What is Health & Hygiene?
When it comes to health and hygiene, we all know the basics – wash your hands regularly, shower / bathe daily, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze. The question is, how many of us adhere to these rules? Here are some interesting facts and practices about health and hygiene that are sure to shock you.
According to a recent study, approximately only 40% of men wash their hands every time they use the bathroom.
What is hygiene and why is it important?
According to that same study, approximately only 60% of women wash their hands every time they use the bathroom.
The reason for needing to cleanse your hands after using the bathroom is pretty obvious, but did you know that the amount of bacteria on your hands actually doubles after going to the toilet?
There are more germs on your television remote, computer keyboard, and kitchen cutting board than there are on a public toilet seat. Your kitchen cutting board is likely to house 200% more fecal bacteria than the toilet seat.
When washing hands, it is important to pay special attention to your fingertips and underneath your nails, as this is where the majority of the germs can be found. Unfortunately, most people focus more on washing the palms and backs of the hands.
80% of contagious diseases are transferred by touch. This includes both person-to-person contact and touching a contaminated surface and then touching your nose, eyes or mouth.
To completely kill off any germs and bacteria, the recommended hand washing time is a minimum of 15 seconds. However, the ideal length of time for optimal protection is 30 seconds.
Most people who drop food on the floor believe in the infamous ‘five-second rule’. Unfortunately, that ‘rule’ is a complete myth. It takes the bacteria less than a few milliseconds to transfer from the floor onto your snack.
Drying effectively after hand washing is just as important as the cleansing process itself. This is because you are 1000 times more likely to spread bacteria through touch when your fingertips are damp than when they are dry.
Regular handwashing is the most imperative health and hand hygiene rule of them all, protecting you from disease and other nasty germ-caused consequences. Remember to use a quality antibacterial soap that not only kills germs but cares for your skin too – and be sure to embrace the power of handwashing after using the toilet, as well as before handling or preparing food.