Tag Archives: bacteria

On your next flight…

07 Thursday Feb 2019

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…you may want to leave that tray table in the upright and locked position. That’s because disease-causing germs like MRSA and E. coli can linger on airplane armrests, window shades, tray tables, and toilet handles for days, according to scientists from Auburn University. Plus, contact with those pathogens could lead to antibiotic resistant infections and a gut bug that can cause kidney failure. And that’s not an exaggeration… the MRSA found on a cloth seatback pocket lasted 168 hours — which is a week… and the E. coli on an airplane armrest hung around for 4 days. So wash your hands frequently when you’re flying, and don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you do.

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Don’t share your deodorant or antiperspirant with anyone else!

29 Monday Oct 2018

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According to a study by the University of Kansas, bacteria survive and even thrive on the surface of solid and gel deodorants and antiperspirants. And that could lead to a staph infection. Microbiologist Dr. Jack Brown analyzed 20 different perspiration products, and the bacteria managed to thrive on half the samples. That may not sound bad, but Dr. Brown points out that bacteria that’s harmless for one person can be hazardous to another – especially if one of the users has under-arm skin that’s either broken or irritated.

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If there’s a loofah in your shower, toss it.

05 Friday Oct 2018

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Because it’s a germophobe’s nightmare. Here’s how bad it is, according to dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman. She says, with every use, you’re transferring the bacteria from your skin to the loofah. And because the scrubber has so many nooks and crannies, your dead skin cells get trapped, and bacteria starts multiplying, thanks to the moisture and a lack of air circulation. That means, every time you scrub with a loofah, you’re just spreading around the bacteria you washed off yesterday.
Plus, scrubbing too hard can literally make tiny scratches in your skin, forcing the bacteria through the wounds, which can make you sick or give you an infection. If you can’t give up your loofah – make sure you use a natural one… and sanitize it the same way you would your kitchen sponge. Zap it in the microwave while it’s wet for 20 seconds once a day.

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Doggy kisses and your health

22 Friday Jun 2018

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If you’re healthy – and your dog is, too – it’s okay to accept doggy kisses. Jan Bellow is president of the American Veterinary Dental College… and she says your dog’s mouth is teeming with bacteria, but her lick’s essentially harmless if you’re both in good health. But keep her from licking any cuts or scrapes. And if her breath could peel paint – avoid her kisses. Because that’s a sign of gum disease, and that bacteria can transfer to you.

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Unusual foods that cause GAS!

08 Friday Jun 2018

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Going on a date – have an important meeting? Skip these foods that cause gas… and they’re not the usual suspects like broccoli and beans.

First, be careful with sugar-free gum. Not only are you taking in more air when you chomp gum, which can cause gas and burping. The ingredient in sugar-free gum – sorbitol – takes a relatively long time to digest, and undigested sorbitol in your small intestine acts as a hothouse, fermenting bacteria, which can cause flatulence.

Also, skip protein bars that contain soy. The processed “soy isolate” contains sugar molecules that the body can’t break down entirely. So they hang out in the gut, ferment, and cause gas and bloating.

One more gas-inducing food: Almond milk! Dairy doesn’t have the lock on stomach distress. Almond milk can contain a thickening agent called carrageenan. It’s made from seaweed, and it’s been linked to ulcers, inflammation, and other gastrointestinal problems.

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Traveling and no hand-sanitizer?

01 Tuesday May 2018

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If you’re traveling and don’t have any hand-sanitizer – an antiseptic mouthwash can sub for it in a pinch. So if you have one of those mini-travel-size bottles, just put a few drops on your hands and rub them together. The alcohol in the mouthwash will kill bacteria just like hand sanitizer.

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Toothpaste tip!

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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It’s okay to leave the cap off the toothpaste.
In fact, it’s better! According to the Daily Dentist Dose blog, putting the cap back on your toothpaste is detrimental. Because the moisture trapped in the cap encourages bacterial growth.

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There’s a reason your face is breaking out.

14 Wednesday Feb 2018

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It’s Winter. Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur says acne gets worse in Winter – and it’s down to the dry weather. She says cold outside air has significantly less moisture than the warm or hot air from Spring and Summer. Combine that with windy conditions, and your skin is stripped of natural fats and oils. Those oils usually act as a barrier, keeping bacteria out – and holding moisture in. So without them, it’s a lot easier for dirt, pollution and bacteria to access our pores. The next thing you know: Hello, zits! Another problem in winter are the hot showers we love. They also strip skin of its natural moisture. Add to all of that a dirty scarf rubbing against your chin – and it’s a recipe for skin flare-ups. So wash your scarf once a week, try to take lukewarm showers, and moisturize your skin more in winter than any other season to avoid breakouts.

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Think twice before you let someone use your phone

19 Friday Jan 2018

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If your partner – or best friend – is sick, don’t let them borrow your phone. Or if you do, clean it first before you use it again. Gadgets with glass touch screens carry 18 times more bacteria than a toilet’s flush handle! And a recent Stanford University study found that if you put a virus on a glass surface, at least 30% of that virus will end up on your fingertips!

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Take a whiff of your bath towel!

13 Wednesday Dec 2017

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Does it smell like mildew? That means it’s growing enough mold to cause an allergic reaction. So get that towel into a washing machine, on hot with bleach, before you use it again. And when you shower, crack a window or turn on a vent. Moisture is fodder for mold, fungi and bacteria. But according to the University of Arizona, you can kill 90% of mold and bacteria in your bathroom simply by drying it out.

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