chicken in a coopLet's cut to the chase: Any form of bladder and vajayjay infection is the absolute worst, right? Even just your random, run-of-the-mill urinary tract infection (UTI) is a total pain -- literally. In fact, they can cause excruciating pain that has you wondering how the hell you got cursed with the "honeymoon cystitis" (great spin, huh? Making it sound real cute! Ha!). Well, don't necessarily chalk it up to lots of rollin' around in the hay. That UTI may have more to do with what you're chowing down on ... as in, chicken. Yum!!

A new report in the March issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases links the E. coli that causes UTIs to E. coli from chicken. Apparently, the infections probably came directly from the chickens, not from contamination during food processing. However, that doesn't mean we humans aren't at fault.

The researchers point the finger at "improper and overuse of antimicrobials during animal food production." As in inappropriate use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and food production.

You know how your package of chicken breasts says, "No antibiotics added"? That doesn't mean that the chicken was never given antibiotics at any point in its life cycle. It just means that sufficient documentation was provided by the poultry producer to the USDA demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics. In other words, there's a sketch factor, and this news is proof that it's causing real health problems!

How scary is it that we have to worry about contracting drug-resistant bugs because of the meat we're eating? It's enough to make you want to go vegan. (Okay, maybe not that far ... vegetarian?) Whether you're willing to shift your lifestyle is a whole different ballgame, but you've got to wonder whether there's really enough regulation of our food for us to feel safe eating it. I personally have been trying to cut back on chicken -- and I only buy organic -- but this news is still a major turn-off.

I guess the best we can do is remember to be personally responsible, aware, and educated about the food we eat and how it might affect our health. Knowledge is power, and in this case, power is not ending up with a nasty bug that won't quit!

Does this skeeve you out about eating chicken? What precautions do you take with food to protect your health?

 

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