30 health errors that you do in public
And here's how to fix them!
You can run your home like the tightest ship: until 7am, morning yoga, a healthy breakfast. But once you come out outside, all bets are off. From the minute you leave the house, there are a number of too easy mistakes that can compromise your health - and other people. These are the most common fakes to avoid. (Spoiler: You do not need to apply a hand disinfectant now ... but it would not hurt.)
You roll a public bike
Public bikes: If good for the environment, potentially not great for you. In 2017, the Men's Health Editor tested bacteria levels on various New York areas. The dirtiel that he found: the shared cititsibikes of the city, which were 45 times a whom a metro pole.
RX: When using a shared bike - or, about it, picking up coffee - bring a hand-based alcohol disinfectant for the trip.
You rub your eyes after shaking hands
Desired someone's hand, then rubbing my eyes, is an extremely effective way to spread germs and make you sick, especially during the flu season. Eye-sensitive mucosa are like an E-Z passageway for bacteria and viruses.
RX: After shaking hands, be aware of not touching your face until you can use a hand disinfectant or wash thoroughly with soap and water. (What counts like "carefully"? Read on.)
You speak closely and breathe germs in someone's face
Close Tankers are not simply boring - their habit could give you influenza. In 2018, disease control and prevention control centers published a study that found that the influenza virus can be broadcast simply by breathing.
RX: If you have a cold or an influenza, keep your distance.The CDC says Whether cough, sneezing or talking can spread the virus up to six feet.
RELATED: 50 irregular habits on the planet
You are suspended with smokers outside the work / bar
Used cigarette smoke is not a threat inside.Stanford University researchers found That a non-smoker sit down a few legs under the wind of a smoky cigarette is exposed to substantial levels of contaminated air. "We were surprised to discover that being a few steps from smoking outside can expose you to comparable atmospheric pollution levels, on average, at the interior levels we measured in previous studies on houses and Taverns, "said Wayne Ott, a Stanford professor of engineering and co-author of the study. "If you are in a sidewalk cafe and sitting at less than 18 inches of a person who smokes two cigarettes over an hour, your exposure to second-hand smoke could be the same as if you sit down An hour inside a tavern with smokers with smokers. "
RX: Your exposure to toxins of smoke is lower with distance. Stanford researchers suggested from six feet.
You talk about your dirty mobile phone
This is true: your mobile phone can contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. Charles Gerba, microbiologist at the University of Arizona, tested phones containing 100,000 bacteria. They are always with us - and often near our faces - they are therefore a major vehicle for the spread of germs. "Viruses are a little more mobile today than ever, because you have mobile phones," Gerba said.
RX: Disinfect your mobile phone once a month with a solution of 60% water and 40% alcohol to rub. Apply it with a microfiber cloth or cotton buffer. Do not spoil anything directly on the phone; You could damage.
You do not wash your hands
If you do not wash your hands after using public toilets ... Unfortunately, you are not alone. A CDC study showed that only 31% of men and 65% of women wash their hands after using public toilets. This means that many bacteria are fluent in the toilet - including E. coli, Strept, Salmonella and other fecal bacteria - go to the world starting with the door handle.
RX:Always wash your hands with soap and water. Read on to see how long.
You do not wash your hands long enough
Even if you remember washing your hands, you may not wash them long enough to properly remove bacteria. A recent study of theUSDA I found that 97% of us do not wash hands properly, and the most common mistake does not wash them long enough.
RX: The USDA recommends washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds - approximately enough to sing "happy birthday" twice - and dry them completely.
RELATED: 20 facts that will change the way you wash your hands
You are sitting all day
We have something to tell you - are you sitting? Then you may want to get up.A meta-analysis of 13 studiesfound that people who sat for more than eight hours a day without physical activity had no risk of dying similar to that caused by obesity and smoking.
RX: Get up and move throughout the day. Take a break to sit every 30 minutes, keep as much as possible and walk frequently. And obtain regular exercises: the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as fast walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity every week.
You eat alone
By having your lunch, it's a big antidote to a hectic office, but if you are flying solo all your meals, it may not be the best thing for your health. We tend to eat less healthy when we are by ourselves that when someone else is involved. Some studies have even found a link between solitary restoration and health problems likedepression,cardiopathy and obesity.
RX: Researchers think that loneliness increases chronic stress, a risk factor for a number of health problems. Do not be too lonely - plan regularly time to visit with friends or family.
You are not going outside
If you spend all your time in public inside, it can make you pasty. And it's more than a cosmetic concern. Never spend time in sunlight means that you deprive vitamin D, a health facility produced by our skin in response to the sun's rays.
RX: Aim to get 15 minutes from Sun a day. "Fifteen minutes of sun can naturally help strengthen vitamin D levels, which help the health of bones and immune function and can also keep the circadian pace in synchronization," said John Mr. Martinez, MD, primary care physician at Mesa, California.
You demonstrate bad posture
If you spend a lot of your time at a desk, there is a good chance that you are hunchi on a keyboard and can be detrimental to your health. Poor posture can cause muscle pain and headaches - anda study found that a good posture could even mitigate depression.
RX: Get in the alignment.
You are not disinfecting your workspace
Some of the most neglected breeding grounds for germs caused by the disease are sitting in our offices, in the form of the keyboard, telephone and office. It's common sense: our hands (or mouth) are on or near them all day. If you do not worry - especially when you are sick - you can transmit germs to anyone sharing space with you.
RX: Always clean up your work area if you do not feel well, especially in co-work spaces. Wipe off the desktop, phone, keyboard and door handles with antibacterial essence or spray.
You do not cover your mouth / nose when saving or sneezing
When you need to cough or sneeze, do not let it fly. The CDC says that a mere cough or sneeze can propagate influenza germs up to six feet. The MIT scientists call it a "model of fragmentation of paint fluid". It's not so pretty.
RX: Do not use your hand. Cover your mouth and nose with your top sleeve or inside your elbow.
You will work sick
For many of us, "Translating it" and "Powering Transformer" are a watch of life. But when you are sick, it should not be - for yourself and the health of your colleagues. Yet, according toAn NPR survey And Harvard's T.h. Chan Public Health School, 55% of Americans say they were moving regularly in the office when they are sick.
RX: If you are contagious, stay at home. Your colleagues will thank you for that.
You manage dirty trolleys
"More than 50% of trolleys At your grocery store, disabled bacteria causing port diseases such as E. coli that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue and fever, "explains Mitra Shir, MSC, Rhn, a holistic nutritionist approved in Vancouver. "The germs - which come from other buyers who already have bacteria or have affected contaminated products - can live on the surface for hours."
RX: Many grocery stores have antibacterial wipes that you can use to wipe the handles; They are also sold in portable packs that you can bring with you. Wipe the handle, then let it dry for 20 seconds before touching it.
You open the freezer doors in supermarkets
Family-sized lasagna is not the only threat hiding in the freezing section. Door handles in the frozen alley are angry with bacteria.A study found Some handles held 33,340 colonies of bacteria per inch square - more than 1,235 times the bacteria found on the average mobile phone.
RX: When you hit the supermarket, bring a hand disinfectant.
You put your grocery store on the payment conveyor
Researchers from Michigan State University Randomly tested a number of control conveyor belts on supermarkets for bacteria; They found it on 100%. The belts are made from PVC, a porous plastic which is a breeding ground for germs, yeast and mold.
RX: Put all your products in plastic bags. When you come home, wash completely everything you bought, that will affect your lips.
RELATED: 100 ways your home can make you sick
You drink too much
We all work for the weekend and an evening is a great way to relax and bind with friends and family. Research shows that socialization can improve your health and prolong your life - unless you do not initiate alcohol in the equation. The reality is that many Americans drink more strongly than they realize, increasing their risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
RX: Experts recommend moderate consumption - which does not mean more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men under 65. After 65 years, men should go back to a daily life.
You tighten your hand when you do not feel good
If you go out in public when you are sick, avoid getting physical contact with others. It is a courtesy that is unfortunately not too common.
RX: If you meet a friend, tell them what's going on and you should really skip the hand handle or hug. They will appreciate your reflection.
You leave your menu Touch your plate
Your mobile phone has 10 times the bacterium of a toilet seat. What's 100? A typical restaurant menu. The researchers at the University of Arizona have found an average of 185,000 bacteria on menus in random sampling of restaurants in three states. It's meaning: each menu could be managed by dozens of people every day and a study in theJournal of Medical Virology I found that cold and influenza viruses can survive hard surfaces for 18 hours.
RX: Never let a menu touch your plate or your silverware. It's a good idea to wash your hands or use a hand disinfectant after your order.
You take the bus or the metro
If you browse by bus or metro, you are six times more likely to get sick than if you walk or drive - simply because you meet many other people and germs.
RX:Use a hand disinfectant or wash your hands (with soap and at least 20 seconds) after using public transport.
RELATED: 20 ways your car makes you sick
You put your handbag on the toilet
By going through tests he has led, Gerba says that about one-third of women's handbags are contaminated with fecal bacteria - most likely to be placed on public toilet floors.
RX: Do not put your handbag on the floor of the bathroom (or any other surface); Hang it on a hook or keep it in hand.
You use the coffee desk
Gerba told Washington Post that her researchers tested germ levels in several offices and found an unlikely hot spot - the break room, especially the handle of the coffee maker. "We found that viruses spread between people who had never met," he said. "We thought the problem may have toilets, but it was really the break room." When Gerba and his team have placed a synthetic germ in a break room, he spread to almost all the office surfaces within four hours.
RX: Keep a hand disinfectant to your office and use it after each trip to the coffee maker.
You bring reusable grocery bags to the supermarket
Reusable shopping bags are environmentally friendly - and some sort of dirt. A 2011 study of Arizona University found bacteria in 99% of the reusable bags they tested; 8% worn E. coli, suggesting contamination with faeces. Only 3% of reusable bag owners said they were playing them regularly.
RX: Disinfect your bags for multi-purpose use with hot water and disinfectant each week.
You order water with lemon
For a study published in theJournal of Environmental HealthThe researchers ordered drinks in 21 different restaurants and found that nearly 70% of lemon quarters served on glasses contained germs causing diseases - 25 different microorganisms of all, including E. coli and other fecal bacteria .
RX: This is the rare case when we recommend the reduction of your fruit consumption - jump the lemon key.
You touch door handles
Door Handles: We need to use them so often, we do not think about how much they are effectively spreading diseases such as colds and influenza. And the door of your favorite coffee could see more microbial traffic than a train station. The 2017 Male Health Test found that the second most managed surface in New York was the door handle to Starbucks - it was 30 times germic that a metro pole and 25 times a bogs at Grand Central Terminal.
RX: Do not bar inside. To avoid descending with common bugs, be conscientious to wash your hands or use a disinfectant of the hands before eating or drinking. If you have touched public surfaces like door handles, try not touching your face before cleaning.
You use the ATM
Another advantage of our gradual conversion to a non-cash company: when Chinese researchers tested 38 ATMs from Taipei city center, they found that each key contained an average of 1,200 germs, including E. coli and viruses cold and influenza. The "Enter" key is a particularly popular microbe suspension.
RX: When you use the ATM, press the keys with your joint or slap on some hand disinfectants when you're done.
You touch running stairs
Germ Guru Gerba and his team tested surfaces in shopping centers for bacteria. "We found food, E. coli, urine, mucus, feces and blood on running hands of the escalator," he told CBS News. "And where there is mucus, you can also find cold and influenza viruses."
RX: Avoid touching common hands unless you do not need - then wash your hands or use a generous amount of hand disinfecting after.
You play with gadgets at the mall
Viruses are easily transferred from glass surfaces, such as those on smartphones, at your fingertips, a recent study in theApplied Microbiology Journal find. (Another good reason to regularly disinfect your smartphone regularly.) You may want to be aware of this when testing touch screen devices in stores: a study found that four iPads wrapped in two Apple stores, the One contained Staphylococcus aureus, the most common cause of STAP infections.
RX: If you play with gadgets or public touch screen computers, wash your hands or tap the hand-disinfectant pump when you're done.
You use makeup testers
A 2005 study revealed that 67 and 100% of makeup manufacturing testers were contaminated with bacteria, including E. coli, staph and strap. This can cause a number of skin and eye infections. In 2017, a woman continued the Sephora makeup chain, claiming that she contracted oral herpes from using a lipstick tester.
RX: Avoid public makeup testers. Ask for a sealing single-use sample. If these are not available and you have to test a new nuance, apply it at the back of your hand, then wash it. And live your healthiest life with these50 secrets to live at 100!