Tag Archives: germs

Now that your kids are back in school…

03 Tuesday Sep 2019

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…they’ll be bringing home more than homework. They’ll also be bringing home the germs and viruses they pick up their friends. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, there’s a spike in illnesses among kids every Fall. So, remind your kids to wash their hands frequently. Research shows that kids who wash their hands at least four times a day at school end up being absent fewer days.

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We know our hands are covered in germs.

22 Thursday Aug 2019

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But do most people wash up before eating? Not even close. Only 1‑in‑8 people do, even though our hands carry hundreds of times more germs than a park bench or escalator handrail. And that means the germs already on our hands are more likely to make us sick than any germy thing we touch in a restaurant. So don’t worry so much about the bacteria-riddled menu or the ketchup bottle that hasn’t been cleaned, ever. Instead, before you pick up that burger, ask yourself, did I wash my hands? Since our hands are in constant contact with our mouth – or what we put IN our mouth – it makes them the fastest route to illness.

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Don’t get sick from your next flight!

19 Monday Aug 2019

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Here are a couple important numbers to remember the next time you fly, according to a new study from Auburn University:

First, the number 7. That’s how many days the superbug MRSA can survive in an airplane seat pocket. In other words: Think twice about using that pocket to store snacks and drinks.

Also, remember the number 3. That’s how many days bacteria like e.Coli can survive on tray tables.

The lesson? It’s time to start adding some antibacterial wipes to your carry-on bag.

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Here are a few gross facts about swimming pools…

13 Tuesday Aug 2019

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…from the Water Quality and Health Council.

First: 1‑in‑five adults admit to peeing in the pool.

Also, nearly 70% of swimmers don’t shower before swimming. That just adds to the germ soup already in the pool.

Then, if your eyes are turning red, get out of that pool! It’s NOT a reaction to chlorine, because the only thing that causes pool red-eye is bodily fluids and waste.

Finally, a chemically, chlorine smell doesn’t mean there’s too much chlorine in the pool – it means there’s not enough – and what IS in there is reacting with waste matter.

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We all have a de-germing, sanitizing device in our homes:

11 Tuesday Jun 2019

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The microwave. That’s according to microbiologist Dr. Kelly Reynolds. She says the heat a microwave generates can kill germs. So try it on these things:

Your kitchen hand towel. Dr. Reynolds says get it completely wet. Wring it out as best you can. Then zap it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.

You can also sanitize your toothbrush.

Place it in a cup of water, bristles down, and heat on high for 5 minutes. Just keep an eye out to make sure it doesn’t melt.

Lastly, you can use your microwave to clean a wooden cutting board. Soak it completely in water for a few minutes. Then put it in the microwave for 4 minutes on high.

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If you’re planning to spend a week at the beach, ask yourself:

13 Monday May 2019

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…is your beach towel a bacteria bomb that needs washing every day? No! Dr. Mehmet Oz says it’s OK to use the same towel for several days running – IF you hang it in direct sunlight to dry. The sun’s UV rays will kill 90% of the germs, leaving bacteria levels too low to make you sick. But, if the towel’s still damp the next day – toss it in the dryer. Because with moisture, bacteria can multiply 100-fold after each use.

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Kiss your partner!

25 Monday Mar 2019

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This may be the most fun way to improve your immune system: Kiss your partner! According to the journal Microbiome just 10 seconds of French kissing can transfer 80 million germs from one person’s mouth to another’s. Yes that’s a lot of microorganisms, but the health benefits are huge. Because when we’re exposed to other people’s germs, it helps us build immunity to those germs.

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How can hospitals make sure people wash their hands to prevent the spread of infections?

27 Wednesday Feb 2019

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Place a picture of a set of eyes near sinks. According to a study of people entering an intensive care unit, when there was a picture of eyes posted near the sink, people were twice as likely to wash their hands on the way in. That’s because the feeling of being watched makes people behave better and act more honestly. Researchers from Newcastle University in the U.K. say our brains are wired to lock in on faces and facial features. And we’re quick to tune into the feeling of someone watching us – and when they are, we automatically adjust our behavior.

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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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To avoid a cold or the flu – do this!

23 Friday Nov 2018

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You know that one of the most important things you can do to avoid catching a cold or the flu is to wash your hands frequently. The problem is, most people concentrate on washing their palms – when it’s the fingertips that really matter. Dr. Neil Schachter is a respiratory specialist at Mount Sinai Medical Center. And he says our fingertips are more likely to come into contact with germy surfaces – and we’re most likely to stick a fingertip in our mouth, nose or eyes, the main entry points for germs. So when you wash your hands, make sure you focus on those fingertips!

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