Making good health food choices can help prevent an unnecessary hospitalization. According to the CDC “48 million illnesses and 128,000 hospitalizations and 3000 deaths occur from foodborne pathogens” https://www.cdc.gov/ . Since food sources are coming from around the globe, this increases the number of pathogens that can make it inside our homes. We must be careful to wash food thoroughly eating and cooking.

Who’s at risk? If you are older than 65 you could be at risk because:

• the intestine holds food longer which can allow for bacteria to grow
• Liver and kidneys function at lower levels
• Bacteria producing acids may not be produced as fast
• As well as additional chronic conditions that effect health

Here are some recommendations:

• Don’t eat raw food.
• Make sure instructions are followed when cooking any product especially with flour.
• Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly
• Rinse all fruit and vegetables.
• Refrigerate your foods as soon as you get back from the market.
• Make sure your freezer is below 0 degrees.
• Do not defrost foods at room temperature. Use the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave then cook after thawed.
• Also make sure you eat the food before expiration date. Food Safety For Older Adults and People With Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Auto-Immune Diseases (fda.gov)

We recently went on a trip with a group of friends and close to our hotel was a local restaurant where went to have dinner. Several of us had shrimp and after a few hours we felt sick to our stomach. This is not a pleasant feeling, and I am sure some of you may have had a similar experience. We can’t control how restaurants prepare food, but this is a example why properly preparing and handling food can have safe and healthy outcomes.

Our caregivers are trained on safe handling of food and its preparation. Make sure your loved ones stay safe this summer with healthy freshly prepared food! See our website: www.sunlifehomecare.com