Twenty Seconds for Good Health

 Twenty Seconds for Good Health

When I was in chiropractic college, I did a course in microbiology, which is the study of pathogens like viruses and bacteria. In order to stay healthy and resist germs, the professor emphasized one thing that was public health. "The plants are excellent firefighters against pollutants, clean drinking water, fresh food stocks and hot and dry stoves." he said. They also discussed individual micro-activities to minimize the spread of infection.

Twenty Seconds for Good Health

There are currently legitimate concerns about the corona virus, specifically known as COVID-19. The federal, state and local governments as well as the NIH and CDC are making priority efforts to keep us safe. We can do our part to help the individual. One micro-activity we can all participate in is personal hand hygiene.

According to the National Institutes of Health, hand washing with soap reduces the presence of harmful bacteria by 92%. It has been noted that if everyone washed their hands regularly, more than one million deaths worldwide could be prevented each year.

Soap does not actually kill bacteria or viruses. It takes them away. Most of the skin oils in our body contain microbial pathogens. Soap and water will rinse off the germicidal oil and remove them.

For this reason, the use of antibacterial soaps is not recommended. Since soap removes bacteria, it can be considered antibacterial. Also, viruses do not respond to antibiotics, so this bacterium is less sensible than soap.

It is important to wash your hands properly. The Cleveland Clinic recommends the following steps:

• Grab a towel and set it aside
• Wash your hands and wrists thoroughly
• Apply lotion soap thoroughly
• Clean your hands for at least 20 seconds
• Rinse your hands thoroughly
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a towel
• Use a towel to turn off the tap

If you find that frequent hand washing can cause skin irritation or cracking of the skin surface, it is best to use a skin moisturizer after hand washing.

If soap and water are not available, there is an option to use a hand sanitizer. However, to be effective, senators must have at least 60% alcohol. Hand rescuers may not be effective for heavy dirt or greasy hands.

Twenty Seconds for Good Health

Other micro-activities to avoid spreading the virus are to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover any sneezing or coughing with a clinic or handkerchief.

An easy and effective way to wash your hands is to stay healthy. It only takes 20 seconds and you may spend the best 20 seconds taking care of the health and well-being of others around you.