last night that's upending your world or it may be that dinner five weeks ago that you made from contaminated ingredients.
24
I am in the third day of recovery from an "acute gastrointestinal event". So this was interesting reading. No answers for me except that I did have a particulary hard workout. By the way someone mentioned PPI's as to not take them. I suffer sometimes from gastric reflux and when I do I feel like someone has poured acid down my throat and am ready to die to get it all over with. But this is not an article about gastric reflux. At least now I know the culprit wasn't pizza (even though I don't feel like eating if for a while).
5
I discovered (rather unpleasantly) that I cannot digest sugar alcohols. But it explained a lot of seemingly random episodes of acute GI distress. I check labels for any of the "-ols."
9
Using fingers directly to eat food after touching all sort of stuff (subway poles, etc) with bare hands is the most intriguing part. You can see it all the time at fast food places such as McDonalds. People pay and accept change with filthy dollar bills and coins using their bare hands. Money that had gone through countless adventures (dropping into the drain or dirt is a possibility) and dirty hands. Minutes later, they use those same hands to eat their fries. Ewwww!
18
Yet we don't see people dropping like flies - I believe (without evidence) that our immune system can only stay strong if it is constantly challenged. If you are too clean you will be badly effected when you accidentally are exposed
21
Maybe that's why they call it "filthy lucre."
11
"Let’s not forget about germs on your own hands if you’re not diligent about washing them with soap and water (hand sanitizers don’t kill some of the bugs that make your stomach sick)."
I think performing basic hygiene has fallen off the radar, especially with the onset of hand sanitizers. Whenever I am in any restroom (at work, a restaurant, public place) very seldom do I see women actually washing their hands WITH soap and water. They do a little bird bath kind of sprinkling under the faucet and that's it. I also think a lot of folks don't think they need soap and water if hand sanitizers are used. WRONG (as this informative article points out). Sometimes going back to the simple basics can actually help stop or prevent a situation from occurring. But kudos to the author for listing the many possibilities outlined as to what could cause a stomach bug. However, I would seriously revisit the CDC's statistic that “acute gastrointestinal event,” happens to all of us at least once a year." Maybe "many" of us experiences this scenario, but "all" of us? Hmmm, I don't know guys.
19
Here my guess as to why I almost never experience the illness that is described here: I don't overly worry about any of the things that they say cause these problems. Sure I wash my hands after the bathroom - but not all the time. I hardly wash fruits or vegetables (unless my wife is watching) and have never, ever cleaned my phone. I am in hospitals most days (I'm a rep) and touch door knobs and other people's hands aplenty. I'm sure my fingers end up in my mouth and nose daily without me even thinking about it.
I think being exposed to low levels of pathogens daily keeps my immune system strong and ready to fight if I happen on a bigger blast of bugs. No scientific proof - but isn't it logical that like our muscles, our immune system will get weak without constant use? (I seem to exercise my immune system more than my muscles)
I think being exposed to low levels of pathogens daily keeps my immune system strong and ready to fight if I happen on a bigger blast of bugs. No scientific proof - but isn't it logical that like our muscles, our immune system will get weak without constant use? (I seem to exercise my immune system more than my muscles)
44
Modern children in 1st World countries are protected from the bugs our prehistoric ancestors routinely encountered. We no longer challenge our immune systems at an early age which probably makes us more susceptible to common non-lethal pathogens.
6
One wonders what you are passing along to the weakened people in all the hospitals you visit.
17
Amen...I just had my gut bacteria wiped out after an intense surgery. I realized after I needed to rebuild my "Pro-Biotics." Slowly, carefully I ate my way across Cambodia, Mynamar, Thailand, Mexico, and Cuba. I eat everything, anything and guess what? I never have stomach problems. Humans were designed to have dirt on their hands...Even thru the skin microbes are absorbed. And this keeps the muscle known as the guy microbes robust and doing their job.
I wouldn't ignore food allergies and sensitivities.
Forex, if I eat wheat, I get irritable bowel. Whole wheat will send me right to the toilet. It isn't the gluten -- I've been tested several times for celiac disease.
Similarly, many of us are lactose intolerant. I'm OK if say I eat some ice cream, but if I eat too much it will take its revenge.
It can take quite a while to identify a food allergy or sensitivity, even with testing. But between skin tests and elimination diets, it's generally possible to find the culprits. (One word of warning -- the tests often generate false positives in that you can tolerate food despite a positive skin or blood test, and sometimes false negatives as well. Also, go to a reputable allergist rather than the quacks who claim you're allergic to everything and use tests that aren't medically recognized.)
Forex, if I eat wheat, I get irritable bowel. Whole wheat will send me right to the toilet. It isn't the gluten -- I've been tested several times for celiac disease.
Similarly, many of us are lactose intolerant. I'm OK if say I eat some ice cream, but if I eat too much it will take its revenge.
It can take quite a while to identify a food allergy or sensitivity, even with testing. But between skin tests and elimination diets, it's generally possible to find the culprits. (One word of warning -- the tests often generate false positives in that you can tolerate food despite a positive skin or blood test, and sometimes false negatives as well. Also, go to a reputable allergist rather than the quacks who claim you're allergic to everything and use tests that aren't medically recognized.)
7
Interesting. My default assumption has never been what I ate, but rather something I picked up on my hands touching whatever (door knobs etc.).
18
Most of what is claimed to be gluten insensitivity arises, according the best recent clinical research, from a combination of emotions (stress, unrealistic beliefs, excessive need for control) and FODMAPs (loading up on veggies and complex carbs thinking those are good for you). That's why it is suddenly epidemic, along with other forms of bloating, "irritable bowel" and other forms of GI distress. Fitness obsession also contributes because hard workouts and long runs upset the GI tract, provoking bloating and diarrhea. Good mental health, a reasonable balanced diet, moderate exercise, and most problems of this sort disappear. Alas, people want to be sick & elicit sympathy, thus claim infection or allergy or chronic disease, and hence never get better.
96
Aren't you the compassionate fellow!
5
And where is your evidence for that? Got any published references?
2
I agree with your restatement of the available research, but was the snide dig at the end necessary? It undermines the scientific basis of your comment. You start with a rational explanation for the rise of these disorders, then you blame the sufferers (even if they are doing so needlessly) for not knowing enough to fix themselves. If they have a mental issue, and they think they are doing the right things, what exactly do you expect them to gain by ridiculing them?
11
I don't like to eat out anymore as one of the other commenters said. Eat at home if possible, save money and eat better quality food. Some food workers forget to wash their hands after using bathroom. Also as we age our systems are not as strong as when we were young. As a young guy I lived in the Yucatan in Mexico, I never got sick yet I ate food from street vendors and restaurants. Another thing is that having the right gut bugs helps a lot, so eat yogurt and homemade pickles and sauerkraut.
98
Yes, you will see fermented foods recommended.
3
Yes, to yogurt -- the real, full-fat stuff, not that awful diet lowfat yogurt -- and pickles! and sauerkraut. Also you can take probiotics in a pill or liquid form.
As a kid, I pretty much ate anything and never got sick. I ate food that fell on the floor -- hey! 3 second rule! -- I ate from street vendors in foreign countries. Then suddenly at 23, over a period of a few months, I was absolutely crippled by IBS. It took YEARS to get back to a semblance of normal -- and back then, none of the modern drugs to treat IBS even existed.
I've learned since that your system is in constant flux -- anything can change your gut biome -- or nothing -- emotions -- puberty -- pregnancy -- childbirth -- perimenopause -- post menopause -- aging -- other medications -- allergies and food sensitivities.
You need to roll with the punches and adapt. It's not always fun.
As a kid, I pretty much ate anything and never got sick. I ate food that fell on the floor -- hey! 3 second rule! -- I ate from street vendors in foreign countries. Then suddenly at 23, over a period of a few months, I was absolutely crippled by IBS. It took YEARS to get back to a semblance of normal -- and back then, none of the modern drugs to treat IBS even existed.
I've learned since that your system is in constant flux -- anything can change your gut biome -- or nothing -- emotions -- puberty -- pregnancy -- childbirth -- perimenopause -- post menopause -- aging -- other medications -- allergies and food sensitivities.
You need to roll with the punches and adapt. It's not always fun.
4
There are lots of causes for "acute gastrointestinal events," but much fewer for sudden energetic spewing from both ends. The most classic is the toxin secreted by Staphylococcus aureus. It can be produced in enough quantity to cause illness in less than an hour of food storage between warm room temperature and "barely too hot." Hits in less than half an hour after ingestion and ends proportionately fast. It's a poison that was eaten, so neither infectious nor contagious. The other set of causes are viruses, not necessarily food-borne, of which "norovirus" is the usual representative. Usually hits within a day, but can take much longer. Lasts longer than S aureus toxin. Can be spread by all the usual viral routes.
7
So helpful! A lot of articles about health issues are just scary, but this one gives great tips and explanations.
106
My own experience is that hot peppers sometimes make it out the next day. More importantly, I do have a strong correlation between upsets in head and stomach (mentioned at the end). Anxiety gives me queasiness, making the anxiety worse. Indigestion puts me in a bad mood, irritable and reactionary in many ways. I try to pay attention.
13
I like to say to my gastroenterologist (with IBS, you have one on speed-dial) that if I lost a million dollars in the stock market....or WON a million dollars in the Lotto....in either case, the first thing that would happen is I'd have to run to the bathroom with stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Emotions play a big role, along with foods that may or may not irritate your gut -- or be allergies or sensitivities -- or food poisoning -- or nothing you can ever put your finger on.
Emotions play a big role, along with foods that may or may not irritate your gut -- or be allergies or sensitivities -- or food poisoning -- or nothing you can ever put your finger on.
2
The relationship between digestive system discomfort and stress is very worth noting. Youth especially might suffer from this. A child enduring the required visitations with a disliked parent, for example, are common stresses for kids of divorced parents. And there are so many more stresses on kids today than when I or even my children were young. We all need to pay attention and to assume responsibility when the situation arises.
43
This is great - I love it. This is why everyone MUST read! After working at the GYM, I sometimes have a protein shake - maybe once a week and sometimes, I get the worst case of the runs w/in 1 hour. I mentioned this to a trainer and he explained that the person who made the shake put too much protein powder in the shake and my body can't absorb it all.
I've also noticed in the last 6 months I get an upset stomach after eating peanut butter, which I love and have been eating since I was a kid w/out any problems.
Who knows!
I've also noticed in the last 6 months I get an upset stomach after eating peanut butter, which I love and have been eating since I was a kid w/out any problems.
Who knows!
13
the peanut butter thing is quite common..comes on in middle age..almond butter is easier on the digestion for some of us
6
I used to get upset stomach after peanuts, peanut butter and peanut candies. But I loved peanuts, so I continued to eat them. Until the day I had anaphylaxis. Be careful, your body could be warning you.
16
"known as an “acute gastrointestinal event,” happens to all of us at least once a year. "
Either I'm a mutant, or this is a hyperbolic statement.
Either I'm a mutant, or this is a hyperbolic statement.
178
no, you're fortunate.
3
Just what I was thinking. Until I had a kid in daycare it was more like every 7 years.
3
me too. Maybe once a decade is more like it.
4
I guess it all comes down to your resistance to those virus and bacteria...I'm not particularly clean, don't ever use hand sanitizer, don't wash out everything I use for cooking (since it will be heated anyway), eat all sorts of vegetables and salad both at home and out and can't remember one time that I had one of those "gastrointestinal events"... sometimes my digestion gets a little upset (and I guess that it's age related, I'm in my fifths), but it never turns into one of the catastrophes that the she mentions here.
You probably have two choices: either be absolutely careful or, like myself, absolutely careless...then your body gets used to it and you'll be immune!
You probably have two choices: either be absolutely careful or, like myself, absolutely careless...then your body gets used to it and you'll be immune!
74
You're bring up the hygiene hypothesis, where the more microbes you are exposed to the healthier you. While it does seem like a promising hypothesis, the verdict is still out on whether it's true or not and it looks like it's true in only some senses. Using alcoholic hand sanitizer is still always better for your health than not using any hand sanitizer.
3
I hope no one else eats food that you have handled or prepared. Your attitude is dangerous to anyone else who might not suspect that you don't wash your hands.
15
Terrific article. Thank you!
17
What I find interesting in this article is how raw and undercooked meats, fish, eggs, and dairy are barely mentioned except briefly in the context of eating outside the home. Yet these animal foods commonly contain deadly bacteria such as salmonella, C jejuni, E- coli, and Listeria. A study published in the Guardian (5.28.15) showed that "Nearly three-quarters of fresh chickens in supermarkets and butchers are contaminated with the potentially lethal food-poisoning bug campylobacter, according to the final results of a year-long testing programme published by the Food Standards Agency."
91
I thought the same thing.
5
I've learned over the years to avoid certain foods because the additives in them give a headache that reminds me of the Big Bang. This Big Bang headaches usually lasts about 3 days. I don't know if it's a realistic worry or not but I do tend to avoid buying food from street vendors. I worry about what can "drop" from the sky.
7
This happens to all of us at least once a year? Hmmm, news to me.
225
Likewise. I suspect the underlying culprit is a system weakened by exposure to medication. We have become conditioned to thinking that drugs are an essential part of everyday life (in place of living healthily) but we haven't yet factored in all of their damaging longer term side effects. For example, how many people take proton pump inhibitors for reflux, blithely unaware of the growing evidence of a longer term link to dementia (as well as a host of other potential side effects?) And once you're on PPIs it becomes very hard to come off them. A healthy, medication-free person doesn't get stomach upsets. Their digestive system is robust enough to deal with foreign bugs, stress and the like. But humanity is gradually losing this knowledge. Thanks to the drug companies we think ill health is normal and something to be carefully managed through appropriate medication.
66
"A healthy, medication-free person doesn't get stomach upsets. "
That is absolute nonsense.
That is absolute nonsense.
36
if there are kids in daycare. I was reminded of this after my grandkids went into daycare and the same thing happened, several times. . they are now trained and things are back to normal gastronomically.
2
After reading all the ways to feel bad I'll just quit eating.
85
But Jim, if you stop eating, then the terrorists will have won!
106
"The terrorists will have won!" This is great. I was cracking up reading your comment. I needed this after reading about Trump's Tweets. Thanks.
8
That's awesome, WhoZher. Were you a writer for The Big Sick? V funny.
After a severe bout, I searched in vain for safe foods that would stop the diarrhea. My PCP was no help, and a Google search resulted in a plethora of personal suggestions none of which has helped me. I will try "dry crackers + ginger ale."
22
Have been eating saltines and ginger ale for stomach trouble for decades. Only thing that works in my opinion.
32
I've skipped the ginger ale and eaten dry crackers and plain yogurt.
11
BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. It's the standard diarrhea diet.
42
Ah, the old Greeks had it right, the closing comments remind me to some degree of the verb "splagchnizomai," gut wrenching emotion(compassion).
15
FODMAP rocked my world! Until I put this food plan into action, I could not regulate my bowels or stomach after surgery-induced gastroparesis. I had never heard of it before and though it seems counter intuitive at first it can give you your freedom back. Or at least some semblance of normalcy.
28
Freud said people with higher income think more about the long-term consequences of habits.
25
And modern social science has confirmed this correlation many times.
6
Yes, Peter, and Freud said it while smoking his favorite cigar.
8
Thank you for spelling out the different time lines and probably causes for various stomach bugs. In the past 5 years, my husband and I have encountered more horrendous stomach issues relating to food consumption than in all of our 30 years of marriage. Each episode resulted from food prepared by someone other than myself, i.e., restaurant, grocery store, etc. Neither of us have ever became ill from meals I prepared at home. Coincidence? Perhaps. All we know is that the tremendous pain, unpleasantness and total exhaustion that comes from "sweating from crippling cramps . . . vomiting and diarrhea, fearing we won’t live to see another day" is so severe, we only dine out these days on very special occasions.
84
Totally agree with you. We stopped ordering take-out and going to restaurants to save money during the recession. Lo and behold, the stomach flus vanished at the same time. A total win-win.
9
The symptoms you describe sounds more like cyclic vomiting syndrome (CSV).
That's important information everyone should know!
31
Or it just could be a specific food allergy. Mine is bell peppers. The effect is like a 12 hour bad stomach flu and comes on within a half hour or so of ingestion. When I was younger they were not so common in restaurant food. Now chefs everywhere have discovered that using them adds both color and a mild, pleasant flavor without adding much in the way of calories. So I have to ask often about their presence. It is particularly difficult when dealing in ESL here in Queens. The funny thing is jalapenos, habaneros and chilies are fine for me.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Thanks for letting me vent.
88
I wonder if the capsaicin in the chilis is what keeps them from bothering you?
3
Bell peppers are my nemesis, too. They used to be somewhat easy to avoid but recently I've had to become that annoying person who sends the server back to the kitchen to get the full list of ingredients.
18
Cukes do it for me. I'm told it's the seeds in them rather than the outer skin, and that English cucumbers are a safer bet for whatever reason.
2