Wellbeing nutrition with compromised immune systems including infants, elderly people and patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. Antibiotic resistance in humans is a tremendous public health threat worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) held a conference on this ‘crisis’ and concluded that there is sufficient evidence showing that “the major transmission pathway for resistant bacteria...[is] from food animals to humans” and that this has led to “increased frequency of treatment failures (in some cases death) and increased severity of infections”. In their recommendations, the WHO specifically called for stricter legislation to minimise antimicrobial usage in agriculture because it is so prevalent and may pose a significant risk to human health. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be transmitted from animals to humans in several ways:
1) Environment: bacteria found in the animal manure can contaminate local waterways and groundwater 2) Food: people consume meat that contain antibiotic residues or has been contaminated with the resistant bacteria during slaughter 3) Direct contact: farmers and farm workers may become infected by the animals and pass it on to the family and community
ice
dv Kate’s A
E.coli A new type of resistance in E.coli, ESBL, has been spreading globally in recent years. E.coli is a major cause of urinary-tract infections and blood poisoning. In the UK 5-10% of all urinary-tract infections caused by E.coli are now ESBLs. According to the Chief Medical Officer, those who contract this form have a 30% risk of dying. This type of antibiotic resistance has now been found on large numbers of farms in the UK and it is suspected that this is spreading to humans on food.
How much do we really know about the food we buy? In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the consumer with the consent of government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. www.foodincmovie.com
Words: Kate Arnold I, for one, am not happy eating hormone and antibiotic injected meat and poultry - it just doesn’t sit right with me. For all patients with any kind of hormonal problem, I always advise organic meat and poultry, eggs and cheese etc. As with pesticides, buy organic and free range where and when you can. However it’s all very well for those of us still with jobs, or those who prioritise health or who are informed, but what about the rest of the population? Good highly dense nutrient rich food should be available and affordable for everyone. I think it’s a good idea to try and by the best food that you can afford. If you know you eat a lot of apples, make some organic at least. In my weekly food shop, produce like lettuce, potatoes and apples are organic, avocadoes, bananas and mangos are not. Not everything needs to be organic. You don’t really need organic tomato ketchup (unless you are against GM food in which case read the label) so use your money wisely. If you would like further information please contact Kate on 01323 737814 / 722499 www. katearnoldnutrition.co.uk
Wellbeing 7