A disease is a condition that deteriorates the normal functioning of the cells, tissues and organs of the body. Disease are considered as medical conditions that are characterized by their signs and symptoms. Some diseases are caused due to malfunctioning of the body while some due to vectors. These vectors are air, water, insect, food etc. Today you are going to read about one such vector that is food. Food is one of the most important factors which affect our body and make us healthy or sick as well. Disease which are caused due to food are called food borne diseases. According to statistics, one in ten people worldwide fall ill from contaminated food each year and more tha 200 different diseases are caused by contaminated food.
Now, what is this contaminated food? Food which is affected with bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances such as heavy metals is known as contaminated food.
Now a days, growth of public health issues due to contaminated food is increasing day by day due street food which is cooked with low quality, unhealthy ingredients and in hygienically. They use same utensils again and again without washing them properly, which enhances the growth of bacteria on it.
Food borne diseases encompass a wide range of illness from common, acute diseases to chronic, fatal disease. Disease causing diarrhea are a major problem in low- and middle- income countries, especially by children under the age of 5 years. Intake of contaminated food affects our health badly and make him sick. Then, the things which came in their contact such as water, soil, air are also contaminated and cause environmental contamination, which can affect a healthy person and make him sick.
Food borne diseases are also known as food poisoning. Now a days, it is very common that more than 10 million cases of food poisoning are reported in India. Food borne diseases are usually self treatable and self diagnosable but taking medicine without concern of doctor should be avoided. It is a short term disease which may resolve in 10 days or a week.
Symptoms
- Cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lose motion
- Bloating
- Indigestion
- Fever
To avoid food poisoning, we should adopt and follow the below listed eating and storing food habits:
- Cook and store food in clean utensils and hygienically
- Keep raw and cooked material separately
- Cook throughly
- Keep food at appropriate and suitable temperature according to the food item
- Use clean water and raw materials
- And offcourse avoid unhygienic street and junk food.