FOOD POISONING

Introduction:

Food poisoning is an acute gastroenteritis caused by the consumption of a food material or a drink which contains the pathogenic micro organism or their toxins or poisonous chemicals.Food poisoning is common in hostels,hotels,communal feedings, and festivel seasons.

A group of persons will be affected with same type of symptoms ,and they give a history of consumption of a common food before few hours.

Types of food poisoning

1) Bacterial food poisoning:

Here the micro organisms called bacteria are responsible.The food material may contain the pathogenic bacteriae or their toxin and will be ingested along with the food.

2) Non bacterial food poisoning:

Due to the presence of toxic chemicals like fertilizers,insectisides,heavy metals and ect.

Since bacterial food poisoning is common it is discussed here.

Bacterial food poisoning:

All bacteria are not harmful.There are some pathogenic bacteria which secrete toxins and cause clinical manifestations.These organisms enter the human body through food articles or drinks.

How food poisoning occures:

1) Presence of bacteria in the water.

2) The raw materials for the food may contain toxins.

3) Premises where the food is prepared may contain micro organisms or toxins.

4) Food handlers may have some infectious diseases.

5) Some animals like dogs,rats may contaminate the food.

6) If prepared food is kept in the room temperature for a long time and heated again can make a chance for food poisoning.

7) Purposely some body mixing toxins in the food.


Some common bacterial food poisonings.

1) Salmonella food poisoning:

There are three different varieties of salmonella bacteria.(salmonella typhimurium,salmonella cholera suis,salmonella enteritidis) These bacteria are present in milk, milk products and eggs.  Symptoms of this food poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.  Fever is also common.

2) Botulism:

This is the dangerous type of food poisoning caused by clostridium botulinum.   The spores of these organisms are seen in the soil and enters the human body through pickles and canned fish ect.Compared to other food poisonings here vomiting and diarrhoea are rare Mainly the nervous system is affected.The symptoms starts with double vision,numbness with weakness.Later there will be paralysis with cardiac and respiratory failure ending in death.

3) Staphylococcal food poisoning:

It is caused by staphylo coccus aureus. These organisms usually cause skin troubles like boils and eruptions.It causes mastitis in cow.Through the milk and milk products it enders and causes gastroenteritis.There will be vomiting,abdominal cramps with diarrhoea.

4) Closteridium food poisoning:

This is caused by closteridium perfringens.They are present in stool,soil and water. They enter the body through,meat,meat dishes and egg ect.If food articles are cooked and kept in room temperature for a long time and heated again before eating can result this food poisoning.Symptoms include vomiting ,diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

5) Bacillus cereus:

The spores of these organisms can survive cooking and causes enteritis.  Diarrhoea and vomiting is common in this infection.


How to investigate food poisoning?

1) Examine each and every person affected.

2) Water sample should be tested.

3) Kitchen, store room and food samples should be examined.

4) The cook and food handlers should be questioned and examined.

5) Samples of vomitus and stool of all victims should be tested to identify the bacteria.


How to prevent food poisoning:-

1) Only purified water should be used.

2) Hygiene should be maintained by all persons keeping contact with food.

3) Workers should use masks, cap and gloves during cooking and serving.

4) Sick individuals should not come in contact with food materials.

5) Kitchen and premises should be neat and clean.

5) Vessels should be washed with soap and hot water.

6) Should not keep the prepared food for a long time in room temperature.

7) All food materials should be kept in closed containers.

8) Animals like dog, cat, rat ect should not come in contact with food materials.

9) Vegetables should be washed before cooking.

10) Meat should be fresh and should be purchased from recognised slaughter house.





by: noureddine :  Source : food knowledge 

Seven healthy habits to begin in the new year

 
Now that this long holiday season is over, it’s time to review our resolutions or contemplate how we should begin working toward changing our bad health habits into good ones. If you haven’t made any resolutions yet, or if you’re questioning the integrity of what you’ve considered, here are seven suggestions (with subdivisions).


(1) Are you eating meat? Try eating less. But when you do, make sure it’s from humanely treated grass fed livestock and not factory farms that use CAFO (confined animal feeding operations). The higher prices may slow down your meat consumption, which is not a bad thing.
You won’t be supporting the animal cruelty of factory farming. And you won’t be eating unhealthy meat products from livestock fed GMO grains instead of grazing on grass, injected with hormones to make them fatter faster, and antibiotics to contain the infectious diseases fermenting in the filth of their miserable, confined quarters.
(2) Eat more organic fruits and vegetables, especially greens. Eat raw sometimes; steam lightly when you cook. When you eat, chew more, talk less, and don’t stress. Practice this until it becomes a habit. Consider adding enzyme supplements to aid digestion.
(3) Buy a masticating juicer and juice one to three times a week. Then try an occasional juice fast of three days or more. Another option is to juice fast once a week often.
(4) Avoid packaged and processed foods. Buy bulk produce and grains and breads from trusted bakeries that don’t use bromide in the baking process. Avoid the “convenience” of drive-throughs.
Keep some raw nuts and dried fruits or trail mix and fresh fruit in your car instead. Stay away from aspartame laced products, such as diet sodas and chewing gum.
(5) Realize that gut health includes but goes beyond digestion, which is important. Intestinal flora also controls most of your immune system response and affects your moods.
Learn how to make fermented foods and beverages that will enhance your intestinal flora’s beneficial bacteria. At least invest in a good probiotic supplement.
Add more magnesium to your diet with foods and supplements. Westerners are magnesium deficient while taking in too much calcium. That’s a ratio for disaster in many ways for many organs. Magnesium is the master mineral involved in over 300 metabolic functions.
Ignore the fats are bad for you scam. Learn which fats are healthy and the importance of omega-3 fats. You need to balance those omega-6 fats with omega-3 fats. Our brain tissues are mostly fats, so is the myelin sheathing of our nerves that helps transmit impulses easily. Without cholesterol our bodies can’t begin to convert sunlight to vitamin D3.
(6) Don’t use toxic household cleaners and cosmetics. If you live in an area that fluoridates tap water, don’t drink that toxic stuff. If you can’t afford your own reverse-osmosis system, grab some large containers and fill up cheaply from machines in almost any food store that use both carbon filtering and reverse osmosis.
(7) Everybody talks about exercising more each new year. But this time consider a type of exercise that gives you more energy instead of wearing yourself out. Hatha yoga, chi-gong, tai-chi, rebounding, and walking outdoors in nature are energizing and regenerative. Meditation may lead to more and more benefits mentally, spiritually, and even physically.
If you’re concerned about being isolated as a health nut or food elitist after some of this, try getting involved with a local community activity, such as a Weston A. Price Foundation regional chapter, or activist group campaigning against fluoridation or GMOs.

source ;   http://www.naturalnews.com/022101_red_meat_factory_farms.html