Throwing up to expel foods or substances that are causing you discomfort can provide welcome relief. You should however only induce vomiting as a last resort, and only in certain situations such as over indulging in too much food or alcohol, or after ingesting food that has been contaminated, or the ingestion of non-corrosive substances. Vomiting is a natural mechanism the body makes use of for eliminating toxins and substances which are causing discomfort or illness, but you should induce vomiting carefully as it could be harmful if done incorrectly.
There are several ways to throw up listed below, which are not to be used as methods for weight loss. Making yourself throw up because of feelings of guilt about what you have eaten or to lose weight is a serious health risk. These methods should also not be used by children.
When to induce vomiting?
- If you have overindulged or in the event of food poisoning.
- If you have ingested non-corrosive substances, such as pills.
When NOT to make yourself throw up
You might want to make yourself throw up in the event of swallowing a poisonous or harmful substance, but it’s difficult to eliminate the substance out of your system just by inducing vomiting.
Don’t throw up if you ingested:
- Corrosive chemicals or poison.
- Frothing substances such as soap, shampoo and detergents. These can aspirate into the lungs and airways when attempting to throw up, which is dangerous.
- Sharp or solid objects such as toys, coins, or buttons. These could get stuck or injure the throat or airways.
- Caustic liquids such as pesticides or bleach. Attempting to vomit caustic substances will further aggravate the chemical burning in the mouth, throat, and esophagus.
- Hydrocarbon products such as kerosene, gasoline, and lamp oil. These can aspirate into the lungs and airways when attempting to throw up, causing further injury.
- Do NOT throw up to lose weight. This can result in to serious eating disorders such as bulimia and lead to other health issues.
In any of the above instances, you should only induce vomiting if a medical professional instructs you to do so with clear instructions on how it’s safely done.
In the event that you have ingested a poisonous substance, the poison control center should be called immediately at 800-222-1222.
Ways to make yourself throw up
1. How to make yourself throw up with your finger
Sticking your finger down your throat to induce vomiting is the most traditional and common method. All you need to do is place the finger at the back of your tongue, which will trigger the gag reflex. As soon as you start to gag, remove the finger immediately from the mouth. Here are some useful tips when making use of the fingers to induce vomiting:
- Make sure the nails are cut to avoid scratching the throat.
- Wash the fingers before inserting them into the mouth.
- Kneel down when throwing so as not to place stress on the abdominal area.
- Remove the fingers immediately as soon as you start to gag, and try again if unsuccessful.
- Make sure you wash the hands when finished vomiting.
2. How to make yourself throw up with a toothbrush
A toothbrush can be used much like the fingers are used for triggering a gag reflex to induce vomiting. An especially helpful method if the idea of sticking a finger down the throat is unappealing.
- Rub the bristles of a toothbrush on the back of your tongue until starting to gag.
3. How to make yourself throw up easily with warm salt water
Drinking a glass of warm salt is probably the easiest way to make yourself throw up. Making use of warm salt water to throw up is a tried and tested method to help induce vomiting.
- Warm a glass of water taking care not to make it too hot as it has to be drunk all at once.
- Add 2 – 4 teaspoons of Himalayan salt to the water, stirring it until completely dissolved.
- Gulp the entire mixture of salt and water down all at once.
- Drink about 4 – 5 glasses of plain water after drinking the salt water.
- Do not drink more of the salt water mixture if it’s ineffective
4. How to make yourself throw up easily with mustard
Mix 1 – 2 teaspoons of mustard in a glass of water and gulp the entire mixture down all at once. Mustard has natural emetic properties that help to induce vomiting .
Making the mustard mix:
- Warm a glass of water taking care not to make it too hot as it has to be drunk all at once.
- Add 1 tablespoon of mustard powder to the water, stirring it until completely dissolved.
- Gulp the entire mixture of mustard and water down all at once allowing it to settle for about 30 minutes.
- Do not drink more of the mustard mixture if it’s ineffective
5. How to throw up with egg whites
When you are feeling discomfort from nausea, the unpleasant taste and smell of raw egg whites can cause you to throw up almost immediately.
- Gargle with eggs whites after separating the whites from a couple of eggs.
