The following information has been taken directly from the Australian Food and Grocery Council Website; you can read the original article in full here.

1. It is not safe to refreeze meat after it has been thawed

Contrary to the popular myth, it is actually safe to thaw and refreeze meat. However, this only applied if the thawing process takes place in a refrigerator at 5 degrees Celsius or less. Under these conditions most bacteria responsible for food poisoning cannot grow and those that can, do so very slowly and are killed by subsequent cooking. However, if a piece of meat is repeatedly thawed on a benchtop, parts of the meat will rise above 5 degrees Celsius, allowing bacteria that causes food poisoning to grow. 

It should also be noted that repeated thawing and refreezing of meat will affect meat quality, as it loses juice during each thaw cycle. This may impact on eating quality.

2. Processed foods typically contain high levels of salt

It is not true to say that processed foods typically contain high levels of salt. In fact, most foods we eat contain some naturally present salt and added salt has been used for centuries to preserve foods and prevent contamination by microbes. Salt also improves the taste of food and boosts other flavours in food. And with the availability of new methods of preservation and antimicrobial agents, salt in many processed foods has been reduced without affecting taste and flavour. While it is true that a significant proportion of our salt intake comes from processed foods, this is not because they typically contain high levels of salt. It is more to do with the fact that our dietary choices include many processed foods, many of which are counterparts of foods which, if prepared in the home, would have salt added during preparation or cooking. 

3. Chickens are often given growth hormones to improve production

Unfortunately, a large number of people in Australia still believe that chickens are fed hormones. In part, this stems from a television program in July 1985 in which hormonal abnormalities in young women in the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico were linked to feeding of hormones (oestrogen) to chickens.

Without actually saying so, the story implied that the feeding of oestrogen to chickens was a common practice worldwide—and indeed a practice followed in Australia.

However, the feeding of oestrogen to chickens was banned in Australia in the early 1960s—more than four decades ago.

In order to maintain consumer confidence in poultry products, the Commonwealth Government’s National Residue Survey (NRS) regularly tests for growth hormones. No residues have ever been detected.

NRS test results can be obtained from the NRS website www.nrs.gov.au/residues/residues.html or by calling (02) 6272 3446. 

4. Compared with food cooked at home, processed foods have a lot less nutrients

Many processed foods are just as nutritious or in some cases even more nutritious than fresh foods, depending on the manner in which they are processed.

Frozen vegetables are usually processed within hours of harvest. There is little nutrient loss in the freezing process so frozen vegetables retain their high vitamin and mineral content. In contrast, it can take days or even weeks before fresh vegetables reach the dinner table and some vitamins are gradually lost over time.

Some processed foods have added vitamins and minerals for extra nutrition. In fact, the growing interest in health and nutrition has spurred the production of a whole new range of foods with added health and nutritional benefits called functional foods, such as margarines with added phytosterols to lower cholesterol.

Processing can also make some nutrients more available. For example, processing tomatoes into either paste or sauce increases the concentration of lycopene—an antioxidant Harvard University researchers have found may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by up to 40 per cent. 

5. Food colouring, especially red, can make children hyperactive

The myth that food colourings—also known as colour additives—cause hyperactivity was popularised in the 1970s. However, well–controlled studies conducted since then have produced no evidence that colour additives cause hyperactivity or learning disabilities in children.

A colour additive is any dye, pigment or substance that can impart colour when added or applied to a food. Colour additives are used in foods for many reasons, including off–setting colour loss due to storage or processing of foods and to accommodate variations in natural food colour. Australia’s Food Standards Code requires that any colour added to food is identified in the ingredient statement by name or by its international code number. The Food Standards Code controlling foods, food additives and food labelling is developed nationally by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and adopted by all States and Territories, and New Zealand. 

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Food Myths

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The more you understand about what is wrong with you, the better prepared you will be when things go wrong. Remember to keep informed; information about conditions can change over time as more is learnt about it.

Teach your friends and family about your illness:

Not everyone is willing to learn, but the more your friends and family understand about your illness, the more supportive they will be. If you’re unsure how to teach them, show them some easy to follow websites about your condition, and leave them some light reading material (e.g. a simple pamphlet) to peruse in their own time. Be prepared to answer any questions they may have afterwards, some of the questions may make you uncomfortable, if you feel this way it is within your rights to say you don’t want to talk about that.

Develop a supportive network:

This may not be your current friends and family, getting in contact with a support group can be very beneficial. You can join an online support group or find one in your local area. If you cannot find a support group, maybe start one up yourself, remember all support groups that currently exist had to be started by someone at some point in time.

Get your Doctor on your side:

Some people feel that their GP/specialist is not supportive, or perhaps not working hard enough to help them get better or manage their condition. If you feel this way it is time to either find a new doctor, or get your current one working harder for you.

Develop a sense of control:

For many people a chronic illness can make them feel as if they have no real control over their health or their life. Getting that control back or at least the sense of it can be very challenging, but it isn’t impossible. It is important to find some way to feel in control, even if it’s controlling what and how you eat, or perhaps designing your own exercise program. Another method is to keep records of everything that happens to you, writing down what happens to you, what’s scheduled for when, what your goals are, some plans of attack, can make you feel as if you are controlling your illness and not the other way around.

Create time for you:

This seems a simple idea, but it can be very hard to do. It is especially difficult when your illness impacts on all aspects of your life. Find a hobby or a pastime that has nothing to do with your illness, and find time for it regularly. This could be something creative, like scrapbooking, playing music, writing short stories, whatever makes you feel content.

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Some methods to manage the symptoms include:

• Eat frequent small meals
• Avoid fatty foods
• High fibre diet

Increasing insoluble fibre through supplements or diet changes might exacerbate symptoms; soluble fibre on the other hand can improve symptoms (e.g. psyllium husks). If you are increasing fibre in your diet, increase it slowly, even in healthy individuals rapid changes in fibre intake can cause unpleasant side effects.

Possible methods of management include:

• The use of prebiotics & probiotics
• Pepperment oil (to relieve mild symptoms)
• Avoiding allergy foods/intolerances – Some patients (not all) with IBS may have food allergies or intolerances that trigger an IBS type reaction, if you suspect this is the case with you, see an allergy specialist or a dietician to undergo a supervised elimination diet.

Possible food triggers:

• Lactose malabsorption – Lactose is a sugar present in milk and other dairy products, the structure of Lactose requires the presence of an enzyme called lactase for absorption. If you do not produce enough of this the lactose will remain undigested and ferment in your bowel, causing pain and discomfort. This can be managed easily by purchasing low lactose/lactose free alternatives such as soy milk, lactose free milk, yoghurt, and avoiding products like cream.
• Fructose malabsorption – Fructose is a type of sugar present naturally in foods, it is also often added to foods such as breakfast cereals, baked goods, jam, and fruit juice. You can manage this by avoiding foods with added fructose (e.g. high fructose corn syrup), and by avoiding foods naturally high in fructose, such as:

-          Honey

-          Dates

-          Oranges

-          Cherries

-          Apples

-          Pears

Mixing this fruit with other foods will slow down the absorption of fructose. Some fruits lower in fructose include bananas and strawberries. Another added sugar is called inulin, this can be added to products such as yoghurt, and can be poorly absorbed.

• Reducing gas forming foods – some examples include:

-          Beans

-          Brussel sprouts

-          Onions

-          Celery

-          Carrots

-          Cabbage

• Wheat and gluten – Avoiding wheat and gluten can reduce symptoms if you are sensitive to the gluten protein. This could be due to a misdiagnosis, as you may not have IBS but might have celiac disease. If you suspect this, get tested before eliminating the food from your diet. Once tested if you would like to eliminate the food as a trial you will need to eliminate it for 3months to get an accurate result.
• Low fat diet – IBS patients have an increased sensitivity to fat, reducing the fat content of your diet might reduce symptoms.
• Coffee – Coffee stimulates the bowel with or without caffeine, eliminating coffee from the diet could reduce symptoms if diarrhoea is a problem.
• Caffeine – Other caffeinated products such as tea and chocolate might trigger symptoms in some individuals.
• Alcohol – Might trigger symptoms in some patients.

There will be a wide variety of differences between individuals as to what‘s a trigger food and what isn’t. Some trial and error will be necessary to determine problem foods.

Reference:

Heizer WD, Southern S, & McGovern S (2009). The Role of Diet in Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Adults: A Narrative Review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association
Volume 109, Issue 7, July 2009, Pages 1204-1214.

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• Keep pre-cooked rice in the fridge: This can be refried and served with eggs, beans, or whatever you feel like with it. Also, you can make a quick salad with the cold rice.
• Potatoes: Keep some precooked potatoes in the fridge to make a salad with. Also, you can cook a potato quickly in the microwave and top it with any filling you like, e.g. salsa, avocado, cheese.
• Crisp-bread: There are lots of gluten free crisp-breads available, rice and corn cakes are naturally gluten free and economical. You can top them with pretty much anything you would put on a sandwich.
• Soup: Make some quick soup; you can make one with a powdered gluten free stock, and some vermicelli noodles (rice noodles).
• Gluten free bread: It is fairly expensive to buy, but can satisfy the craving for regular bread. There are also some great gluten free bread mixes on the market that make a delicious loaf. Gluten free bread does not keep as well as the standard loaf, but it makes great toast. If you find you don’t like the bread, try and make some savoury flavoured bread and have it as is, with no fillings, served with a side salad.
• Quiche: Make a big quiche, cut it into squares and keep it in the fridge, makes a great easy to grab meal or snack.
• Go Asian: Asian food is often naturally gluten free, just be aware that soy sauce is often made with wheat, you will need to order it without soy sauce, or bring your own to add.
• Make sushi at home: it doesn’t have to look perfect, and doesn’t have to be filled with raw fish. Just cook up some sushi rice, put it in the nori (seaweed), you don’t have to roll it, you can just put it in the middle and fold the seaweed across it (like a parcel) if you prefer. Place your filling in the middle of the rice, it can be anything, salad, beans, tin fish, smoked fish, egg, whatever suits your taste.
• Salad: Make any simple salad for lunch; you can make it more filling by adding in heavier ingredients such as beans, eggs, meat, etc.
• Pizza: Make a gluten free pizza using flat bread as a base, or make your own base using a bread mix.
• Fruit: Mix it up by having fruit for lunch, cut up a big fruit salad, top it with some natural yoghurt, honey, and sprinkle with nuts.
• Mezze plate: Adopt a great Mediterranean tradition, and serve yourself a mezze plate. Mezze are appetisers. You could make a plate with cut up vegetable sticks, dips, rice crackers, some cheese, maybe some meat strips, or nuts. (if you use pre-made dips, be sure to check the ingredients label for hidden gluten)

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Disability also increases the risk of infection, an awareness of the warning signs can help you recognise the symptoms early, and get the infection treated quickly.

General signs of infection:

• Fever – a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius, or 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (please note: a temperature at this level is considered a mild temperature, it ideally should be lower than this)
• Pain
• Inflammation

Urinary tract infections: Some specific symptoms if it is in the urinary tract

• Pain when urinating (could be a burning sensation)
• Needing to urinate more frequently than normal
• Feeling as if you still need to urinate after you just did
• Your urine might appear cloudy, and could have an offensive odour
• Back pain (this is a later symptom)

Respiratory: Some specific symptoms if it is in the ‘chest’

• Viral symptoms don’t resolve in the expected time, and symptoms become worse rather than better
• Sputum (what you cough up) might be a different colour, e.g. yellow or green (it should be clear)
• Difficulty breathing (later symptom, if this happens seek immediate medical attention)

Unhealed wounds:  Some specific signs of an infected wound

• Red skin around the wound – You can draw an outline around the red area to see if it is improving or getting worse each day
• The ooze changes colour – Yellow or green is never a good sign
• Blackened areas – this is serious, it means parts of the skin have died, you need to seek urgent medical attention
• Foul smelling ooze

If you suspect you have developed an infection seek medical attention. Infections left untreated can enter the bloodstream; this is life threatening and needs urgent treatment. The earlier an infection is detected, the easier it is to treat.

If you are prone to infections you might want to consider adding some routine checks into your week, e.g. weekly temperatures, regular at home urine dipstick tests (this is for urinary infections, you will need to get instructions from your GP/nurse on how to conduct an at home urine dipstick test). Most people will not need to do this; people with physical disability are more likely to need these precautions.

If you are put on antibiotics ALWAYS complete the course (i.e. finish the pack) even if you are feeling better. The bacteria if not completely treated by the antibiotics can become resistant. Infections that do not respond to antibiotics are a serious problem; finish ALL the tablets.

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A common ‘health tip’ has been to drink a glass of water for every cup of coffee or tea consumed, to balance the loss. This however is completely unnecessary.

The diuretic effect of caffeine is actually fairly insignificant, and the small effect that does exist is reduced in people that regularly consume caffeine. Basically, for every mg of caffeine you consume you may lose approx. 1.07mls of fluid.

What does this mean for the average coffee and tea drinker?

• A cup of instant coffee contains approx 57mg of caffeine (61mls lost approx)
• An espresso 77mg
• Drip coffee 145mg
• Black tea 47mg
• Green tea 25mg
• White tea 15mg

Caffeinated soft drinks have less than black tea, but energy drinks contain as much if not well more than drip coffee.

~ Caffeine amounts taken from an online database, you can read the complete list here ~

A cup of fluid is 250mls of water, so in a cup of strong coffee, you will still consume in fluid more than possible losses (155.15mls of water lost from drip coffee).

(Note: all values approximations)

There are of course exceptions to this, a short black is made with only a small amount of fluid and MAY dehydrate, and energy drinks with their potential high caffeine content could cause dehydration.

As a general rule though, you can feel reassured next time you sit down with a standard cup of tea or coffee that it is contributing to your daily fluid requirements.

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The most known function is in calcium absorption, but it has many other roles including immune function and cardiovascular health.

Vitamin D deficiency causes some very serious conditions, such as rickets in children, and osteoporosis in adults.

Insufficiency has been associated with increased risks of:

• Various cancers
• Cardiovascular disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The most important source of vitamin D is the sun; although we can get vitamin D from foods it isn’t enough to meet our needs and is considered a minor contributor. Foods that contain vitamin D include:

• Oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines)
• Irradiated mushrooms
• Egg yolks
• Cod liver oil
• Fortified foods (e.g. milk, juice, bread, cereal, margarine)

To meet our needs through sunlight various factors need to be taken into account, including: age, skin pigmentation, and where we live.

Recommendations for adequate vitamin D synthesis in Australia and New Zealand:

• 1/3 minimal erythemal dose (MED) of sun exposure to hands, face and arms most days

(MED  – amount required to produce a faint redness of the skin)

• Sun exposure during high risk times is not recommended, this is between 10am and 2pm (11am and 3pm during daylight savings)
• Take into account variations in season, latitude, time of day and skin type [1]

For people in climates that see little sunlight it is difficult to obtain the needed vitamin D, and supplementation may be necessary.

For people with chronic illness (especially bedridden patients) obtaining enough vitamin D may be difficult due to physical restrictions, getting outdoors may not be something done easily or often. If you are not getting regular exposure to vitamin D, a supplement may be needed.

Tips for getting out in the sun – for restricted people:

• Schedule outdoor time, ensuring it happens when someone else is home to help you in and out
• Do not put sunscreen on before you leave the house, try and get a bit of exposure and then apply it. You shouldn’t get burnt, just enough to feel the warmth and enjoy it for a short period. There is a risk of melanoma with sun exposure, it must be safe levels. A healthy exposure is the key.
• Expose hands, arms, and face when possible. If it is too cold save the outdoor trip for another day.
• Get someone to set up a chair in a good spot that you can easily get to, somewhere close to the house is ideal, and if possible avoid needing to use stairs to get to the seat (important for the physically restricted)
• Plan to do activities you would normally do inside outside, such as reading a book, or have your morning coffee outside.

Note for people with Lupus: Sun exposure can be a major problem for people with Lupus and could exacerbate symptoms. Lupus patients should keep sun exposure to a minimum, supplementation may be a good idea depending on severity of reactions to sunlight.

Reference:

1. Working group of the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Endocrine Society of Australia and Osteoporosis Australia. Vitamin D and adult bone health in Australia and New Zealand: A position statement. MJA. 2005 Mar 21; 182 (6): 281-5.

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About viruses

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘catch a cold’? Well this common phrase is a myth, a virus is transferred from person to person (or from another animal), while a virus can be airborne; they still need to originate from a living host.

There is however some element of truth to this in that in cold temperatures your immune system will be suppressed, it may not be suppressed by much but it can be enough to give the virus a chance to take hold.

About your immune system

The immune system is really quite amazing; many armies of past and present would be envious of the defence our immune systems can mount.

Your immune system has special ‘units’ that can learn and remember past viruses, what this means is if you have had a strain of a virus before your immune system will know exactly how to defend against it in the future. This is why you do not get back the same virus you have passed on to family and friends.

For immune compromised patients, your immune system may not be able to mount such effective defences. If your immune system is lowered there isn’t going to be enough ‘units’ to fight off the virus and you could end up very sick and hospitalised in some cases.

About swine flu

Swine flu is considered a threat because it is a strain of virus that many of us have not seen before, for anyone under 50 you will have had no exposure to this strain in the past, for people over 50 you may have some immunity as this virus has been seen in the past, but the current version is much different to the previous exposure.

The message has been (in Australia) to seek medical help if you have moderate to severe symptoms. This means symptoms such as difficulty breathing, and elevated temperatures. As most people have recovered on their own from swine flu, general flu symptoms should resolve on their own.

For immune compromised patients

If you have immune problems you are considered an at risk group, you should present to a doctor early if you develop symptoms to be tested.

It is also recommended that an immune compromised patient has the flu vaccine every winter, while this will not currently protect against swine flu, it will protect against a few other threatening strains.

Other at risk groups

People with underlying conditions are considered at a higher risk for complications if they develop swine flu, unfortunately this means many of The Recovery Room readers. The level of risk depends on the type and severity of condition/s you have, respiratory and immune conditions for example are an issue.

Protecting yourself

There really is no great way to protect your self from any virus over winter. Avoiding high risk situations such as visiting people you know are sick, or visiting high risk areas are basic precautions. Eating a healthy diet and getting adequate rest will give your system the best chance to mount a good defence.

If you do get sick, it may or may not be swine flu. There is no reason to panic unless serious symptoms develop, if you are an at risk patient present to the doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise treat it as you would the regular seasonal flu, lots of rest and plenty of fluids.

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Here are some tips to help you make long term changes to your lifestyle:

• Set realistic goals – Set both long and short term goals, but be sure they are achievable, and don’t set too many at once. Write them down, it can help to put them in places you will regularly read them, like on the back of the toilet door, or on the fridge.

• Change one thing at a time – If you try to make too many changes at once you will inevitably give up, the life change will be too dramatic and not something that can be easily stuck to. Just pick one thing, and work on that for at least 6 weeks, this makes the transition comfortable and it is more likely that the change will become habit and not something you need to be thinking about.

• Get support – Talking to other people who are attempting to make the same changes will make it more likely you are going to see things out; it makes it harder to give up when other people are encouraging you regularly.

• Don’t make it work – leading a healthy lifestyle should be something that is easy and happens naturally; be sure you are still giving yourself treats. Remember no food is evil; it can all be included in a healthy lifestyle as long as it is kept in moderation.

• Don’t put too much pressure on yourself – You can’t go from one extreme to another in a week, take your time making changes, and feel proud of your achievements. NEVER focus on what you have not achieved or failed at, it can be beneficial to write down at the end of every week what you have done well.

• Educate yourself – It can be easier to stick to healthier choices when you know the reasoning behind it, read up and learn what you can.

• Enjoy your food – Healthy doesn’t mean horrible, make tasty and healthy choices. Don’t go on a diet, lead a healthy lifestyle. 

• All activity is exercise – You don’t have to go to the gym, or go on long walks, you just need to keep active. Try and choose exercise you really enjoy, if you really hate exercise consider increasing your incidental activity. Gardening, dancing, cleaning, are all exercise. 

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