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THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 6 | Number 4 | JANUARY 2016
FOOD & HEALTH
Authorities urge
HYPOTHYROIDISM
Healthwise
caution on Salmonella
(Underactive Thyroid
or Low Thyroid)
H
ypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid
gland does not make enough thyroid
hormone.
The thyroid gland is an
important organ of the endocrine system. It is located
at the front of the neck, just
above where the collarbones
meet. Hormones released by
the gland travel through the
bloodstream and affect nearly every part of the body,
from the heart and brain, to
the muscles and skin. The
hormones control the way
every cell in the body uses
energy, a process called metabolism.
With the warmer weather already
here, NSW Health and the NSW
Food Authority are urging people
to be aware of Salmonella
poisoning and take care when
preparing and storing food.
Salmonellosis notifications have started
to increase as a result of warmer temperatures,
with 112 notifications in NSW within three
weeks last month.
Dr Vicky Sheppeard, Director, Communicable Diseases Branch, NSW Health, said products containing undercooked eggs are the most
common source of outbreaks of salmonellosis
in NSW.
“Salmonellosis can be quite severe. The
symptoms include fever, headache, diarrhoea,
abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms usually start about six to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food and typically last for
four to seven days, but can continue for much
longer,” said Dr Sheppeard.
“It is important that people do not prepare
food for others while they are unwell and, as a
precaution, for 48 hours after symptoms have
passed.
“Occasionally, hospitalisation is required
for management of dehydration, particularly
in young babies, elderly people and those with
weakened immune systems.”
NSW Food Authority CEO Dr Lisa Szabo said to avoid Salmonella poisoning, the same
advice applies to both consumers and food retailers when preparing dressings, mayonnaises,
desserts and sauces.
“It is far safer and preferable to use alternatives such as commercially produced products
instead of handmade mayonnaise and sauces, or
to use commercially pasteurised eggs in lieu of
raw eggs in ready-to-eat products such as desserts and drinks,” Dr Szabo said.
“While preparing and handling food, keep
benches and utensils clean and dry and do not
allow cross contamination of raw and cooked
products.
“Retailers should also remember that food
laws in NSW prohibit the sale of eggs with dirty
or cracked shells because this increases the risk
of contamination and food-borne illness, and
should reject any eggs that are not intact,” said
Dr Szabo.
Salmonellosis is a form of gastroenteritis
caused by Salmonella bacteria, which are commonly found in animals.
For further information, visit http://www.
health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/
Sa lmonellosis.aspx
For further information on the safe handling
of eggs visit the NSW Food Authority website:
http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/rp/safeuse-of-raw-egg-products
EARLY SYMPTOMS OF
HYPOTHYROIDISM:
l Constipation
l Sensitivity to cold
temperature
l Fatigue or feeling
slowed down
l Heavy and irregular
menstrual period
l Joint or muscle pain
l Paleness or dry skin
l Thin, brittle hair or fingernails
l Weakness
l Weight gain
l Depression
LATE SYMPTOMS, IF
UNTREATED:
l Decreased taste and
smell
FE
WATMORE
Registered Nurse
l Hoarseness
l Puffy face, hands and
feet
l Slow speech
l Thickening of the skin
l Thinning of eyebrows
CAUSES:
l Thyroiditis – (Hashimoto’s) – an inflammation of the thyroid
gland, wherein the
body produces antibodies that attack and
destroy the thyroid
gland.
l Radiation therapy to
the neck area/thyroid
surgery
l Radioactive iodine
treatment
l Use of certain medications e.g. lithium and
amiodarone
l Sheehan syndrome - a
condition that occurs
in women who bleed
severely during pregnancy or childbirth and
destructs the pituitary
gland
l Pituitary tumour/pituitary surgery
DIAGNOSIS:
l Blood tests – to check
hormone levels that
will include:
l Thyroid –stimulating
hormone (TSH)
l T4 (thyroxine)
l Complete blood count
l To check cholesterol
levels, liver enzymes,
Prolactin and Sodium
TREATMENT:
l It’s aimed at replacing
the deficient thyroid
hormone
l Medication
PROGNOSIS:
In most cases, thyroid
hormone levels become normal with proper treatment. A
thyroid hormone medicine is
likely to be taken for the rest
of the person’s life.
People with untreated hypothyroidism are at increased of:
l Infection
l Infertility, miscarriage, giving birth to a
baby with defects
l Heart disease due to
high levels of cholesterol
l Heart failure
References:
MedicinePlus/Hypothyroidism
WebMD Hypothyroid Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Wikipedia, the true encyclopedia