Health Tips for March 17

Health Tip: Eating in a Strange Land

If you're traveling abroad, you're going to be tempted to try local dishes.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions for what to eat while in a foreign country:

• Avoid all raw foods -- even fruits and vegetables.
• Make sure food is served very hot and cooked thoroughly. Avoid all foods that have been sitting at room temperature for a long period.
• Don't buy food from street vendors. Eat only at restaurants.
• If you do eat fruits, only consume those on which you can peel the skin before eating.
• Stay away from unpasteurized dairy products.

Health Tip: Safer Sushi Eating

Sushi is becoming more and more popular, but there can be health risks associated with eating some kinds of sushi, especially those that contain raw fish.

The Colorado State University Extension offers these suggestions for when you plan to eat sushi:

• When making sushi from scratch, look for fish at the grocery store labeled "sushi-grade" or "sashimi-grade."
• Keep the fish refrigerated at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below until it's time to eat.
• Prepare rice for sushi rolls with vinegar to slow bacterial growth.
• Separate raw and cooked fish during preparation -- and ideally -- use different utensils, cutting boards and surfaces to prepare each.
• People with a weakened immune system (pregnant women, children, people with chronic conditions) should not eat sushi.