Now Meat's on the Hot Seat

Before we even have a chance to figure out what caused the salmonella breach a new food safety threat surfaces. This time it's deli meat and listeria bacteria. To be honest, this one concerns me more than the salmonella. Why - because the nature of the bacteria and the fact that it found a home on food that is not designed to be cooked prior to consumption, i.e. deli meat, salads, soft cheese.

This week USDA issued a Class 1 recall which means it is a "health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." Know that there have been no reports of illness by those who ate the deli meat. Healthy people rarely contract listeria. It is the immune compromised folks that have to take precautions. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

Those at risk (HIV, pregnant women, persons undergoing chemotherapy) should:

• avoid hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna unless it is cooked just prior to eating
• ready-to-eat meat spreads
• smoked seafood
• store-made salads such as chicken, tuna, egg or seafood.
• soft cheeses and unpasteurized milk
• keep refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees

Food safety is an issue that is only going to get more attention in the coming years as we depend on a global economy for our food. The best advice is to be aware of appropriate food preparation techniques, practice good hygiene and take care of ready-to-eat food quickly. Simply put be clean and careful when dealing with food.

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Keeping Food Safe

Once again the headlines are full of food recalls and warnings about the safety of our food supply. Do you need to be worried? That depends... Here's the low down. Salmonella is a bacteria found in the intestines of humans as well as other animals. We contract it by consuming foods that have come into contact animal feces. It doesn't look or smell like spoiled food.


Let me say that again - salmonella infection does not cause food to smell or look spoiled. There are bacteria that smell bad (and spoil food) and there are bacteria which make us sick. They are not the same. Two things need to happen before we get sick from salmonella - the bacteria has to be present AND the infected food is not cooked sufficiently to kill the bacteria. That's right salmonella bacteria dies when cooked to a high enough temperature.

Beef, poultry, milk and EGGS are common sources but you can get a salmonella infection from any food, including vegetables. The food can be infected by people who have not washed their hands after using the bathroom or handled infected food. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) report 40,000 cases annually. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within 72 hours. Most people feel symptoms and recover without treatment. But sometimes it spreads to the bloodstream and throughout the body at which point it can be fatal if untreated.

The best way to treat is prevention - follow these tips:

• Cook food thoroughly. Conversely, don't eat or drink anything that contains raw eggs or unpasteurized milk.
• When eating out, return undercooked food
• Wash hands, utensils and kitchen surfaces with soap and water after they have had contact with raw food.
• Always wash hands after handling animals or babies' diapers
• Cross contamination occurs when raw food comes in contact with cooked food or foods that are consumed without cooking (fruit, vegetables etc). Contamination can also be transferred by utensils or surfaces that have had contact.
• Clean, Clean, Clean - EVERYTHING!

Be clean and careful and keep food enjoyable.

Happy, Healthy Eating

Marcia

Reasons or Excuses

The other day CNN had a story on why women can't lose weight. Is this the answer we've been looking for to explain why we are losing the weight battle or just another excuse for not doing what needs to be done to improve our health status? Here's what they said and my take on it:

• "Sluggish Thyroid" - disrupts metabolism resulting in the body using less calories. The report cited a figure of as many as 10% of the adult population having issues with their thyroid. OK, maybe but two questions come to mind...

1. Folks that test low in terms of thyroid activity are treated with medication bringing up the metabolism to normal levels and

2. Health professionals would welcome obesity levels reported at 10% of the population. With levels well over 30% thyroid activity clearly is not the reason.


Hormone Problems - The article cited 1 in 10 women having a condition which causes ovulation problems that among other things lead to insulin resistance which can result in fat storage. Again that's at the most 10% no where near where the obesity levels are currently. Again, simple blood tests reveal how well the blood sugar/insulin regulation works. Insulin levels are check each time blood is taken.

Food Troublemakers - The foods referred to here are those for which certain folks are intolerant or allergic. If that's the case then those foods are avoided by those people. The temporary bloating or discomfort is resolved when the offending food is eliminated which it almost always is. This is not an issue in weight loss or gain which results from balancing calories in with calories out over time.


Medications - Side effects of certain drugs include water retention. These effects are well publisized and temporary. Again, weight maintence occurs over time by balancing intake and output.


Many of us are constantly on the lookout for a reason why we seem unable to do what we know we need to do. Chief among them is finding an excuse for why we are larger or less active than we know we need to be. Pounds are dropped by eating less and moving more. Granted, this is easier for some than for others but like anything else worth having it is worth it!


Learn to enjoy eating healthy and activities that involve movement. It works and it's fun!


Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Food - The Ultimate Cross-Cultural Tool

I grew up in the 60's. While it was a time of unprecedented upheaval in urban areas, it was also a time when tolerance was being learned in all kinds of ways. While in high school, one of my best friends and I did some volunteer work for the local YMCA. One of the projects we led was a cross-cultural experience with inner city youth. My friend (who happened to be Japanese American) and I grew to love these "kids" so much that we invited them to my parents' home for an overnight in the back yard complete with tents and sleeping bags, fire flies and s'mores. Everyone, including my brothers and parents, had a wonderful time! We learned much from each other not the least of which was that we were all people who liked having fun.


Fast forward 40+ years and what have we discovered? Food has become the universal leveler that brings people together. Most of us like to explore new flavors, textures and ways of eating. Some of us want to find out about the background from which these foods developed. What better way to find out about the people and culture that creates these foods.


Think about the foods that have a place on our table about which our mothers never knew let alone ate. Tortillas hold a permanent place in my refrigerator and find their way to my table weekly along with guacamole. Feta cheese and Greek olives are frequent salad toppers and I'm never without curry in the cupboard or salsa in the refrigerator. As a young child, my son's favorite fruit was kiwi. These are foods of which my mother was completely unaware until she was well into her sixties. They also tell us about the people from the food's country of origin and we begin to make connections with them.


Continue to experiment with ethnic foods and learn about the people who grew up eating them. As we become more familiar with the food, we'll become more tolerant of the people. As people, we all love food. Exploit that trait and extend our ability to be inclusive.


Bon Appetit!

Marcia

Summertime Coolers

Keeping our bodies hydrated is of special concern in the summer. When temperatures rise it becomes more of a challenge to drink enought fluid to replenish what is lost through evaporation, and a lot of water evaporates through the skin. It is the way the body keeps us from burning up.

Water is best but many of us often want something more. You can begin by crossing caffeine and alcohol containing drinks off the list. Both caffeine and alcohol can contribute to dehydration. Beverages that combine fruit juice, water - sparkling or otherwise, and other flavorings can contribute to the daily nutrition profile in addition to keeping our kidneys happy!

Want something sweet and fruitie? Here's an easy one - Use 64 ounces each of cranberry juice and orange juice. Pour one of them into ice cube trays and freeze them. Chill the other in the refrigerator. When juice in trays is frozen, place in large pitcher and pour in other juice. Great for gardening or play breaks on a hot afternoon. Here's another simple, quick idea for summertime water breaks - cut full strength juice with sparkling or seltzer water. Choose whatever juice you like - orange, grapefruit, grape, cranberry or any combination. Add some citrus wedges for fun. Keep well hydrated and love it.

Happy, Healthy Eating and Drinking,

Marcia

Food at the Fair

Going to the fair is a summertime ritual for many of us. One of the biggest attractions to the fair is the many different types of foods we can get. My favorite "fair food" is funnelcakes. The county fair is the only time I have one and I never leave the fair without one!

On the increase during summer months, foodborne illness often joins fairgoers as uninvited guests. Why at the fair? Cooking and eating outdoors means that the usual safety controls that a kitchen provides like refrigeration, washing facilities and controlled cooking may not be available. Safe cooking, eating and drinking experiences are easy by following a few simple tips. Believe it or not they are the same practices that are recommended to keep food safe at home just keeping the increased limitations imposed by the lack of facilities in mind - CLEAN - Wash hands and surfaces often; SEPARATE - Don't cross-contaminate, change or clean equipment when changing food; COOK - to right temperature and CHILL - refrigerate or put on ice quickly or keep stored in insulated bag

As a food fair consumer look at the vendor...

• Is the workstation clean?
• Is there a sink available for employees to wash their hands
• Do they wear gloves or use tongs when handling food
• Is there refrigeration on site?
• Are inspections completed and available for viewing?

Other issues you can consider are whether there are healthier options available? Also, there is always the option of bringing food from home which helps the pocketbook as well as allows you to control what's in the food. That being the case, be sure that food can be kept cold by bringing it in a cooler or insulated bag.

Going to the Fair? Have a great time and as always enjoy the fun, food and festivities. Just keep it all in balence and remeber that all of life is full of individual choices.

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia