• A depiction of the word "food"food image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
  
  Eating a great meal, especially with friends or family, can be a wonderful experience -- unless you discover later that you unwittingly ate contaminated food that has given you a case of food poisoning. The signs and symptoms of minor food poisoning might easily be mistaken for a bout of stomach flu. But if your illness develops very suddenly, there is a good chance that food poisoning is the culprit.
  
  

Headache, Vomiting, Cramps

• Food poisoning makes its presence known in a variety of ways, depending on exactly which bacteria or virus contaminated the food. Once you have eaten tainted food, some of the most common symptoms of food poisoning include headache, stomach cramps, headache and vomiting. You might also experience watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever and fatigue. Your discomfort could last from one to 10 days.
  
  

Treatment of Food Poisoning

• Drink water to help treat food poisoning.water image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
  
  For minor cases of food poisoning, it is important to stay hydrated. Try to drink mostly water and beverages that are specifically meant to hydrate you. Some drinks, such as fruit juices or soda pop, can be consumed in moderation, but they lack the electrolytes you will need. Eat your usual diet, if possible, but stay away from fatty, sugary or spicy foods. See a doctor if you experience any severe or long-lasting symptoms. These include vomiting blood, being unable to keep liquids down for more than 24 hours or having an oral temperature that exceeds 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Food poisoning can sometimes be fatal.
  
  

Avoiding Food Poisoning

• Wash hands often to avoid food poisoning.washing hands image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com
  
  To prevent food poisoning, anyone who prepares food must follow certain precautions. The key is to keep your hands clean. Wash them before handling food. Wash them again immediately after you cough, blow your nose, use the restroom or touch raw meat, eggs, poultry or seafood. Use plastic cutting boards, instead of wooden ones, to chop raw meat, poultry or fish. Give produce a thorough scrubbing before you eat it, and make sure that eggs, poultry and meat are cooked all the way through.