Health And Food Safety In Hot Weather

The issues of food and health safety are becoming very important in hot summer weather. As temperature outside is rising, a great environment for growth and development of various bacteria and microorganisms is being formed. Summer weather imposes our health to numerous risks, including dehydration, heat stroke, sunburn, or suffering from food poisoning. These risks can bring to very serious consequences, that is why health and food safety concerns are especially topical in summer. Go on reading to learn more about health risks in summer, as well as about hot weather food tips and ideas.

Summer is the time for vacation, traveling, picnics, other numerous thrilling and amazing outdoor activities. A great deal of people love summer season, but it is necessary to always remember about food and health safety in summer. There are three major health risks we all are exposed to in hot weather:

• Dehydration. This is the condition when our body loses great amounts of water and certain nutrients. As a result, the function of brain, kidneys, liver, and other important body systems and organs can be put to danger. The most common signs of dehydration include extreme thirst, increased heart rate, confusion, feeling dizzy, nausea, and others.
• Heat stroke. It is sometimes liked to dehydration and can be a result of it. On very hot days, we sweat and our sweat keeps our skin cool, protecting our body from harmful effects of sunlight and heat. However, prolonged exposure to sun and heat causes dehydration and slowed down ability to sweat, this way making our body temperature rise and causing heat stroke. The symptoms of heat stroke include dizziness, headache, exhaustion, muscle cramps, and so on. This condition is very serious and those who are supposedly suffering from a heat stroke should be sent to a hospital when the diagnosis is confirmed.
• Skin burning. This is quite a common skin condition which is usually caused by prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. As a result, skin gets damaged. Usually, the first signs include skin becoming painful, sensitive, red, possibly a little itchy. More serious conditions are linked to swellings, burns, as well as increased risks of skin cancer and speed up skin aging.

Staying safe in summer, regardless of where you are: enjoying your vacation at the beach, having some healthy vacation time in the mountains, working in your garden or just kicking back in front of your TV, is vital for all of us. Remember that learning as much as possible about health and food safety in hot weather is the best way to reduce the risks for you, your family and your friends.

When thinking about food and health safety in summer season, it is necessary to use common sense and follow very easy guidelines regarding to food choosing, transporting and preserving. The effects of hot summer weather and leaving our foods out for some time causes our foods get broken, and it is usually not easy to feel dangerous bacteria, especially on early stages of the invasion. Below, there are some hot weather food tips for everyone of is concerned for own health and food safety, especially in hot weather.

• When it is too hot and you do not want to use a stove or oven, go for fresh vegetable salads with tuna fish, olives, eggs, seafood, or pasta, with come olive oil and lemon juice. Also, using fruit salad can be a good idea, you can enrich it with some cottage cheese, nuts, herbs, or seeds.
• Try to decrease the time for strong meat even in the fridge, or better buy meat or poultry right before cooking it.
• Keep cooked and row meat (and other foods) separate, when storing and during the cooking process.
• Also, avoid buying cooked meat from unknown sellers because improperly cooked meat gets broken very fast, especially in hot weather (sometimes, just 30-40 minutes can be enough for improperly cooked meat turning into a terrible source of bacteria and toxins).
• If you rather go for buying prepared meals but still think about health and food safety of yours and your family, avoid buying salads, pizzas and other ready meals with sauces like mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and others.
• Be especially careful when buying dairy products as a great share of food poisoning cases is caused by consuming bad yogurts, milk shakes, etc. Experts say that dairy products are one of the best types of environment for pathogenic bacteria growth.
• Be very careful when buying and storing eggs in summer season as this natural food starts to rotten very fast in hot temperatures. Summer is the season when it is very easy to buy stale eggs in most of our markets and stores. Always store your eggs in the fridge, preferably in a closed container.
• Always use coolers when transporting your meals to picnic or other places. Do not forget to keep cooler lids always closed.
• In summer season, wash your hands, dishes, cutting boards, other kitchenware, counter, kitchen towels and cloths, more often and more thoroughly.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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