The holidays are quickly approaching, which means many families are making last minute travel plans and food purchases. Whether you are hosting the holidays at your house or visiting family, it is best to remember the importance of food safety. With the all the commotion and excitement, it can be easy to make mistakes with food that can send you dashing to the nearest urgent medical care clinic. Fortunately, there are some tips to help you prevent food mishaps.

"This is delicious. What's in it?"

There are over 170 foods that can cause an allergic reaction, which includes foods that fall under milk, shellfish, fish, nuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy. If you are among the 32 million Americans that suffer from a food allergy, you should pause before you take that first bite of your aunt's pie.

You may have told your family several times that you are allergic to a certain food or have a food intolerance. However, it is easy to forget who suffers from what when everyone starts gathering for the holidays. If you or perhaps your children suffer from a food allergy, it is up to you to find out what is in the food.

Pipe up and ask what the ingredients are in each dish if you are unsure. Asking plenty of questions about the food laid out before you is better than spending the holidays in an urgent care clinic. Also, make sure you have your epi-pens with you if you are required to have them in the event of a mishap.

"Is anyone else too stuffed to move?"

Who doesn't tend to overindulge when seated for a holiday meal? You engorge yourself on all the wonderfully prepared dishes and then everyone is simply too full to move right away. Instead, you sit around and chat until you are ready to do something productive.

It is quite unfortunate if you leave the food sitting out while you carry on your conversations, however. Cooked food should not be left out for more than two hours. You would be surprised how quickly time can fly while everyone is sitting and chatting while they wait for their food to digest enough to clean and put everything away.

Unfortunately, leaving the food to sit for too long can lead to food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses. It is estimated that approximately 1 out of 6 people suffer from a foodborne illness each year. Although most of those illnesses occur during the summer months, they tend to spike during the holidays. Make sure you put food away in properly sealed containers as soon as you are done eating.

If tummy troubles or any other illnesses ail you that you feel must be addressed as soon as possible, make sure to visit an urgent medical care clinic near you for assistance.

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