ILOILO – Eat moderately. Going on an eating binge this holiday season is not a healthful practice, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
PHO chief Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado particularly warned those with diabetes and hypertension. Go slow on sweet and fatty food, she said.
“Watch what you eat. Control your appetite and don’t forget to take your maintenance medicines,” said Trabado.
Neglecting one’s health could boomerang, according to the doctor.
Trabado stressed, too, the importance of physical exercise “to burn calories” gained from too much eating.
To those preparing food, Trabado stressed the importance of cleanliness.
Unclean food could result to stomach upset and even poisoning, she said.
“Kag kon hinali may sobra (If there are leftovers) i-store properly,” said Trabado.
Don’t forget the water source, too, she added; this must be clean.
The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas issued similar reminders to the public.
Dr. Elvie Villalobos, DOH Region 6’s Infectious, Environmental and Occupational Health cluster head, enumerated ways to ensure safe food.
“Wash your hands before handling food,” she said.
Raw food must be separated from cooked ones.
Food must be cooked thoroughly, especially meat.
Always keep food at safe temperature. Cooked food stored in room temperature have to be consumed within four hours or when refrigerated must be stored for not more than seven days.
Villalobos also said water for cooking have to be potable.
“Water is potable when it is analyzed to have no microorganism,” she said.
Villalobos said that from January to October this year, Western Visayas recorded 449 individuals affected by food poisoning, with one death from out of the 19 events.
The lone death was caused by eating a green paddy frog. It was recorded early this year in Barangay Abaca in San Enrique, Iloilo. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
