December is World AIDS Month

Written by Tamika Handfield Ms, RD, LD/N

So the final month of the year, December, is already here and among the many celebrations of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and New Years’ parties, we also recognize and celebrate December as World AIDS Month. The Center for Diseases Control (CDC) estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States. Even more alarming is one in five (21%) of those people living with HIV, is unaware of their infection status; which means they probably will not be taking any extra precautions, such as washing their hands often, to protect themselves.

During this festive time of the year we want to be able to be free, feel relax and totally enjoy the company of friends and family. However, many persons living with HIV/AIDS have a compromised or decreased immune system function which means they are more susceptible to many common diseases like the common cold. While many people know of the importance of incorporating good nutrition into their lifestyle to help boost immune function, many people are unaware of the great benefits gained from having safe food practices. The list below gives you tips that will help you stay healthy this holiday season:

Food and water safety
▪ Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone—41°-140° F
▪ Do not allow leftovers to sit out; put them in the refrigerator immediately
▪ Follow proper hand-washing techniques, using very warm water with plenty of soap, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds, and making sure to clean under fingernails and between fingers. Singing the Happy Birthday song through twice is a good reminder.
▪ Wash hands immediately before and after handling raw food
▪ Throw it out, when in doubt—never eat anything that you think is possibly spoiled
▪ Purchase food only from reputable sources
▪ Wash all fresh produce thoroughly, even those that you will remove the skin from, such as bananas, melons, and oranges
▪ Sanitize the counter-top, cutting boards, etc frequently during meal preparation
▪ Thaw food in the refrigerator or under running water at a temperature lower than 70° F, using the microwave to thaw food only if you are planning to eat the food immediately
▪ Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator
▪ Never eat raw eggs or raw fish, such as in some eggnog recipes or sushi
▪ Cook the turkey to the recommended temperature of 165° F and the ham to at least 145° F
▪ Do not hold salads with mayo, such as potato, macaroni and coleslaw at room temperature
▪ Cool leftover food quickly by transferring it to a shallow pan and/or placing the container into an ice bath
▪ Reheat leftovers by heating to a minimum temperature of 145° F

There will be lots of parties and fun times to be had this holiday season as well as lots of food and drinks to be enjoyed. There is no reason why you should not indulge and pamper your taste buds as long as you do so responsibly. Happy Holidays from all of us at FLIPANY!! We look forward to serving you in 2011.

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