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Your best tips for raw food safety post transplant.
Transplants | Last Active: Dec 8, 2021 | Replies (92)Comment receiving replies
Hi Jolinda, during our last meeting with the ID specialist, we were told we could eat any berries SO LONG as we clean them well by a 1-2 minute cold water wash. We specifically asked about using vinegar and she said it was not necessary. I hope this helps.
On another note, we were told by a transplant patient that she makes everyone take their shoes off when they enter her house. Has anyone heard this advice from a transplant team staff? As we said in a previous post, we want to follow evidence-based practices and not hearsay.
Thanks.
Replies to "Hi Jolinda, during our last meeting with the ID specialist, we were told we could eat..."
@genocurt As I said initially, the white vinegar wash was not something the transplant department suggested, but that I learned about later. Whether or not it helps for post-transplant patients I think I will continue doing it. I read it in an article about making berries last longer, the vinegar kills spores and the berries really do last longer before spoiling, so that in itself is a benefit, but it is good to know that just washing them is good enough, which is the same thing my transplant team responded this week when I asked them. It can't hurt.
@danab I went back and looked at my lab reports. This is apparently the range for WBC:
WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT 3.6 Thousand/uL 3.8 - 10.8 Thousand/uL
As you can see, mine is not quite within range but apparently, it is good enough.
JK
@genocurt
When you say, "As we said in a previous post, we want to follow evidence-based practices and not hearsay.", it kind of implies that the rest of us are in the "hearsay" category, which is unfair. Ideas like a vinegar rinse or specialized cleaning cloth seem like great ideas and based in logic (even though they aren't accompanied by a double-blind study). I have followed what my medical team has told me to the letter and I think most people here do the same. I want us to have an open community where we can share our best practices.
I remember many things being "bad choice" examples like fresh pineapple and cantaloupe were mentioned as unsafe because there was no way to clean the textured, pourous skin without cutting potential bacteria into them. Berries are tricky to clean, great ideas were provided.
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@genocurt Hi on the subject of taking shoes off. We have done that for years and its interesting that my wife was just reading an article that suggests most bacteria comes in the house on your shoes to include a virius that put me in the hospital recently. Cdiff is its short name. It attacks the bowel and you get major diarrhea for weeks. Mine lasted a full month. The virus can only be killed with bleach and can live on untreated areas like outside dirt for up to 2 years. That part i found out from Mayo. So now besides taking my shoes off i sweep the floor near the doors at least daily.