The Environmental Health Division of the Henry and Stark County Health Department notes that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “1 in 6 Americans contract foodborne diseases every year, affecting more people than the common cold.” But many of the symptoms of food poisoning mimic those of the garden-variety flu, sometimes leaving people to wonder if the cause was the food they ate or a virus they picked up along the way.
Despite the prevalence of foodborne illnesses, it can be hard to recognize them. Like people with the “stomach flu,” those with foodborne illness usually suffer from vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. According to the health department, “There’s no real easy way to distinguish between many types of foodborne illness and a flu bug, but with the flu, one might be more apt to see generalized aches and pains and just overall not feeling well.”
Foodborne illnesses are, by and large, illnesses that occur in close proximity to exposure. If a large number of people have the same symptoms at the same time, then the cause is most likely food poisoning. However, if people are ill at different times their symptoms are more likely to be flu-related, as it takes time to pass the virus from person to person.
Though most foodborne disease outbreaks don’t occur during the holidays (they occur most often in the summer), the holidays warrant special attention because certain foods and food practices popular during the season can increase the risk for foodborne illness.
The health department staff offers the following food safety suggestions:
● Clean: Wash hands and food -contact surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and countertops.
● Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate. Don’t let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Experts caution to keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
● Cook: Cook to proper temperatures. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
● Chill: Refrigerate promptly. Public health officials advise consumers to refrigerate foods quickly because rapid cooling to 41 degrees slows the growth of harmful bacteria. Refrigerators should be set at 41 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at 0 degrees, and the accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.
Easy to remember is the traditional advice which is: “ Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.”
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one.
The health department is urging residents to take part in the Great American Smokeout -Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 and let that be the day to start your journey toward a smoke-free life. Participants will be joining thousands of people who smoke across the country in taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing your cancer risk.
More than 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. Smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths. And more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.
Quitting smoking improves health immediately and over the long term – at any age. Stopping smoking is hard, but you can increase your chances of success with help. Getting help through counseling and medications doubles or even triples your chances of quitting successfully.
For more information about the health department’s Illinois Smoke Free Illinois Act activities, or for “No Smoking” signs or “window clings” for your business, call 309-852-0197 ext. 249.
The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare are raising awareness that November has been designated as National Diabetes Awareness Month. Nearly 26 million children and adults have diabetes and an additional 79 million are at-risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.
The health department and First Choice Healthcare, along with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), want residents to know the risk factors and symptoms associated with diabetes; as well as, its serious and life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputation.
Therefore, they are reminding area residents that our First Choice Healthcare family nurse practitioners can help with the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes. And for diagnosed diabetics, the department announces they will offer the Hemoglobin A1C Blood Test (for Diagnosed Diabetics with a Doctor’s Order) at a special price of $30 for the month of November. Testing is available through their clinics in Kewanee 309-852-5272; Colona 309- 792-4011; and Toulon 309-852-3115.
If you are over age 45, talk with your health care provider about being tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight or have family members with the condition.
