Charcoal for Food Poisoning (not a post for the weak of stomach)

On Monday I drank a big glass of carrot juice that had been open in our fridge a tad too long (but still within its doom date.) Tuesday morning I felt little tiny waves of nausea during yoga class that were so distant I actually thought the yoga was just releasing old toxins or something. Then as the day progressed the waves of nausea got more intense and persistent until finally by early afternoon I was lying on the bed with my cell phone, calling my husband to come home and pick up the kids. His timing was truly impeccable, on a side note, so much so that as sick as I was I couldn’t help marveling at it. Just as I felt I could no longer move as the pain was reaching fever pitch I heard him come in the door and walk back to our room where I said one word, “bowl!” He ran to the kitchen, grabbed a huge mixing bowl, ran back and put it under me JUST in time. Fascinating. Anyway, after throwing up the first time I asked him to get charcoal because I was pretty sure it was food poisoning. He needed to get the kids first so it took awhile and by the time he brought me the tablets I was in the extremes of pain again. I took a tablet despite knowing I really couldn’t hold anything down at that moment, and sure enough it made me throw up in less than thirty seconds, which actually was a good thing. Everyone feels better afterwards. Then I took another tablet hoping my stomach could hold it long enough to soak up some toxins, and it seemed to help because I only threw up one more time after taking it. I was able to fall asleep for hours and start mending. I always wonder who the first person was who looked at charcoal and thought, “hm, maybe I’ll ingest that.” But then again there are a lot of things like that~ such as salt. Anyway, as inhospitable as it sounds, I’m keeping charcoal around for future food poisoning issues. Not much can help stomach issues so having anything in the cupboard helps. That and having ginger around. And keeping track of how old the food and juice in the fridge is.