{"id":5436,"date":"2019-04-08T08:26:53","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T08:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=5436"},"modified":"2021-03-30T16:05:16","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T16:05:16","slug":"14-things-you-never-knew-about-listeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-things-you-never-knew-about-listeria\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Things You Never Knew About Listeria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Today, we are familiar with E.coli and salmonella, but you can get listeria as well. Listeria is a bacterium called listeria monocytes. Certain foods contain the bacteria, including hot dogs, deli meats whether it\u2019s over-the-counter or prepackaged, soft cheeses, and seafood that is smoked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Products that are made with unpasteurized or raw milk could have listeria in them. Most of the time healthy individuals won\u2019t have symptoms from eating food that contains the bacteria. If healthy individuals do have any symptoms, the symptoms are mild. They may not even pay any attention to the symptoms. If you have never had listeriosis, there are eight things you never knew about listeria. Once you know these eight things, you\u2019ll want to be extremely careful about how you purchase food the next time you go grocery shopping. As you will see that some people are more immune to getting the bacteria than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Pregnant women <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

have a higher risk of getting listeria<\/a>. They tend to eat different kinds of foods that could be contaminated. Pregnant women don\u2019t have a preference on what types of foods they eat or don\u2019t eat, especially if they\u2019re not watching what they put into their bodies. When pregnant women do get listeria, they can have a miscarriage, have a premature delivery, stillborn child, or the newborn could have life-threatening symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most pregnant women have flu-like symptoms when she gets listeria. It\u2019s important that pregnant women throw away expired food and not eat food that has been in the refrigerator for too long. Another good idea is to buy smaller portions so that you don\u2019t have to refrigerate it. Also, try to stay away from dairy products since that\u2019s where listeria lurks. To be on the safe side, pregnant women will do better by eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Store your food at a proper temperature in the refrigerator. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your refrigerator should be set to 40 degrees and the freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit. Food that is kept at the wrong temperature can still become contaminated with the listeria bacteria<\/a>. It\u2019s important when you store food in the refrigerator to place them in proper containers. If you just store food improperly in the refrigerator or freezer, the bacteria can grow on the food. If someone eats the food that contains the listeria bacteria, they will get sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is even worse for a pregnant woman. She has to be more careful about how she stores her food because she and the unborn child can get sick. To be on the safe side, if a food item hasn\u2019t been eaten in a day, just throw it away. As stated before, just cook what you know you will eat so you won\u2019t have to store anything in the freezer or refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Always wash your hands <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

when preparing food and before you eat to prevent any type of bacteria, such as listeria. Even when you go out to eat at a restaurant, always wash your hands before you eat your meal. It may even be a good idea to carry hand sanitizer <\/a>in your purse or pocket. That way you don\u2019t have to touch any additional areas that could be contaminated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When preparing food at home, you should wash your hands often. Most people just wipe their hands with a towel and keep on cooking, but your hands are not clean. Once you put your hands back onto the food, you\u2019re spreading more germs, which will spread to other people in the home that you\u2019re cooking for. Make sure that everyone in the home washes their hands before they eat as well. Use soap and hot water and dry off with a clean towel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Symptoms of listeria <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

are similar to having diarrhea<\/a>. Most people won\u2019t make a big deal out of having diarrhea because they may just take something over-the-counter to stop diarrhea. When you have listeria, the symptoms won\u2019t go away until you get treated for it. Some of the symptoms that you will have after getting diarrhea are fever, headache, loss of balance, and confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tylenol may help with the headache and fever, but listeria won\u2019t go away. You\u2019ll need to take antibiotics in order to get rid of the bacteria. If you don\u2019t get treatment for listeriosis right away, it can lead to death. Once you realize you have eaten some contaminated food, it\u2019s important to go seek medical help right away. If you know what caused you to get the bacteria, you can throw it away so that no one else in your home gets their hands on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Older adults <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

can catch listeriosis just as quick as pregnant women. Their immune system<\/a> isn\u2019t the same as it was when they were younger, so they have to be careful about what they put into their bodies. When preparing foods, most older adults don\u2019t wash their hands too often, but by doing this it could cause them to expose themselves to listeriosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of the times older adults are known for wiping their noses without washing their hands. If they happen to put their hands onto food and then into their mouth, they\u2019re allowing bacteria to get into their bodies. It is important older adults are aware of proper hygiene wherever they go. When they were younger, they could possibly go without washing their hands before cooking, but now as an older adult, their bodies are unable to fight off germs. It may be a good idea to use gloves when preparing food to be on the safe side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Individuals with weak immune systems <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

are prone to contracting listeria. Individuals with cancer<\/a>, kidney and liver disease, AIDS, and diabetics are at a higher risk of getting listeria. These individuals can have complications when they have bacteria. It\u2019s important that these individuals practice cleanliness at all times. No matter where they are at, everything around them needs to be clean. If someone else is preparing these individuals’ food, the person preparing it needs to be clean as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The food that these individuals eat needs to be fresh. They shouldn\u2019t eat food that has been left out on the table for too long, especially if there are others in the home that have to put their hands on the food. Another tip is to always eat cooked food. Bacteria tend to linger on raw foods. If you have to eat raw vegetables and fruit, wash them in hot water and make sure they\u2019re not rotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Listeria can cause death <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

even if you get treated for it. That\u2019s how dangerous the bacteria is. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to seek medical attention as soon as you know that you have it. The medical professional can give you antibiotics <\/a>to fight the bacteria. Most people who die from listeria are in high-risk groups, such as individuals with weak immune systems and pregnant women. As it was stated previously, cleanliness is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to not eat certain foods that could have listeria in them. For instance, if you want to eat a hot dog, make sure to cook it at 160 degrees before eating. Individuals who are in the high-risk group may not pay attention to the symptoms because they may think it\u2019s because of their condition. Only a medical professional can tell you exactly the reason for your symptoms. There is no need to guess if you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Prepare all of your food properly <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

is essential when trying to prevent listeria. When you prepare your food, wash it thoroughly in hot water. Even if the food has to be peeled, it still needs to be washed. Foods that are not cooked, need to be washed thoroughly to prevent listeria from spreading. Meats <\/a>should be cooked thoroughly as well. For instance, beef needs to be cooked at 145 degrees, whereas poultry should be at 165 degrees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the food is done, don\u2019t place it beside raw food. The raw food could contaminate it. Make sure you have separate dishes for raw and cooked food. Once the food is done, place the cooked food in its own dish. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching the raw food to prevent it from getting onto the food you just cooked. Another thing to remember is to keep your cooking area clean at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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