California Nurses Share Health Decisions They Would Never Make: ‘Chew Your Damn Food!’

People’s daily choices could have an underlying impact on their health and wellness. But it’s not just about food and exercise, as Tim and Amanda (@clockedoutdinks), nurses from California, put it. They shared several health-related decisions that they would never commit to as nurses.

Notably, Tim and Amanda had based their decisions on what they’d seen on shift as nurses. Owning specific pets, eating food in a certain way, and even some hygiene choices can land a person in the emergency room. Here are a list of things they’re saying no to.

Owning a bird

“There are actually airborne proteins in the feathers and droppings of birds that can cause severe pneumonitis. We’ve had patients that needed a lung transplant simply because they owned a bird,” Tim said. For those who love their pet birds, this may be a sign to handle their pets with caution and care. As with all animals, it’s best to sanitize after handling their bio-waste.

But for those with a weaker respiratory system, a pet bird might not be the most ideal companion for them.

Getting a Brazilian wax

“As a nurse, I would never get a Brazilian wax. I actually had a patient one time that ended up with Fournier’s gangrene,” Amanda claimed. Although cases of Fournier’s gangrene are rare, with only two out of one hundred thousand cases occurring in men and even fewer in women, it is still a life-threatening bacterial infection to contract.

It’s a flesh-eating disease that destroys soft tissue. While the infection can be contracted through a Brazilian wax, having a severe untreated urinary tract infection or genital ulcers can also increase the chances of getting Fournier’s gangrene. But again, it’s a highly uncommon instance for both men and women.

“It all depends on your tech that’s doing it. But I’d rather not,” Amanda said as a matter of preference.

Driving with a full bladder

“I would never drive with a full bladder. When you get into an accident, where the seatbelt is, blunt force trauma can cause the bladder to rupture, and you’re in big trouble,” Tim explained. Medline Plus verified the claim, making it a possible scenario for those wearing a seatbelt during a vehicular accident.

Skipping dental appointments

“As a nurse, I would never skip a dentist appointment. It’s so important to get your teeth cleaned because all that bacteria in your mouth can go anywhere else in the body,” Amanda said. It’s recommended by dentists for the average person to get their teeth cleaned every six months. But there are also patients who may need more frequent cleanings.

“Your dentist can detect a lot of cancers—like oral cancers,” Amanda added. She continued, “Honestly, most of the dental cancer patients I’ve taken care of, their dentist was the one that found it.”

Not drinking electrolytes during an athletic event

“As a nurse and a former triathlete, I would never just drink water during an event,” Tim said. He explained that because the body excessively sweats from all the running and the intense activities athletes subject themselves to, it’s recommended for them to replenish their sodium and electrolytes.

“If you’re flooding your system with water, your sodium levels drop to a dangerous level. Your brain swells and you can seize, and it’s a medical emergency,” Tim added. He recalled a friend who drank only water for a triathlon. Although he finished the race, he had a seizure and was hooked on a ventilator for three days.

Having children in the same year

“It puts an incredible amount of strain on your heart. I actually had a patient who had twins in January and then, by the end of the year, had another baby. And she needed a heart transplant because she went into cardiac myopathy,” Amanda recalled.

Having children in general can put immense pressure on a woman’s body. But having children only twelve months apart can increase the likelihood of anemia, as well as premature birth.

Not chewing before swallowing food

“I would never rush through eating a steak or a burger or anything that you really need to take time with and chew. I had a patient who went anoxic because he choked on a piece of steak and they could not get it out,” Amanda said. It’s an avoidable issue if people chew especially tough food.

“Another patient was choking on an In-N-Out burger and coughed so hard, he perforated his esophagus,” she added. Her advice? “Please, please. Chew your damn food!”

(featured images: Joe Hudson, James Collington, Patrik Felker)

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