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When people are able to stop engaging in alcohol and drug abuse, another health behavior they may change is their diet. Some people may decide to become vegans, vegetarians or simply to start having a more balanced diet that includes all the food groups. For this reason, it’s important that we learn of possible food contaminants such as salmonella. Clearly no one wants to eat healthy food which may actually make them sick.

Salmonella is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of human and animals and is excreted through feces – we can get sick from eating food products contaminated with salmonella. These hearty bacteria can live outside the body for a long time, and will not die if frozen. Food which contains salmonella must be cooked for 10 minutes in order to kill it. Symptoms of salmonella are similar to moderate or severe food poisoning: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and cramps. Symptoms begin 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food and can last for 4 to 7 days. Young children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases or immune disorders (including HIV/AIDS) should visit their doctors as those groups are at increased risks of developing severe cases of the illness.

There are four common ways that we come into contact with salmonella:

• Not washing our hands properly after going to the restroom, playing with pets, changing diapers, or handling contaminated food (like raw eggs or meat, especially chicken);
• Not properly cleaning surfaces where we cut up or prepared raw eggs and meat (especially chicken);
• Eating food that is not properly cooked – eggnog, uncooked cookie dough, mayonnaise, undercooked chicken; and/or
• Washing food in water that is contaminated with salmonella.

For an in-depth explanation of salmonella, the CDC provides answers to common questions at
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/salmonellosis_gi.html

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles includes nutritional guidance as part of our commitment to integrated behavioral healthcare in alcohol and drug treatment. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drug abuse, please call us now at 888-777-8565 or contact us here.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.