On Healthy Living

So many germs are picked up by what our hands come in contact with. Sometimes we may not be aware of when our hands need washing in our daily routine. It’s not just when they are obviously dirty. It isn’t just before preparing food or after using the bathroom.

If you see a friend out in public and shake their hand and then go out to eat without washing, you may be spreading bacteria from whatever your friend came in contact with onto your hands and into your mouth. While your friend may be and look very clean, you have no idea what they have touched.

In our daily routine we come in contact with many things. We touch money. We set our purses down, not knowing what kind of germs they may be picking up. We play with our pets. Even though something may feel and look clean, chances are there are lots of germs we are being exposed to.

The way to wash:

* use soap and warm water
* rub hands vigorously until you work up a later
* scrub between fingers, under nails, top and bottom of hands
* rinse well
* dry with disposable paper towel or let air dry
* use the towel to turn off the faucet

Alternatives:

If you are in a situation where soap and water isn’t available, carry alcohol hand sanitizers.
Washing hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent spreading germs and diseases. I believe this to be true because I wash my hands diligently and often and rarely have a cold or other viruses. In cases where I handle something obviously germ-laden, I rub my hands with alcohol first and then wash.

Kathy Dove wrote this on May 9th, 2008 and filed it under Healthy Living, Women's Health, Men's Health, Children's Health |