If you enjoy eating raw food such as a juicy slab of medium rare steak, then you should know about the dangers that this may pose. The raw food that you consume may just contain Escherichia coli (or simply E. coli). This strain of bacteria lives in your lower intestines, known as the gut flora, in your body and can cause you stomach pains and problems.
The presence of E. coli in your body can result in intestinal disorders such as diarrhea and gastroenteritis as well as extra-intestinal infections such as urinary tract infections and meningtitis. In the most severe case, death can result. This happens if the bacteria escape your intestinal tract through a perforation, such as an ulcer or a surgical error, into your abdomen.
It is not that you have to consume a whole lot of E. coli to feel their effects. Only a small amount is enough to make you feel awful. You would also find it hard to tell if your food contains E. coli as it does not turn its taste bad.
Since the bacteria are hardly visible, you may have just consumed them in the past. You cannot also be absolutely certain that you have none residing inside you right now. After all, you are surrounded by bacteria. And pollution and contamination is real. Can you guarantee that your food is always hygienically handled before cooking? If you eat out pretty frequently, then you are definitely at greater risk of bacteria or other parasites finding their way into your body.
So what happens if you have them and need to be treated? Medical doctors usually recommend a treatment with antibiotics. However, an antibiotic treatment may no longer be effective as recent strains of E. coli show that they are rapidly acquiring drug resistance. Studies now are also evaluating vaccines or possibly other drugs for treatment.
On the other hand, naturopathic doctors recommend a combination of botanicals, fiber, and probiotics to help your intestinal tract remove all pathogenic microorganisms.
Heating kills bacteria. Still, your food is best cooked just right so that it still retains its nutrition. Here are specific tips on preventing E. Coli from getting into your body:
1. Avoid eating in places that you know do not practice good hygiene.
2. Always wash your hands before eating and after toileting or diapering. This can help prevent many bacteria or parasite infections.
3. If your kids eat ground beef, it should be cooked fully.
4. Avoid eating eggs that are runny or half-cooked.
5. All raw fruits and vegetables need to be washed thoroughly before consuming as salads.
Sandra Kim Leong
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/the-dangers-of-ecoli-in-your-raw-food-119777.html