How to prevent food poisoning

A little over a week ago I took my son out for a celebration of sorts. I brought him to one of those video game/pizza places. He'd been begging to go for months and I kept putting it off by saying "that's not an every day place -- that's a special occasion place." So, when a special occasion rolled around I couldn't exactly get out of it.

My son had a blast. And I'm glad. I, on the other hand, didn't enjoy it at all. I was troubled when I picked up our food tray and it was sticky. I was bothered by the station with puddles of spilled soda. And our pizza ... well, it looked good and smelled good, but some smarter part of my brain told me that something wasn't right. Unfortunately, my stomach spoke louder than my brain on that day, and I ate the pizza. And later on, well ... let's just say I wish I had listened to my brain.

Food poisoning, a type of gastroenteritis, is a pretty common affliction. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, shivering, and fatigue. Food poisoning is caused by improperly cooked food, spoiled food, or food prepared in unsanitary conditions. There are steps you can take to avoid food poisoning, however.

• Wash your hands before preparing food or eating. It's also a good idea to wash your hands throughout the day, particularly after going to the bathroom or handling pets.
• Keep your kitchen counter tops and other work surfaces clean.
  
• Make sure food is defrosted completely before cooking.
• Cook food thoroughly and make sure your food is cooked thoroughly when eating out.
• Keep raw food covered.
• Rinse all fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• Throw away any food past its expiration. If you're not sure if a food is OK, go by this little motto "when in doubt, throw it out."

And, unlike me, if your gut instinct is telling you that something is awry, trust it. If a restaurant doesn't seem sanitary up front, the kitchen is likely unsanitary, too.