A Healthy Holiday Starts Before We Sit Down To Eat

HEALTHWATCH - “Health is wealth,” the old saying goes. As families begin planning Thanksgiving meals and other holiday gatherings, this is a good time to make prevention part of those preparations. We must first be alive and well to enjoy the meal. The care we take beforehand is part of the gratitude we bring to the table.

A recent California investigation makes that message timely. In its November 6, 2026, update, San Luis Obispo County reported five laboratory-confirmed E. coli O157 infections among people who visited Brookshire Farms on October 17 or 18, and ten suspected cases among visitors between October 16 and 26. An October 30 update had reported three cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Officials said the risk of further exposure from the incident had passed and identified no ongoing public-health threat. The specific source remained unknown. These reports concern a local outbreak, not a statewide one.

HUS is a serious complication of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, known as STEC. It can cause kidney failure and lasting health problems. Most people who develop HUS recover, but some die. That possibility deserves attention without turning every outing or meal into a source of fear.

California’s public-health agencies monitor STEC infections and investigate outbreaks. Their teams, laboratories and clinicians deserve our thanks, alongside schools, businesses and community organizations taking precautions. The county specifically acknowledged the farm’s cooperation. Supporting that work is more useful than speculating about blame.

My medical training taught me the importance of treating illness. My public health training also asks an earlier question: How can we prevent people from becoming ill in the first place? California should make protection easier wherever people learn, celebrate and share food.

Make safer outings part of the plan

The county reported that Brookshire Farms did not have publicly accessible farm animals or an operating petting zoo. The following advice applies more broadly to outings where animals are present.

At farms, fairs and animal exhibits, wash hands with soap and running water after leaving animal areas, even without touching an animal, and before eating. Healthy-looking animals and their surroundings can carry germs. Keep food and drinks outside animal areas, supervise children and keep their hands and objects away from their mouths. These are general precautions.

When soap and water are unavailable, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, then wash properly as soon as possible. Sanitizer should not become an event organizer’s substitute for providing accessible handwashing facilities.

Schools and organizations arranging trips should ask where children will wash, who will replenish soap and water, and how eating areas are separated from animals. A sign saying “wash your hands” is useful only when people can follow it.

Consider a parent guiding several children toward lunch, only to find an empty soap dispenser. That is not a problem another warning can fix. Venues should build replenishment checks and clear directions into their routines. Prevention needs working facilities, not simply well-informed visitors.

Bring prevention into the holiday kitchen

The same attention belongs at home and at community meals. Clean, separate, cook and chill are practical safeguards against E. coli and other foodborne germs—not a reason to abandon favorite recipes. Plan ahead to thaw turkey in the refrigerator, allowing about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Never thaw it on the countertop.

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, including before preparing food and after using the toilet or changing diapers. Keep raw meat and its juices away from ready-to-eat food. Clean utensils and preparation surfaces, and rinse produce under running water. Do not wash raw poultry; splashing can spread germs.

Use a food thermometer rather than appearance to judge doneness: ground beef needs 160°F; turkey and other poultry need 165°F, as does stuffing. Choose pasteurized milk and cider, and avoid tasting uncooked dough or batter made with raw flour.

Refrigerate perishable leftovers within two hours—or one hour when temperatures exceed 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and divide large portions into shallow containers. Do not prepare or serve food for others while you have diarrhea. Arrange backup cooks and volunteers so staying home does not become a difficult choice.

Seek advice early, not only when illness becomes severe

If you develop diarrhea, severe stomach cramps or vomiting after a possible exposure, contact a clinician promptly and explain where you visited and what you ate. Seek medical attention for bloody diarrhea, dehydration, a fever above 102°F, or diarrhea or vomiting lasting more than two days. Do not wait if symptoms are severe or an exposure alert applies.

Little or no urination, unusual bruising, marked paleness or reduced alertness during or after diarrheal illness may signal HUS. Seek emergency care immediately. Children need particular attention because dehydration can develop quickly.

Early care can make a difference. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that appropriate intravenous fluids within the first four days of diarrhea may reduce kidney-failure risk in children with STEC O157 infection. This does not mean everyone needs an IV or that complications can always be prevented. A clinician should assess hydration, testing and monitoring needs.

Do not assume antibiotics or diarrhea-stopping medicines are the answer. CDC advises against antibiotics for STEC because they can increase HUS risk, and against anti-diarrheal medicines with STEC, high fever or bloody diarrhea. Seek medical guidance rather than self-treating.

Reporting matters, too. Tell your local health department when you suspect food poisoning, and record what you ate and where you went. Cooperate with investigators and follow advice about returning to food handling, childcare or other activities. Early reporting can help protect others.

Make shared responsibility practical

Community and faith-based organizations could invite local health educators to short sessions before holiday meals and outings. Demonstrating handwashing, thermometer use and safe food storage may be more useful than another leaflet. Schools can reinforce those lessons without making children responsible for unsafe facilities.

Donors and businesses could provide reliable food thermometers, soap, suitable handwashing stations and refrigeration support through trusted community partners. Public agencies should remain supported, while venues and food providers retain responsibility for safe operations. Generosity should strengthen protection, not replace basic obligations.

Event organizers should identify who checks food temperatures, who oversees handwashing supplies and whom to contact if someone becomes ill. Families should have understandable information and access to care. These are practical ways to turn shared responsibility into protection, rather than leaving every household to work it out alone.

For me, “health is wealth” means investing in the conditions that let people enjoy life together. This Thanksgiving, let us thank those already protecting our communities and make prevention part of our hospitality. A successful celebration is not only one where everyone is well fed, but one where we have done our part to keep everyone well.

(Taiwo Opeyemi Aremu, MD, MPH, MS, PhD, is a physician, public health expert, health economics and outcomes researcher, and assistant professor at Touro University California. The views expressed are his own.)