Heat is one of the main factors why food can cause a gastrointestinal infection, therefore, in the following note we present some tips to prevent it.

Gastrointestinal infections are very common in summer because we do things that, without realizing it, are very harmful to our physical health. For example, food exposed to the open air, in the heat, tends to ferment more easily and the production of germs in sausages, creams or kitchen utensils is much more common at this time. Due to this, Bienestar magazine of the newspaper El Comercio spoke with Héctor Velarde, a gastroenterologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma, who gives us some advice to prevent these infections.

“One of the main problems due to which gastrointestinal infections occur in summer is the rise in temperature; This makes us dependent on a strict cold chain to preserve food. Usually, Peruvians are not much of the tendency to finish preparing a food and put it to freeze immediately to keep it until it is needed, but in summer it is necessary to implement it little by little”, explains the doctor.

Likewise, a perishable food that is exposed to the environment for more than 30 minutes already begins to decompose and in 2 hours it should not be suitable for human consumption. A common example is rice, we leave it exposed to the environment for a long time in the rice cooker and the bacteria culture becomes much higher when the temperature rises.

Events and symptoms of gastrointestinal infections

There are 3 events that a person with a gastrointestinal infection could have, according to the expert.

• Acute events: They are usually accompanied by liquid or semi-liquid diarrhea, but we can also have episodes of fever and general malaise.
• Acute events by food poisoning: Many foods spoil and some bacteria produce toxins, which are what cause the discomfort of the infection.
• Chronic events: The consumption of food exposed to heat and decomposed, which will eventually lead to the presence of microbes in the intestinal flora. With this, the patient may have continuous weakness, fatigue, fever, etc.

Tips to prevent gastrointestinal infections in summer.

Doctor Velarde gives us some tips to prevent gastrointestinal infections this summer.

1. Wash your hands well and continuously: We should never abandon this as Peruvians, this is essential before and after preparing food, before cooking or after going to the bathroom.
2. Have the management of a good cold chain: This so that perishable foods do not decompose or spoil.
3. Disinfect kitchen utensils well: In summer, there is a greater proliferation of flies that can contaminate our cooking tools.
4. Disinfect vegetables and fruits well: We must wash everything that we are going to consume. As much as a food may already be washed, it is better to do it again to prevent any infection.
5. When we are already facing an infection, we must avoid eating heavy and follow a soft diet: To rest the intestine and not complicate the infection.
6. If there are symptoms such as fever, bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that does not improve in 3 to 5 days, you must see a doctor: To be able to manage it and prevent any other situation.

Dr. Héctor Velarde
Gastroenterologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma

Source: elcomercio.pe