BOISE, Idaho — It’s tailgate season, and that means lots of finger food sitting out in the hot sun of early autumn.
It’s Wellness Wednesday, where we’re healthier together, and today we’re looking at how to avoid that nasty stomach bug this fall.
WATCH: Avoid food poisoning this tailgate season
When you chow down at a lovely fall tailgate, you may not consider the risk of ingesting bacteria from a plate of nachos sitting in the hot sun.
But oh, is it there, and your stomach could pay the price for eating snacks that have been sitting outside a bit too long.
RELATED | How to control pain without turning to opioids
"Not only is it common and sort of, 'I feel lousy for a couple of days' and 'I’m sorry for using the bathroom so frequently," explains Dr. Daniel Meltzer, "But 130 thousand people a year actually get hospitalized [from food poisoning].”
Gastroenteritis — caused by something like Salmonella — is a nasty thing.
So take these precautions.
- Wash your hands and any fruits or veggies.
- Keep raw meat from contaminating other food.
- Cook all meat to the proper temperature.
- And don’t let perishable food sit out for more than two hours. Even less if it’s hot out.
And Dr. Meltzer explains the warning signs to watch for: “Consistent abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, fever. And changes in [the] bowels like blood or diarrhea, for example.”
Symptoms can happen suddenly or take weeks to present themselves, making food poisoning hard to track.
But if you suffer from persistent symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Typically, antibiotics can help a lot if what’s ailing you is bacterial.
For Wellness Wednesday, where we’re healthier together, I’m senior reporter Roland Beres, Idaho News 6.
