Of 'meaty' festivities: Reminders to let you enjoy Eid and food

Pakistan

Of 'meaty' festivities: Reminders to let you enjoy Eid and food

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By Abdullah Zafar

While Eid ul Azha is being celebrated with religious harmony across the country, there are some precautions which, if taken, can help avoid emergency visits to the hospital letting you enjoy every bit of that ‘meaty festivity’.

Though there are awareness campaigns run at this time of the year by hospitals and government departments, the risks posed to hygiene and health could be high if certain basic precautions are ignored.

With the influx of thousands of animals from rural areas into cities, people in urban centres of the country become extremely vulnerable to infections, such as the Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever – commonly known as Congo fever.

According to Dr. Khalid Mahmood Akhtar, Senior Lecturer Community Medicine SIMS, the virus is found in ticks that reside in animal furs like that of cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats. If someone has been exposed to farm animals lately and later, experiences symptoms, including body aches, agitation, mental confusion, blood from nose or in vomits, he/she should immediately visit the nearest hospital.

“Taking the issue seriously, people should make sure the de-ticking of animals before transportation to the slaughterhouse, and ensure proper cleansing of the area after the process of slaughtering,” he added. While interacting with the animals, he advised to ensure personal tick-avoidance measures like the use of repellents and adequate clothing should also be taken.

As the old proverb goes, ‘excess of everything is bad’, red meat that is good for your health may have adverse effects if consumed excessively.

According to medical experts, the excessive intake of red meat – that will be all around you for the next couple of days, can consequent a number of diseases.

Talking about red meat, Dr. Akhtar told Dunya News that meat includes various tissues of animal origin. Although it is good for your health, but other than excessive use being harmful as it is rich in cholesterol, certain physiognomies of good meat should also be kept in mind.

“The characteristics of good meat are that it should be neither pale pink nor a deep purple tint, firm and elastic to touch, should not be slimy and have an agreeable odour”, he said.

The hygiene of the slaughter place is very important to prevent the contamination of meat during the process, and meat should always be handled with clean dry hands. After the handling, meat should always be stored in the coolest part of the refrigerator, and frozen in safe wrap at 0 degrees Celsius. 

“Contaminated meat may transmit diseases like tapeworm infestations and bacterial infections like tuberculosis and food poisoning,” Dr. Akhtar added.

Concluding the discussion with the cooking and consuming of meat, Dr. Khalid said that cooked meat should not be left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.

“Always eat properly cooked meat, and avoid excessive intake of meat, especially of that is smoked (BBQ), and prefer using it with cooked vegetables. Red meat is a good source of Iron, Good Protein but excessive use may cause constipation and other gastro problems, including increased uric acid.”

“Light exercise along with the intake of meat is very important. Along with trying to avoid excessive use of spices, patients of high blood pressure and diabetes should avoid the use of red meat itself.”

A similar voice was echoed by Young Doctors Association’s (YDA) Dr. Salman Kazmi. “People should try to keep a balanced diet even during the festivities, and avoid gorging down large portions of meat.”

He further said that everyone should follow the cook and eat rule, and eat fresh meat without freezing much. With power cuts a regular feature, he said that meat may rot during load shedding and so storage for long durations should be avoided.

“People suffering from ulcers and acidity should also avoid spicy food, especially barbecue dishes which are usually very spicy”, he said.