Like most people, you\u2019ve probably experienced the misery and discomfort of a cold, the flu, food poisoning or diarrhea. Maybe you go to great lengths to keep yourself healthy, from following the latest diet advice to researching supplements and over-the-counter remedies.<\/p>\n
But are you practicing the one simple, easy, no-cost strategy that has been proven to reduce germs by nearly half?<\/p>\n
Are you washing your hands?<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t been washing your hands often enough, it might be time to start. Here\u2019s what you need to know to make the most of your time at the sink.<\/p>\n
Your mother used to nag you about it and you see the signs in every restroom. You know you should be washing your hands frequently. But what is the reasoning behind this advice?<\/p>\n
As we go about the day, our hands come into contact with hundreds or thousands of objects and surfaces that have also been touched by many other people, leaving behind bacteria and viruses. While not all of these germs will make you sick, the ones that do are more often transmitted via the hands than through the air.<\/p>\n
So at least in this case, Mom was right: Infectious germs can quickly make it to your hands during common activities such as sneezing, changing a diaper or touching raw food. The easy solution? Just wash \u2018em!<\/p>\n
Be sure to wash frequently throughout the day, especially at times like these:<\/p>\n
If possible, use clean running water and soap. Keep these tips in mind:<\/p>\n
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.<\/p>\n
If you follow this time-tested wisdom, you might just find yourself healthier than ever before \u2014 with very little effort.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published in January 2016 and updated in January 2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you haven\u2019t been washing your hands often enough, it might be time to start.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-primary-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n