Mind your tummy

If you have the urge to try out some gol guppas' or beat the summer heat with sugarcane juice, just resist it. Unless, you want to end u...

If you have the urge to try out some gol guppas8217; or beat the summer heat with sugarcane juice, just resist it. Unless, you want to end up having gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis 8212; most commonly described as an upset stomach 8212; is an inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract. Dr. Atul Sachdeva, Reader in Department of Internal Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh says: 8220;The ailment encompasses a broad range of symptoms, from mild vomiting and diarrhoea to more severe forms of these symptoms.

As temperatures soar, we hear reports of gastroenteritis. These conditions are conducive to the rapid multiplication of bacteria, due to the presence of nutrients. Even fomites like flies abound in this weather. It is dominantly caused by bacteria. Salmonella varieties cause diarrhoea and typhoid, while Shigella causes dysentry.

Dr. Sachdeva says handlers of food act as carriers in the transmission of the disease. Their personal hygiene is essential to curb gastroenteritis. Water, which is not stored properly, and unclean utensils also spread the disease. Ice-cream made in small-time factories and cane juicesold by vendors are a case in point. Stale food must be avoided. If kids or adults have to carry food, it must be refrigerated, and heated up before eating.

As food and water are the main sources of gastroenteritis, precautions must be taken. Never have water from an outside8217; source i.e. avoid impure water. Dr. Ajay from the Department of Internal Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, says that even mineral water is not safe. And if no pure water is available, carbonated drinks are the safest. No one really knows the effectiveness of the electronic filters. In the conventional filters, ceramic candles are the filtering mechanism, and the purity of water depends on the state of the candle. So filtered water is hardly safe if the candle is dirty. Therefore the safest bet is water which has been boiled and cooled.

Do not eat food which is uncovered, or has not been properly cooked and stored. Dr. Ram Singh, Reader, GMCH, Chandigarh says: 8220;Avoid khoya and other milk products, as their is increased bacterial formation in the lower layers of these products.8221; Pasteries and raw salad should also be avoided.

Cooking kills disease-causing bacteria, but freezing does not. Consequently, all frozen food must be thoroughly thawed before cooking. In case of gastroenteritis, make sure that you take plenty of liquids to maintain urine output, till medical help is available. Oral rehydration solution ORS is an ideal antidote. It is a simple preparation made up of of one litre of water, a spoonful of sugar, pinch of salt and a little lime.

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In case of symptoms such as increased diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, memory lapse and inability to pass urine, immediately rush the patient to hospital.