It is never nice to eat something that makes you ill, and hopefully while at your client's, you never will do this. 

However, once out and about you may well eat something that either has not been handled correctly or has been assembled with a poor product. 

Either way, you may succumb to a bout of (hopefully mild) food poisoning.

Symptoms include:

- Stomach cramps

- High temperature and shivering spells

- Nausea

- Diarrhoea

- Vomiting

- A general feeling of not being well

Symptoms can start within a few hours or even days of eating anything contaminated.

Often food poisoning improves by itself and with no treatment in about 48 hours but in the meantime, there are some things you can do to make your life a little less miserable.

- Stop eating and drinking for a few hours. This will give your stomach time to settle after getting rid of the contents.

- Drink water, suck on ice chips, drink clear soda or noncaffeinated sports drinks. For severe dehydration, you may try rehydration solutions. You will know if you are dehydrated if your urine is dark orange.

- Probiotics are good. Look for probiotic yoghurt, preferably with no added preservatives or ingredients.

- Switch to bland foods that are easy to digest. Bananas, rice, crackers, and toast will all be acceptable. Stop if you start to feel ill again. 

- Avoid some foods until you are well again. Fatty and highly seasoned foods, along with caffeine will irritate your stomach so are best avoided for a few days.

- Rest when you can. Dehydration and illness can and will tire you out so take any opportunity to lie down or simply sit still for a while.

Call the doctor – if you cannot keep any food down after 24 hours, if you continue to have stomach cramps or if your symptoms do not drastically change within that time.

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