The real secret to preventing sickness and infections? Make sure you keep your hands clean.This is the single best way to stop the spread of illness-causing germs. You may think that washing your hands is instinctual as blinking, but there is a very correct form and method to reduce the germs.Washing your hands is more effective than alcohol gel sanitizers, which miss many bad bacteria. In a pinch, alcohol gels are better then nothing, but if you’re near a sink, old-fashioned hand washing is most effective.QUIZ: How Healthy Do You Feel?The Right Way to Wash Your Hands:
- Use very warm running water and soap.
- Scrub both sides of the hands for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Pay attention to under the fingernails, around the hair follicles on the fingers and on the back of the hands.
- Rinse well with very warm, running water.
- Dry hands with a disposable paper towel.
When to Wash Your Hands:
- Using the toilet.
- Changing diapers. Wash the hands of the diapered child, too.
- Helping a child at the toilet.
- Your hands come into contact with bodily fluid like saliva, vomit, a runny nose, etc.
- Fixing or eating food (and before).
- Touching raw meat, poultry fish or eggs.
- Shaking hands.
- Coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Though you can change your sneeze habits, so you sneeze in the crook of your elbow.
- Handling money.
- Riding public transportation.
- Any point when you feel your hands might be at risk.
Bottom Line: When in doubt, wash ‘em out!
