How food bacteria from meat affect the body:
You are warned- some of you may find the information in this section a little unsettling. I suggest you put down the hamburger you are currently eating… it is up to you whether or not you choose to eat it again after reading this…
First of all our body is already full of bacteria. Our colon is home to about 1,000 different kinds of bacteria. These bacteria do not cause us any harm and many have an important purpose. An example of one of those purposes might be to help our body create vitamin K. These bacteria don’t bother us because they naturally live in our body so they are a part of us. Bacteria coming from other sources are a different story! When we consume meat from animal sources we are often consuming the intestinal bacteria of the animal source of the meat and possibly other animals. This is because animal organs are ground up as a part of the meat. We ingest such bacteria by eating contaminated meat. The bacteria from the meat cause symptoms within our body at a faster rate causing us to experience the all familiar symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and cramps. These symptoms are experienced because the inner layer of our intestines is damaged or agitated. Recovery for food borne illnesses such as these can take anywhere between three to five days to become complete.
Surprisingly our body is already programmed to clean out these toxins before any great harm is done! Providing an example of how this occurs requires referencing the not so pleasant symptom of diarrhea. When a person exhibits this symptom their body is working to rid itself of some of the harmful bacteria that has invaded it. The process of digestion also plays a role in keeping us safe from these toxins. If the contaminated meat is not contaminated at a high level then naturally occurring enzymes in the stomach can destroy some of the bacteria. If any bacteria make it into our bloodstream it will have to pass through the spleen and liver. Both the spleen and liver, along with the white blood cells in our blood, will work together to reduce some of these bacteria to keep our body safe.
(2010). Food-borne illnesses, Part I: The big picture. Harvard Men's Health Watch, 14(8), 5-7. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database.
