We Need to Talk...

About Hygiene.

Since having been in college, I've observed (quite anthropologically, I think) the hygiene habits of those in my surroundings, and to be honest, I've found a few things lacking. Now, yes I can be a bit of a germaphobe, but I don't think that asking you to wash your hands is exactly equivalent to demanding that you do so 497 times a day using only the purple hand soap (but not the antibacterial kind) because using the clear kind is like washing your hands with hand sanitizer. You know, for example.

So, I've taken it upon myself to provide you with what I think are essential health facts - hygiene lifehacks if you will.

1. When buying hand soap, most people generally reach for anything with "Antibacterial" printed on the label. HOWEVER, antibacterial soaps are no more effective than regular hand soaps but can sometimes even be more expensive. Also, triclosan (a chemical and active ingredient in these antibacterial products) can screw with your sex hormones.
   
2. While we're on the topic of handwashing, doing so can prevent the spread of foodborne disease (because it is most often spread by way of contaminated hands).
   
3. Before you jump into the pool next summer, remember this: each swimmer in the pool contributes about .14 grams of fecal matter (fancy phrase for poopy particles) into the pool within the first 15 minutes. The CDC recommends showering with soap before getting into the pool in order to prevent this nastiness. And don't forget about all the kiddies who literally use the pool as a toilet.
   
4. The kitchen sink has 100,000 times more germs and bacteria than a bathroom or a toilet. You might think about using a fresh sponge every now and then. Maybe washing your hands before you cook and stuff. Especially since food poisoning originates more often from the home than a restaurant.
   
5. When using public restrooms, you might be accustomed to using a particular stall, but studies show that the stall closest to the door of the restroom is overall the cleanest.
6. Let's talk about dust mites. There are millions (sometimes even tens of millions of them) of them. In your bed. Yep, it's sick. And it gets worse! They feed on your dead skin cells that you shed when you sleep. Dust mites can also cause allergies and asthma or make these conditions worse. If you've used the same pillow for more than two years, consider this: 10% of the weight of that pillow is composed of dust mites and their droppings (yes, their poopy particles). Also, it's important to note that during the fall and winter, this problem tends to worsen due to being indoors so much and in a closed space. To remedy this, wash your sheets regularly (it's suggested that you do so once a week) in hot water and then either hang to dry or dry in the dryer. Since dust mites can also be in your carpets and other upholstery, vacuum regularly.
7. Money: it's nice, green, and you know, useful. But the germs on money... Considering how many people don't wash their hands after using the restroom, it makes sense that there are so many fecal germs on money. So next time you go to a coffee shop and get that yummy looking muffin, maybe wash your hands before you devour it.
   

Especially during cold and flu season, i.e. NOW, in order to prevent getting these viruses or to avoid giving them to others, wash your hands properly and keep your hands away from your face. By properly, I mean with soap and lathering for at least 10 seconds before washing off the soap. Otherwise, all you're doing is getting your hands wet. And if you touch the handle of the bathroom door on the way out, you might as well have just licked the floor of a public bathroom.

I'm aware that I probably sound pretty neurotic with all of this hygiene talk, but I have to be if I ever want to not be sick. Maybe you have a good immune system and that's great. But that doesn't mean you should skip regular hygiene. That would be like having a great alarm system in your house with guard dogs, a gate, and a security tower, and then just leaving the front door open with a billboard in your yard that says "If you can carry it, it's yours."

And hey if you don't believe me, check it out for yourself. I'm gonna go wash my hands.