Digestive Health - Life Science - 11.20

Food-borne Illness (food poisoning)

  • Harmful bacteria enter the digestive system

  • can also be caused by viruses or parasites

How to Prevent them

  • eat and keep foods at the right temperatures; hot stays hot, cold stays cold

  • wash hands before eating or preparing foods

  • refrigerate leftovers with a tin foil

  • cook everything (especially meat) thrurowly

Examples of Bacteria

  • Salmonella

    • found in many undercooked or raw foods such as meat, dairy, and sea foods

  • campylobacter jejune

    • found in raw or undercooked chicken and unpasteurised milk

  • strains of E-coli

    • found in raw and/or undercooked hamburger, unpasteurised fruit juices and milk, and even fresh produce

  • Vibrio

    • contaminated Fish or shell-fish

  • Listeria

    • found in raw meats, unpasteurised milk, soft cheeses, ready to eat deli meals and hot dogs

Parasites

Parasites are tiny organisms living in other organisms and come in a variety of forms and species

Examples of Viruses

  • Norovirus

    • causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines→recent issues on cruise ships

  • Hepatitis A

    • causes inflammation of the liver→curated with rest and diet changes

  • Giardia

    • parasite spread through stool contaminated water

  • Trichinella

    • type of roundworm parasite

    • get infected through consuming raw or undercooked pork or wild game

Food allergies

  • immune system reacts to harmless foods or things as if they were harmful

  • almost 10% of children have allergies

  • common allergies include: milk, grains, shellfish, nuts and eggs

Common allergic reaction symptoms

  • tingling or itching in the mouth

  • hives, itching or eczema

  • swelling of lips, face, tongue, throat and/or other parts of the body

  • wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing

  • abnormal pain, diarrea, nausea, or vomiting

  • dizziness, light headedness, or loss of conciousness

Anaphylaxis

  • sever allergic reaction that can leave you in a coma or dead

  • very rare

Extreme Symptoms of Anaphylaxis

  • construction or tightening of the air way

  • a swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in the throat that makes it difficult to breathe

  • shock with a severe drop on the bp

  • rapid pulse

  • loss of conciousness

Food Intolerances

  • when the digestive system is unable to break down a certain food type

  • results in cramping, diarrhoea, tiredness and weight loss

  • lactose intolerance is an example

    • person does not make enough lactate (the enzymes that breaks down milk sugar(Lactose))→may be high as 75% in some populations, but overall only 10% of the world