Summer is a time when many people visit the sea or the mountain resorts.
Summer is the most favorable time for the intoxication and spread of infectious diseases.
As a rule, during a rest people prefer fast food (to save time) and they often visit the fast food restaurants. If we don’t want to let the intoxication or gastrointestinal infections to ruin our desired vacation, we should pay special attention to what we drink and eat.
The gastroenterologist of the National Center of Surgery Eka Zalikiani talked with us about this topic. Dr. Eka gives our readers much useful advice.
"To ensure that the summer passes without trouble, great attention should be paid to the diet. We must prepare the food correctly and keep it in the right temperature ranges. Frequent washing of hands with soap and running water will protect you from many diseases, "says Dr. Eka.
- What can we eat or avoid eating during a hot summer day?
- In the summer, it is desirable to eat a large amount of well-washed fruits, vegetables, thermally processed meat products. It is desirable to avoid eating food prepared in an open space and fast food restaurants. Especially avoid fatty, smoked, semi-smoked and canned foods, cream cakes. During the day, you need to take 2-2.5 liters of fluid, follow the hygiene, also pay attention to milk and dairy products. The terms and conditions of their storage are of great importance.
- Confectionery products - cakes and pastries. How can we choose healthy products?
- Cakes and cream cakes are perishable products and we must be very careful. On hot summer days, it is advisable to buy this product in stores where the terms and conditions of storage are controlled.
- Many parents will read the interview. What do you recommend to those parents who travel to the sea with a small child?
- As you known, the child's gastrointestinal tract is more sensitive in terms of food intoxication. Parents need to control what the child eats. It is recommended to avoid eating the food cooked in the street. do not give the child water from the tap, follow the rules of hygiene - frequently wash baby’s hands, etc.
- What do you think about dairy products?
- Dairy products also belong to the list of perishable products. Always check the expiry date and storage conditions.
-What are the first signs of a toxicoinfection?
- Signs of food poisoning can be nausea, vomiting, general weakness, diarrhea, dull or colicky abdominal pain (mainly in the hypogastric region), bloating, fever, dry mouth, etc.
- What should we do in case of poisoning and when to see a doctor?
- In case of intoxication, you must necessarily change the diet. Must take a large amount of fluid. If the above-mentioned actions did not help, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
- Unhealthy diet or the influence of various factors often leads to an exacerbation of gastritis. Please explain what the gastritis is.
- In summer, gastritis and also the exacerbation of gastritis, i.e. inflammation of the gastric mucosa, is often associated with diet, water, climate change, travel, and high-dose alcohol intake.
- What are the symptoms of gastritis?
- Symptoms of gastritis can be: dull or acute pain in the epigastric region, heartburn, vomiting, nausea, fever, feeling of heaviness after eating, bloating, changing defecation, etc.
- Can the gastritis be prevented?
- To prevent the gastritis is possible if we maintain a healthy lifestyle, the regime of proper nutrition, avoid harmful factors such as smoking, alcohol, fast food etc.
- How do you treat gastritis in the National Center of Surgery?
- First of all, it is necessary to diagnose gastritis, which is possible only by the endoscopic method, by means of esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy. After the diagnosis is made, we individually select a diet and medications.
- What should people suffering from gastritis eat?
- People suffering from gastritis should eat small portions of food frequently, avoid eating food on the street, restrict the intake of sour, hot, bitter and fatty foods. Must take a sufficient amount of liquid, avoid perishable food.
- Alcohol and heat. Despite many warnings, some people can not refuse to take alcoholic beverages. What can you advise them?
- In the summer season, the incidence of alcohol intoxication is very high, in this regard, you should be very careful. First of all, you should check the expiratory date, if you still want to drink alcohol, you can enjoy the so-called "summer cocktails", most of them contain a large number of fruits and are diluted with ice. Cocktails of this kind are less harmful (I do not mean consuming the large quantities). Also, try not to take different kinds of drinks at the same time.
National Center of Surgery address – Tbilisi, Digomi Chachava street N5.
You can contact the Call-center of the National Center of Surgery at 577 11 91 19 or 2 02 25 25;
If you have some questions, you can contact the gastroenterologist of the National Center of Surgery Eka Zalikianiat 555 18 97 54;
Wish you health!
