Dining out is a popular pastime, but it's essential to be aware of potential food safety risks. We all have our go to foods whenever we are at a restaurant and enjoy the prospect of getting to eat their favorite meal. But even in the most high-end restaurants, the risk of getting sick always lingers. You never know when or what may cause issues for you

Food poisoning is a common problem that can lead to things like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach upset. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 48 million people in the United States get sick from food poisoning each year. While sometimes it is unavoidable, being aware of these things can help you understand things that can go wrong and taking precautions when eating at restaurants. It's crucial to be informed to protect your health and enjoy your dining experience without worry. Here are some foods you should either avoid or be careful while eating.

Foods You Should Be Careful About While Dining Out

Eggs

Even eggs that look fine can have Salmonella bacteria. These bacteria can make you sick with stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Restaurants can cause outbreaks if they don't cook eggs to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, store them at the wrong temperature, use unpasteurized eggs, or use dirty cooking tools. These bad practices let bacteria grow and make people sick. So, it's important to cook and handle eggs the right way.

Pre-Cut Melons

Melons that are cut up ahead of time, like in fruit salads, are more likely to cause food poisoning. When you cut a melon, bacteria on the outside can get to the inside. If lots of fruit is cut in one place, it's easier for bacteria to spread. Since people eat melons raw, there's no cooking to kill the germs. These germs, like Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli, can make you really sick. So, be careful with pre-cut melons.

Sprouts

Sprouts are healthy, but they grow in warm, wet places where bacteria like Listeria like to live. Even washing sprouts doesn't always get rid of these germs. And because people usually eat sprouts raw, there's no cooking to kill the bacteria. This makes sprouts a big cause of food poisoning. There have been lots of outbreaks linked to sprouts, with many people getting sick and even ending up in the hospital. So, it's a good idea to avoid sprouts, especially at restaurants.

Undercooked Meat

Meat that isn't cooked enough can have harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter. Campylobacter is a common cause of diarrhea. Ground beef is extra risky because it's often made from meat from many different cows. If one cow is sick, all the ground beef can be contaminated. While quickly cooking the outside of a steak can kill surface germs, undercooked ground beef and other meats are still dangerous. Cooking meat all the way through is super important.

Fishes

Some fish can cause specific kinds of food poisoning. Ciguatera poisoning happens when you eat fish that ate poisonous algae, like grouper, sea bass, and red snapper. Cooking doesn't get rid of these poisons. Scombroid poisoning can happen if fish like tuna, sardines, and mahi-mahi aren't stored correctly, which lets bacteria make poisons. Cooking doesn't help with this either. It's important for restaurants to get their fish from good places and keep it stored at the right temperature.

Oyster

Oysters filter water, which means they can collect bacteria and viruses. A big risk is vibriosis, which is caused by Vibrio bacteria that live in warm ocean water where oysters grow. Eating raw or undercooked oysters is very risky. These bacteria can cause serious sickness, and sometimes even infections in the blood. Cooking oysters completely to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit makes them much safer. So, cooked oysters are a better choice.

Leafy Greens

Greens like lettuce and spinach can get contaminated with bacteria from things like dirty water, animal poop, and not handling them correctly. Even washing them might not get rid of all the germs, especially if they're inside the leaves. Bacteria can grow fast on greens that are wilted or slimy. Restaurants need to get their greens from good farms, wash them really well, and store them correctly. Choosing fresh, crispy greens helps reduce the risk.

Steer clear of certain food items in buffets

Buffets have a higher chance of food poisoning for a few reasons. Many people use the same serving spoons, which spreads germs. Food can sit out for too long at the wrong temperature, letting bacteria grow. Also, people might cough or sneeze near the food. Common germs at buffets include bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, and viruses like norovirus. Restaurants need to check food temperatures, change serving spoons often, and make sure everyone is washing their hands.

The number of autistic women is same as the number of autistic men, but women know to hide it well, says research. A study published in the BMJ, found that while the rates of diagnosis for autistic is found among young boys and girls, rates are almost identical by the time they reach adulthood. However, these new findings have also shown that women are more likely to "mask" signs of autism in order to fit in. This is why their diagnosis is done far later.

What Did The Study Find Out?

This is the first major study to find such high levels of condition among women. Previously, diagnoses rates were four times higher among boys and men than females.

Specialists say the findings highlight the urgent need to move away from outdated stereotypes that still influence how autism is recognized and diagnosed.

The international study, led by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, examined autism diagnosis rates among people born in Sweden between 1985 and 2000. More than 2.7 million individuals were followed for up to 37 years, making it one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind.

By 2022, around 2.8 per cent of the population studied had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The data revealed a clear pattern. In early childhood, boys were far more likely than girls to receive an autism diagnosis. However, this gap steadily narrowed during adolescence.

By the time participants reached their late teens and early 20s, diagnosis rates among men and women were broadly similar. Researchers noted that the male to female ratio of autism diagnoses decreased over time to the point that it may no longer be distinguishable in adulthood.

A Catch-Up Effect in Adolescence

Dr Caroline Fyfe, lead author of the study from the University of Edinburgh, said autism has long been viewed as a condition that mainly affects males. While that pattern was still visible in children under 10, the picture changed rapidly during adolescence.

Read: Mattel Launches First-Ever Barbie With Autism

She explained that diagnoses among girls rose sharply in the teenage years, creating what researchers described as a female catch-up effect. By the age of 20, autism rates were almost equal between men and women. According to Dr Fyfe, this suggests late or missed diagnoses in females rather than a true biological difference between sexes.

Masking and Mental Health Misdiagnoses

Experts say one major reason for delayed diagnosis is masking. Girls and women are often more likely to imitate social behavior, maintain eye contact and suppress traits traditionally associated with autism. While this can help them fit in socially, it can also make their difficulties harder to identify in clinical settings.

Dr Judith Brown from the National Autistic Society said gender should never be a barrier to diagnosis or support. She noted that autistic women who are misdiagnosed often develop additional mental health challenges due to years without appropriate understanding or help.

She added that the exhaustion of constant masking can contribute to anxiety and depression, reinforcing the importance of recognizing autism earlier in girls.

Clinical Biases Under Scrutiny

Dr Steven Kapp, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Portsmouth, said research has consistently shown that clinical biases play a role in under-recognizing autism in women and girls. He explained that subtler behaviors and social adaptation often lead clinicians to overlook autism in females.

A linked editorial written by a patient and advocate echoed these concerns, warning that autistic women are frequently labelled with mood or personality disorders while waiting for a correct diagnosis. As a result, many are forced to self-advocate simply to be recognized as autistic.

Experts say the findings should prompt changes in diagnostic approaches, ensuring that autistic girls and women are no longer left unseen.

Actor Claire Foy has revealed that a long, uncomfortable health struggle picked up while travelling ended up reshaping her relationship with caffeine. The Crown star, 41, said she gave up tea and coffee after discovering she had stomach parasites, an experience she described as “gross” and “absolutely rank.”

Foy shared the story during her appearance on The Table Manners Podcast with hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware on February 4, where the conversation moved from food to a period of unexplained weight loss and constant hunger.

“I kept losing weight, and I didn’t know what was going on,” she told the hosts. Despite eating regularly, she said she never felt full. “I was so hungry,” Foy recalled, adding that the situation left her confused and worried.

Diagnosis After Years of Symptoms

The actor explained that the cause was eventually traced back to stomach parasites she had picked up while travelling in Morocco. The diagnosis came after medical tests, including stool samples, which she candidly described as unpleasant but necessary.

According to Foy, doctors told her she had been carrying the parasites for around five years, a length of time she herself described as “quite a long time.” While she did not name the specific parasites, she shared one detail that stuck with her. “They travel as a pair, I got told by the doctor,” she said, reacting with visible disgust even years later.

Living with the condition took a toll on her body and routine. The ongoing symptoms pushed her to rethink how she approached treatment and daily habits, including what she consumed.

Read: 10 Signs You May Have A Parasite

Clair Foy Had Parasites For 5 Years: Why Caffeine Had to Go

It was during treatment that Foy made the decision to give up caffeine entirely. She explained that she wanted to avoid very strong antibiotics if possible and instead followed a strict diet alongside other treatments. “I basically had to go on this diet,” she said. “I didn’t want to take really hardcore antibiotics.”

As part of that process, caffeine was cut out. “I took all this gross stuff and part of that was giving up caffeine,” Foy told the hosts. At the time, it was a major shift. She admitted she had been a heavy caffeine consumer, drinking around 15 cups of tea a day along with two coffees she had carefully planned into her schedule.

A Habit That Never Came Back

Giving up caffeine was not easy, but once she did, Foy decided to stick with it. “Once you’ve given it up, it’s such a mission to give it up, that I was like, well, maybe I’ll just give it a go,” she said.

Now fully caffeine-free, she even brought her own tea bags to the podcast recording. The show is known for hosts and guests sharing food and drinks in the Ware family kitchen, making her preparation a small but telling detail of how seriously she takes the change.

Medical experts note that parasitic infections usually require medication to clear completely, often involving antiparasitic drugs and sometimes antibiotics or antifungals. In many cases, a combination of treatments is needed.

"I went into chemo-induced menopause at 37," said Lisa Ray, a Canadian actress during an interview with BBC. She also shared the clip of the interview on her Instagram account talking about the importance of awareness about the side effects of cancer and its treatment on women. Sharing the clip on her Instagram story, she wrote "This is me in menopause. Menopause does not have one face...I went into premature chemo-induced menopause at 37."

She revealed that she had blood cancer, called Multiple Myeloma. "At that time, it was the least of my worries. I had a blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma to contend with… But after recovering, I could focus on what being in menopause suddenly at 37 would mean. And I had no one to talk to," said Lisa, now 53.

What Is Chemo-induced Menopause?

Chemotherapy do not just target cancer cells, but it can also harm healthy cells, which are fast diving. Ovaries fall into that category and thus they stop producing hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which pushes the body into sudden menopause.

This condition is called iatrogenic menopause or chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure. While it could be temporary for some people, for others, it could be permanent. Experts explain that women under 30 could see their periods return after the treatment.

Chemotherapy works by attacking cells that grow and divide rapidly. While this helps destroy cancer cells, it also affects healthy cells, such as those responsible for hair growth, which is why hair loss is a common side effect.

This process can also impact reproductive organs, including the ovaries, and disrupt hormone production. As a result, levels of estrogen and progesterone—the key hormones involved in menopause—may become imbalanced due to chemotherapy’s effects on the endocrine system.

Damage to cells and these hormonal shifts can trigger menopausal symptoms and, in some cases, cause periods to stop altogether.

For people over 40, hormone levels may already be naturally declining. In such cases, chemotherapy can accelerate a menopausal transition that has already begun.

Chemo-induced Menopause Symptoms

The symptoms are same as one experiences in natural menopause, which include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Vaginal dryness
• Loss of libido

However, Lisa also points out the emotional impact, which could be intense especially for someone who is young and was not expecting to face menopause for decades. “Both menopause and disease-induced menopause have been treated with shame and silence for too long,” Lisa wrote on her Instagram post.

Chemo-induced Menopause: What Can Help?

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When considered safe and not restricted by hormone-sensitive cancers, HRT can help manage symptoms while supporting bone strength and heart health.

Non-hormonal treatments: Certain medications, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and gabapentin, may reduce hot flashes, while vaginal moisturizers and lubricants can relieve dryness.

Lifestyle changes: Staying physically active, following a calcium and vitamin D-rich diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress can significantly support overall wellbeing.

Fertility support: Options such as egg or embryo freezing before treatment, along with consultations with a fertility specialist afterward, may help preserve future parenthood possibilities.