Page 6 - Christiana Care Focus June July 2018

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BBQ with confidence
Summer is prime time for picnics and barbecue, and the season tends to
be accompanied by a spike in food- borne illness. Whether they’re bacteria
producing toxins in your potato salad or norovirus hiding in the chicken, food-borne hazards are impossible to spot until it’s too late. Follow these tips to ensure your picnic doesn’t make you sick, said Jones:
• Thoroughlywashyourhands,cookingutensils and food serving items before and after meal preparation.
• Anything with dairy products like mayonnaise or eggs can become colonized by bacteria
that produce a sickening toxin. Keep these foods chilled in the refrigerator or cooler, even during a picnic. “When in doubt, throw it out,” said Jones.
• Cookmeatallthewaythrough,untilitisn’t raw in the middle. Use a meat thermometer to be sure.
• Antibacterialhandgel,especiallyforthefood preparer, is a good addition at any barbecue.
Getting heat-ready mAeans taking it slow
ugust is often the most dangerous month for heat-related
injuries in young athletes, some of whom chilled through the early summer inside air-conditioned spaces, Jones said. Many are suddenly thrust into heavy gear and hard training for their school
teams before their bodies are ready. The hazards for grown-ups are just as real, as a hot afternoon of working in the yard can turn into an emergency if you’re not careful.
It can take weeks to become accustomed to hot weather, during which time we are more vulnerable to heat illness, which can progress to heat stroke. If you’re planning to be active during the summertime, ease into it.
If you like to hit the asphalt, aim for shorter runs at first. If gardening is more your speed, go slow for your first few weeks.
Heat stroke is the culmination of untreated heat illness and
is a true medical emergency that can have mortality rates
above 50 percent, said Jones. But you’ll start feeling the symptoms of heat exhaustion before that happens. Signs include:
• Nausea with an urge to vomit. • Weakness and cramps.
• Faintness or dizziness.
“Heatstroke is ... a ‘true medical emergency’ that can have mortality rates above 50 percent.”
Linda Laskowski Jones, APRN, MS, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM, FAAN
Jones said preventing full-blown heatstroke means listening to your body and cooling off when you don’t feel right. Rest and cool down by drinking a cold beverage or using ice packs in the back of your neck, groin and armpits.
“Those who tough it out, try to blow through or ignore it are more likely to see their condition deteriorate,” she said. If you see someone who is in danger of heat stroke, especially if they show confusion, they need to be cooled off immediately.
Preventing heat stroke is partly about your clothes; light-colored, loose- fitting clothing is best. The tight, black pants that are popular among athletes are one of the worst things you can wear in the heat, she said.
Though not as serious as heat stroke, there are two related heat illnesses.
Heat cramps, typically in the legs, are usually caused by a lack of sodium and potassium, sometimes caused by drinking too much water.
“The best advice is to drink, but make sure you’re eating food like pretzels or bananas, so your body recovers the sodium and potassium it lost through sweat,” she said.
“Keep foods chilled.
When in doubt, throw it out.”
Linda Laskowski Jones, APRN, MS, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM,FAAN
4 CHRISTIANA CARE HEALTH SYSTEM