Living Well - Summer 2015 - Beaufort - (Page 39)

True or false: True or false: True, maYbe. While it's a myth that you'll catch a cold if you forget your hat (sorry, Mom), it's true that viruses survive better in colder weather. We help them spread because we spend more time inside together, sharing space. Indoor heat wicks moisture from our noses, making us more susceptible. "The circumstances are better to transmit the infection," says Philip M. Tierno, PhD, a microbiologist and the author of The Secret Life of Germs. False. Of course, it depends on the person and the dog. But dogs are willing to eat gross things that humans are not, like feces. That generally makes your pooch's mouth dirtier than yours, though Maloy offers a caveat: If someone has gum disease, his or her mouth might be harboring just as much problematic bacteria. Bottom line, though: No need to share mutt-to-mouth kisses. You get more viruses in the winter. True or false: Germs and viruses thrive in people, not on objects. False. The viruses that cause colds and other illnesses can survive for hours on a doorknob or an elevator button. "If somebody coughs into their hand and gets mucus on their hands, that protects the virus," Tierno explains. That person touches an elevator button, which becomes the recipient of a rhinovirus (common cold) or coronavirus (respiratory illness). Then you come along and touch it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza can live on hard surfaces-books, coffee pots, ATMs-from two to eight hours. And it takes chemical germicides that include chlorine, iodine or alcohol to wipe them out. "It's very important to wash your hands-you've touched an awful lot. And you should not touch your eyes, mouth or nose," Tierno says. Those direct portals to your body are the way most viruses enter. a dog's mouth is cleaner than his owner's. True or false: all germs are bad. False. "They are really important. Without bacteria, we would be very, very sick," Maloy says. Our bodies need exposure to germs and bacteria to build strong immune systems. In the absence of everyday germs, our bodies wouldn't be trained to fight when they need to. n VIDEO Rub-a-Dub-Dub Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick. Go to youtube. com/watch?v=wJ9pP0x4J8o to watch a video on how to properly wash your hands. The GermiesT Places You walk into a restaurant and head straight to the bathroom to wash your hands. Think you've got germs beat? Even if you were careful not to touch the door handle, you're about to pick up a menu that may have been handled by hundreds of people before you. "If you took a culture of the menu, you'd find it loaded with germs," says Vicki Allen, Beaufort Memorial's infection control coordinator. "It's best to wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer right before you eat." Allen says she carries hand sanitizer in her purse and always has some readily available in her car. "I use it every time I get back in my car after pumping gas," she says. "The handles of car pumps are one of the nastiest things out there." You'll want to squirt and rub after going through a drive-thru, too. Handling money also exposes you to a world of germs. "You can't go crazy," Allen says. "You just need to be prepared when you're in public places." Summe r 2015 39 http://youtube.com/watch?v=wJ9pP0x4J8o

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Living Well - Summer 2015 - Beaufort