The importance of food safety for a transplant recipient with CF

December’s Worldwide Food Service Safety Month resonates deeply with me as a double-lung transplant recipient living with cystic fibrosis (CF). Once-simple dining decisions now involve careful calculations regarding risk, cleanliness, and the invisible world of food-borne pathogens.

Life post-transplant means being immunocompromised. The anti-rejection medications that keep my body from attacking my precious new lungs also suppress my immune system’s ability to fight off infections. This reality has fundamentally changed my relationship with food, particularly when eating out.

Gone are the days of ordering a perfectly pink medium-rare steak, indulging in dippy eggs with runny yolks, or enjoying sushi with my friends. These foods, not cooked to temperatures that kill harmful bacteria, pose risks that my compromised immune system simply can’t handle.

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My caution extends beyond just food temperatures. I’ve nearly eliminated fountain sodas from my diet, knowing that the lines and machines can harbor bacteria. Coffee shops, sadly, are now infrequent treats. The potential for bacterial growth in commercial coffee machines isn’t worth the risk.

Salads at restaurants? Rarely. I can’t see how thoroughly the greens were washed, how clean the prep surfaces are, or whether cross-contamination with raw proteins occurred. Buffets, no way. Even my weakness for cooked Philly roll sushi comes with the acknowledgment that I’m taking a chance each time, not knowing the sanitation practices of the person preparing my food.

Worth the vigilance

This vigilance might sound excessive to some, but it’s become second nature to me. Before trying a new restaurant, I research its health department inspection reports. Major violations mean I won’t go.

Some might call it overkill, but when your immune system can’t mount a proper defense, prevention becomes everything. What might cause an uncomfortable bout of food poisoning in a healthy person could land me in the hospital with a severe bacterial infection. Even gastrointestinal bugs can become systemic threats when my body’s defenses are down.

I won’t pretend I’ve never “cheated” on these rules. There have been moments of weakness, special occasions, or times when the social cost of abstaining felt too high. But for the most part, I stick to my guidelines rigorously. Five years ago, I received an extraordinary gift — the gift of breath, life, and more time. Since then, knock on wood, I haven’t been hospitalized once. I haven’t been seriously sick. While I know luck plays a role, I also know my vigilance does, too.

Living this way isn’t always easy. Food, especially when eaten out, can be social and celebratory. But these small lifestyle changes feel like the least I can do to honor my donor and the incredible sacrifice their family made. Someone gave me a second chance at life. Researching restaurant health scores, ordering my burger well done, and skipping the Caesar salad are minor adjustments in exchange for breathing easy, living fully, and staying healthy enough to make the most of every day.

This Worldwide Food Service Safety Month, I’m reminded that food safety isn’t just about industry standards; it’s personal. For those of us who are immunocompromised, it’s literally a matter of life or death. And for me, it’s a daily act of gratitude.

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.