Recalls

Oh Listeria, the thought of having it still haunts me today.

Listeria, as I wrote in a previous article, is a food born bacteria infection due to bad lunch meat. Listeria can also be found in soft cheeses. Since I had such a bad case, I find myself being more aware of the recalls that are listed on the TV. Before having Crohn’s and before getting Listeria, I really didn’t pay attention to any recalls, nor did I understand what food recalls meant.

You can never be too careful

But now I am more aware, and you can never be too careful. Recently on the news, I have heard of many recalls because of food-borne infections such as Listeria, E-coli, and Salmonella. The foods that recently have been recalled are lettuce and goldfish. "Wow, goldfish?" I said. And I love snacking on goldfish. 

My immune system is already compromised

Having Crohn’s means that I have an immune system that is already compromised. I got Listeria because I ate a bad piece of lunch meat, and the bacteria manifested in my bloodstream for eight weeks before I saw medical attention. Is being cautious about recalls overdoing it? I don’t think so. Many people with Crohn’s have issues with fruits and vegetables to begin with. That is why they stay away from those foods. It’s when we have a food that we are “ok” eating that surprises us when we see a recall. My fiance is a food scientist so I do have to admit that that helps me to keep up with the recalls. Since she works in a food lab all day, she gets daily reports from around the nation and world that tell her about the recalls. In return, she tells me.

Links to foodborne infection

I do think as more information about the stomach is discovered by GI doctors and surgeons, the more they can link it to foodborne infection. I am convinced that after I had Listeria is when my Crohn’s really took a turn for the worst. I believe these bacteria that manifested in my bloodstream really was the start of a downward spiral of my health. I really hoped I would have been able to find the place were I contracted the infection. If we were able to track down the food establishment, we could have asked if anybody else there had gotten sick. Then we would have been able to figure out what food we all commonly ate, and took it from there. 

Food recalls help us from getting sick

I am glad that government agencies issue food recalls. It helps healthy and unhealthy people from getting sick. Now are food born infections more dominant in immuno-compromised patients? Yes, they are. So what do we have to do? We have to be more aware of the food that we are eating. Keep a food journal and write down what you eat so you know what foods you are “ok” with and not. Pay attention to the news. The news always gives the recalls. And do not eat a food that has been recalled. That is asking for trouble. Recalls helps us Crohnies stay healthy. And is an aid in our daily routine to stay that way.