The Danger of Raw Food Diets When Combating Crohn's

There is a very real and present danger that must be addressed when adopting a raw food diet to battle illnesses like Crohn's Disease. That danger is food poisoning, and in addition to the vitamins, minerals and good nutrients contained in raw food, there is also an unhealthy dose of bacteria. This bacteria if not handled properly can cause pain and damage to the gastrointestinal tract that may already be compromised by chronic disease.

In most cases, food poisoning is not fatal. However it can be deadly if the immune system is compromised. While it is virtually impossible to keep bacteria out of raw foods, there are several ways to avoid the danger altogether. When preparing raw foods at home, be careful about hygiene and cleanliness of your hands, utensils and preparation surfaces. Be sure to store your edibles safely, as well. This will mean ensuring that oxygen or air, and parasites don't come in contact with the food. Air and parasites will enable molds and bacteria to form, making the food useless as well as dangerous. It is always wise to inspect your produce before you prepare or eat it, just to be safe.

Bacteria, parasites, and mold will cause toxins to grow, which if ingested will manifest as vomiting, diarrhea and pain. You've probably heard of Salmonella, a bacteria typically found in eggs, and chicken. Listeria is another dangerous bacteria found in pate's, or cheese, while e-coli is sometimes found in red meats. If you have included animal product in your raw food diet, then you will need to be extra careful with cutting boards, knives, platters and bowls. Also, it goes without saying that you need to wash your hands frequently when handling any animal products.

Parasites and worms are also found in animal foods. This includes sushi, steak tartar, raw cow's cheese among others. This is the reason why many people avoid eating meat or animal product, because even cooking will not kill parasites all of the time. Some researchers have suggested that 95% of all Western peoples have parasites or worms in their guts, the result of eating meat, cooked or not. The only real way to avoid the danger is to severely cut back or not eat meat and dairy products.

On the whole, molds, fungus and yeasts are pretty harmless. They may make you sick, but usually won't kill you. Molds and fungus are found in mushrooms, cheese, sprouts, seeds, nuts and grains. Just like parasites, cooking is no guarantee of avoiding the danger of food poisoning.

So what do you do? Well, always wash your hands before, during and after food handling and preparation. Buy foods only from sources you trust. Keep your food refrigerated, especially if you're preparing animal foods. They should never be left unrefrigerated for longer than two hours at a time. Some food experts recommend washing all produce in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water to disinfect foods before handling. If you prefer not handling the chemical then many stores sell water ozonators for disinfecting food stuffs.

A word about restaurants and eating out, spot check the place where you're preparing to eat. Look for the tell tale signs of cleanliness. Check the public restrooms. If you don't like what you see, then go elsewhere. Taking the time to inspect will save you possible discomfort, pain and aggravation of your Crohn's disease.