Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - GMC - 44

AT A GLANCE BY ALLISON THOMAS

THE GERMIEST
STUFF YOU OWN

How worried should we be about the germs in our
environment-and what can we do about them?

44

FA L L 2019

It's actually germier than your bathroom,
according to research. The germiest items
and surfaces include:
Sinks
Countertops
Cutting boards
Dishrags and sponges
Coffee maker reservoirs
Towels: One study found about
49 percent of kitchen towels used for a
month contained bacteria normally found in
or on humans-including E. coli and staph

PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES

Every so often there's a news story that reveals the
"shocking details" about the germs living on our
stuff. But how worried should we really be about
germs like bacteria and the risks they may pose? James A. Ellzy,
MD, a family physician and spokesman for the American
Academy of Family Physicians, puts things in perspective.
"We need to remember that all bacteria are not bad.
There are bacteria on our skin that help boost our immunity and in our gut that help us digest food," he says. "A
germ-free world doesn't make sense. We just want to keep a
healthy balance."
Of course, too much bacteria can be unhealthy and cause
infections like strep throat and pneumonia.
Viruses are another type of germ we need to be vigilant
about, especially as flu season bears down. Protect yourself
with frequent hand-washing (and using a hand sanitizer with
at least 60 percent alcohol when you can't find soap and
water), sneezing into your elbow versus your hand,
swapping out your cleaning sponges frequently (even
the antimicrobial ones!) and getting a flu shot.
"While there's something to be said for not living in
a bubble and cleaning all the time, we need to do what
we can to decrease the amount of germs that we're
passing from one person to another," Ellzy says.
With that in mind, here's a look at some of the
germiest stuff we own-think of it as a sensible
reminder and not an emergency alert.

IN YOUR KITCHEN



Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - GMC

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - GMC

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