Carnival Salami

I got a text a few weeks ago, something to the effect of: “what do you take when you’ve eaten bad salami?” Apparently, the offending food was enjoyed by a young girl during a carnival and it did not settle well.

Foodborne illnesses are the 6th leading cause for ER visits in the summer (Temple ReadyCare 2021). Why? According to Food Poison Journal, put out by Marler Clark: Food Safety Law Firm, “Most food borne bacteria grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather is often hot and humid.” 

Makes sense to me.

Are carnivals to blame? Journal of Environmental Health (2015) says “group gatherings” resulted “in more hospitalizations than outbreaks associated with festivals.” I don't want to give fairs and festivals a bad wrap. Still, “carnival salami” just doesn’t sound like a good choice.

How can homeoapthy help when you take your chances on the carnival food?

Arsenicum album, that’s how. I have written previously about it’s helpful effects for traveler’s diarrhea. 

Homeopathic Arsenicum album is noted “mainly in cases of meat poisoning… which present with severe and violent symptoms” (Ratera 2016). Weakness and restlessness commonly accompany the bad stomach pains.

What else can help? Activated charcoal “may be the single most effective treatment in many types of poisoning” (Derlet and Albertson 1986).

Does that mean I don’t trust the Arsenicum album to do the job? Absolutely not. I have seen the wonderful (and fast!) effects of Arsenicum album on some pretty nasty food poisoning.

Then why even mention it?

Because I’m a big believer in using what works and what is safe, that’s why.

Activated charcoal scurries around and gathers up the noxious substance and helps usher it out of your body (Zellner et al. 2019).

​Better out than in.

Homeopathic Arsenicum album can help to keep the carnival fun to the Tilt-a-Whirl while avoiding the “I’m Gonna’ Hurl.”


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

---

Reference list

Derlet, R. W. and Albertson, T. E., 1986. Activated charcoal--past, present and future. The Western journal of medicine [online], 145 (4), 493–6. 

Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag.

Seattle, M. C. 1012 F. A. F. F. and Phone: 1-800-884-9840, W. 98104-1008, 2006. Foodborne illness peaks in summer - Why? [online]. Food Poison Journal.

Temple ReadyCare, 2021. 6 Reasons for Summer ER Visits and How to Avoid Common Injuries and Illness [online]. Temple Health.

Wilson, E., 2015. Foodborne illness and seasonality related to mobile food sources at festivals and group gatherings in the state of Georgia. Journal of Environmental Health [online], 77 (7), 8–11; quiz 54. 

Zellner, T., Prasa, D., Färber, E., Hoffmann-Walbeck, P., Genser, D. and Eyer, F., 2019. The use of activated charcoal to treat intoxications. Deutsches Aerzteblatt Online [online].