• Food should only be in the “temperature danger zone” for 2 hours total.  The “temperature danger zone” is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remember, this is 2 hours total.  If you prepare that chicken and have it out for preparation for 15 minutes, then have it on the table for 30 minutes, then the counter to pack and store for 15 minutes, it has already been out for 60 minutes.  That leaves 60 minutes it can be out in the “danger zone.”  This is especially important for restaurant take home meals.  Think about how long it sat on the table and was out being transported before deciding to have it later.
• When cooking meats, use an instant-read food thermometer.  You can find them at most cooking and home stores (Linens ‘N Things, Target, etc.).  Check the temperature of the meat while cooking.  Here are the temperatures to look for (all in degrees Fahrenheit):
  • Beef, steaks, roast, chops: 145
  • Pork: 160
  • Ground beef, veal, pork: 160
  • Poultry: 165
• Have a permanent marker handy in the kitchen.  It can be used to mark on the package the date an item was opened for those that have multiple servings and will be kept in the fridge.  You’ll never have to ask “How long has this been open?” or “Do you think this is still OK?” again.  Also good to mark the date on freezer bags of when items are frozen/purchased so you know when to throw them out if they aren’t eaten.
• A microwave doesn’t necessarily kill bacteria.  Those nasty bugs can hide in cold spots.  When microwave cooking or re-heating, be sure that the food gets hot all the way through.  Stop and stir part of the way through.  And, use that food thermometer just to be sure.  The foods should reach a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Sanitize surfaces after handling raw meat (especially poultry).  One of the quickest ways to do this is have a spray bottle of sanitizing solution handy.  For non-porous surfaces like cutting boards the solution is 1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of warm (not hot) water.  You can make up a gallon and refill the spray bottle when it runs low.  After washing the cutting board, knives, etc. spray on the solution and allow to air dry.  You can also spray your countertops and sink.
  

Small changes in how food is handled in the kitchen can help you and those you cook for avoid dreaded “food-borne illnesses.”  For more information on food safety, check out this link.

Seems a simple question – right? Who are you? Although on the surface it may seem obvious, it is not if you are unconscious or unable to speak. When you are out for a bike ride or a run do you have identification with you? Not just with you – but physically on you? Imagine being in a group of cyclists and an unfortunate accident happens. Bikes and people are everywhere in the road, and perhaps, in the ditch. Help and medical attention arrives and attempts to establish who is who but a few riders don’t have ID physically on their bodies. These new people on the scene won’t know which bike goes with which rider and may not have time to worry about it. The other riders who are OK may or may not know the riders who are down and even if they do, they probably don’t know who should be contacted in case of an emergency much less the phone numbers. Same thing applies to runners – out for a run and something happens which leaves the runner unable to communicate but in need of medical attention. I even think it is important to have ID on you when working out at the gym.  If you’re swimming and something happens, or take a flyer off the treadmill and are unconscious, it will take them a long time to shuffle through the records to figure out who you are.  You end up as a John or Jane Doe in the hospital until they figure out who you are. And, you will not be at your choice of hospitals since they didn’t know if you had insurance or not. Scary? You bet!

Now you’re asking, “why is a sports nutrition blog talking about ID?” As someone who likes to be outdoors and has seen too many accidents where people could not be identified or all the contact information was not available, I don’t want this to happen to you or your family. It is scary enough when identification and insurance information are available.

What to do? Get some identification that can be attached to your body. Not your bike. Not your shoe (yes, shoes come off or are taken off and separated from their owner). I’m not talking a microchip, but a dog tag, wrist or ankle ID from RoadID or another similar product. You wear the dog tag around your neck and it has your name, contact name, phone numbers and whatever else you want to include that will fit on it. I have one for my running shoes that I like, but now wear the ankle one when working out. Better to be prepared than be called “Jane Doe.”

If you carry a cell phone there are a couple of other steps you can take (just in case they figure out which bike is yours and find the cell phone in the bag under the seat). Include an entry for “ICE” which stands for “In Case of Emergency.” I’ve heard that if something happens (like a car accident) and they find your cell phone, the emergency personnel will look for an ICE entry. Also, store your husband as “Husband” rather than “John.” How will they know “John” is your husband if you don’t tell them?

Am I sounding paranoid? I don’t want to. But, I also don’t want anyone who reads this blog to end up without a name in a hospital somewhere. Go and check out the RoadID site (www.roadid.com) and see what they have. Program your phone with an ICE number and some identifier of who should be called in case of an emergency. Better to be safe than sorry.