1. Meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees throughout to kill bacteria that could cause E. coli or salmonella. So shy away from raw or rare meats.
2. Along the same lines a meat, raw eggs has high chances of containing Salmonella.
3. Thanks to warming waters, more foodborne illnesses are linked to shellfish in the past five years than in the two preceding decades.
4. Prewashed veggies are a convenience but as more people are handling and processing the food it leads to more chances for contamination.
5. Sprout outbreaks are surprisingly common, with more than 30 bacterial outbreaks — primarily salmonella and E. coli — in the past two decades.
6. A growing movement is encouraging people to drink "raw" milk and juices, arguing that pasteurization depletes nutritional value. But unpasteurized drinks increases risk of contamination by bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
By training, I am a American Board Certified Pediatrician. But in my younger years I grew up with natural alternatives. As a mom I have tried to incorporate both for my kids and it has worked wonders. And finally, as I am studying natural & alternative medicines, I realize the beauty and wisdom of living closer to earth. Hence in my practice I integrate both...for acute ailments I follow American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation but for simple and/or chronic conditions I prefer natural alternatives.
In western training we were raised to think that "health is the absence of symptoms and problems". But eastern sensibilities has educated me that "Health is state that allows one to use the full capabilities of their body, mind and intellect. Therefore, healthy living is a balanced state of well being: physically, mentally, socially and spiritually." This implies that healing is not a "one-pill-fits-all", but a personalized experience.
