Re: Foods keep in fridge??

[Guest guest]

,

I'm like you, I probably keep it too long On occasion I've kept cooked chicken and beef (and nut muffins too) in the frig for 7-9 days, but I have a "cast iron" stomach and I rarely have digestive problems of any kind. Still, it has to pass a very careful smell, taste, and sight test before I'll eat it. I hate waste so there's lots of stuff that I eat that i would never share with my family. If it's discolored or the taste or smell is the least little bit "off" it goes straight to the dogs <which certainly makes them happy ..LOL>.

On the other hand, i won't feed it to my son if it's over 3 or 4 days old (and he questions everything I offer him if he thinks it's old). For the past three years I wouldn't feed him anything that was over an hour old!!! Drastic?? Yes, but then, I have a totally different perspective on leftovers because of my son's battle with cancer.

The first day the oncologist discussed the diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis he mentioned that most of the leukemia patients that die during treatment actually die from bacteria or fungal infections. The bacteria often comes from leftovers. St. Jude insisted on a "low bacteria diet" and drilled it into us that our little chemo patients could only have food that had been opened, peeled, or cooked within the last hour!! Even water bottles had to be thrown away if they'd been open for an hour. Chemo causes a low immune system and the cancer kid's body just couldn't fight off the bacteria that most of us deal with every day. The least little bit of mold or bacteria on the food combined with little or no immune system could cause you to lose your child within a few hours!!!! ...... Talk about a life-changing wake-up call to make a mom super paranoid about leftovers! My

son and I both cried at times because of the fear it put around food and the stress of constantly questioning whether something was dangerous or not (simple things like lettuce, tea, pepper, or leftovers could be deadly for him). It turned me into a food nazi for a long time <g>

's finished chemo now, so it's ok for him to have leftovers, but we're both still a little leary simply because we know all too well that any bacteria or mold on leftovers will make his body have to work a little harder to fight it off (we've seen other cancer kids lose the battle with bacteria). His body has enough to deal with to clear all the toxins from 28 months of constant chemo and antibiotics so we want to minimize the challenges we add to it.

This is probably way more information than you wanted, but I thought it was important to stress that fresh is always better. If you aren't going to eat it right away, put the extra in the freezer. Even if you take it out and thaw it the next day it will have less bacteria. The way I see it, every little bit helps and it never hurts to err on the side of caution.

Sorry so long-winded. I know this is a unique perspective, but I hope it helps a little.

mom to , 18, cancer survivor, SCD since 12/26

To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Wed, March 17, 2010 10:55:44 AMSubject: Re: Foods keep in fridge??

I sent this yesterday but I'm not sure if it went through. I know what the "experts" say, but how long do people really keep cooked chicken and beef in the fridge before freezing it? I probably keep mine too long (which might be the source of all my tummy issues!! - Ha!).

Marla

IBS-D 20 yrs

SCD 11/09

Questran (for post gall bladder surgery)

[Guest guest]

Geez , what you have been through! The guilt and stress you have had to

endure! I thought I was having a hard time with little progress with my Sophie

after 6 months. Thanks for putting it into perspective!

>

> ,

> I'm like you, I probably keep it too long  On occasion I've kept cooked

chicken and beef (and nut muffins too) in the frig for 7-9 days, but I have a

" cast iron " stomach and I rarely have digestive problems of any kind.  Still,

it has to pass a very careful smell, taste, and sight test before I'll eat

it.  I hate waste so there's lots of stuff that I eat that i would never

share with my family.  If it's discolored or the taste or smell is the least

little bit  " off " it goes straight to the dogs <which certainly makes them

happy ..LOL>. 

>

> On the other hand,  i won't feed it to my son if it's over 3 or 4 days old

(and he questions everything I offer him if he thinks it's old).  For the past

three years I wouldn't feed him anything that was over an hour old!!! 

Drastic??    Yes, but then, I have a totally different perspective on

leftovers because of my son's battle with cancer. 

>

> The first day the oncologist discussed the diagnosis, treatment plan, and

prognosis he mentioned that most of the leukemia patients that die during

treatment actually die from bacteria or fungal infections.  The bacteria

often comes from leftovers.  St. Jude insisted on a " low bacteria diet " and

drilled it into us that our little chemo patients could only have food that

had been opened, peeled, or cooked within the last hour!!  Even water bottles

had to be thrown away if they'd been open for an hour.  Chemo causes a low

immune system and the cancer kid's body just couldn't fight off the bacteria

that most of us deal with every day.  The least little bit of mold or bacteria

on the food combined with little or no immune system could cause you to lose

your child within a few hours!!!!  ...... Talk about a life-changing wake-up

call to make a mom super paranoid about leftovers!  My son and I both cried at

times because of the fear it put around

> food and the stress of constantly questioning whether something was dangerous

or not (simple things like lettuce, tea, pepper, or leftovers could be deadly

for him).  It turned me into a food nazi for a long time <g>

>

> 's finished chemo now, so it's ok for him to have leftovers, but we're

both still a little leary simply because we know all too well that any bacteria

or mold on leftovers will make his body have to work a little harder to fight it

off (we've seen other cancer kids lose the battle with bacteria).  His body has

enough to deal with to clear all the toxins from 28 months of constant chemo and

antibiotics so we want to minimize the challenges we add to it.

>

> This is probably way more information than you wanted, but I thought it was

important to stress that fresh is always better.  If you aren't going to eat

it right away, put the extra in the freezer.  Even if you take it out and thaw

it the next day it will have less bacteria.  The way I see it, every little

bit helps and it never hurts to err on the side of caution.

>

> Sorry so long-winded.  I know this is a unique perspective, but I hope it

helps a little.

>

> mom to , 18, cancer survivor, SCD since 12/26

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: BTVC-SCD

> Sent: Wed, March 17, 2010 10:55:44 AM

> Subject: Re: Foods keep in fridge??

>

>  

> I sent this yesterday but I'm not sure if it went through.  I know what the

" experts " say, but how long do people really keep cooked chicken and beef in the

fridge before freezing it?  I probably keep mine too long (which might be the

source of all my tummy issues!! - Ha!).

>  

> Marla

> IBS-D 20 yrs

> SCD 11/09

> Questran (for post gall bladder surgery)

>  

>

[Guest guest]

At 11:44 AM 3/17/2010, you wrote:

Sorry so long-winded. I

know this is a unique perspective, but I hope it helps a

little.

I appreciate that -- because interestingly, that's what was stressed in

my research. My oncologist also mentioned fresh food as better. I didn't

have to do chemo, but I think part of the reason the cancer hadn't spread

was because I was already on SCD!

—

Marilyn

New

Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

Babette the Foundling Beagle