Barbecues, picnics and outdoor gatherings during the summer months leave us vulnerable to food-borne illnesses. Learn how probiotics can help.

Dining outside is the mainstay of summer – there is no escaping it. But it is also a great time for all kinds of bacteria to feast on the food we leave out in the heat and forget to stick in the refrigerator. There is also less access to refrigerator with outdoor eating, resulting in a higher chance of bacteria growing in our food and, if consumed, can make us real sick. This is because bacteria thrive excellently under higher temperature conditions, doubling the risk of food poisoning cases in the summer.

If you ever had food poisoning, it is no fun. Diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting can seriously take a toll on our bodies by causing dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Oftentimes, antibiotics are prescribed to kill the toxic bacteria, but they are without side effects. While doing their job to defeat the harmful bacteria, antibiotics can make the diarrhea worse and can disrupt the bacterial flora of our guts. This does not mean you should not take antibiotics, but it is important to know that they will destroy the good and bad bacteria in our intestines. You see not all bacteria are bad – the good bacteria in our colon help us make vitamins, digest our food, maintain regular bowel movements and fight off infections.  Probiotics can help replenish the intestines with helpful bacteria that were lost from antibiotic use.

So what are probiotics? Probiotics are live bacteria which can be ingested in the form of dietary supplements and foodstuffs, providing a host of healthful benefits.  Probiotics typically contain Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli which are two different species of beneficial bacteria naturally found in our bodies. These beneficial bacteria can help fight off disease-causing bacteria, such as salmonella and E. Coli, which commonly cause food poisoning. Yogurts, aged cheeses and fermented milk products are great sources of probiotics; however, probiotic supplements are more potent and good if you cannot tolerate dairy foods or are lactose intolerant (lack a certain enzyme to digest dairy).

Practicing safe food practices by putting your food immediately in the refrigerator is the best way to stay clear of food poisoning. It is not worth the risk, throw away any perishable food that is kept out for more than 2 hours or more than 1 hour if the outside temperature is above 32 degrees Celsius. And no matter what, always use your senses, if the food looks or smells unusual, don’t eat it! The take home message is that spoiled food may still get you sick, even if you take probiotics. However, there is growing scientific evidence that bolstering up the good bacteria in our guts are more likely to ward off the bad and keep our immune systems operating at its peak.