Commercial Break

I'm taking a short break in my "healthy habits" series to let you know about a really cute website. The name of it is, "Being Five." The blogger runs his own little comic strips on it. This is one you can share with your kids, too. Definitely a good one to add as a link.

Check it out here.

Healthy New Year, Part 4

Your handbag

Recent studies found that most women's purses have tens of thousands of bacteria on the bottom. A few handbags were overrun with millions of bacteria. Germs causing eye infections and skin infections were found on women's handbags.

Ways to reduce the risk:

--Instead of slinging your purse on the floor, hang it on a hook whenever possible--especially in public bathrooms.

--Don't place your bag on the kitchen counter. (I would add the dining room table to this, too!)

--Stick with leather or vinyl purses, which are typically cleaner than cloth.

And tomorrow...last (but certainly not least)...office equipment.

Healthy New Year, Part 3

The Bathtub

A recent study found staphylococcus bacteria, a common cause of serious skin infections, in 26% of bathtubs tested, as compared with just 6% of garbage cans. Bathtubs had more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch. You're washing germs and viruses off your body. Since the tub is a fairly moist environment, it's an ideal place for bacteria to grow.

Ways to reduce the risk:

--Once a week, apply a disinfecting cleaner to the tub and actually scrub the tub.

--Then you need to wash the germs down the drain with water and dry the tub with a clean towel. If you leave the tub wet, germs are more likely to survive.

--If someone who has a skin infection uses the tub, scrub it afterward with a solution of 2 tablespoons bleach in one quart of water.

Next installment: Your handbag!

Healthy New Year, Part 2

Second set of health tips...

Wet Laundry

Any time you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, you may be getting E. coli on your hands. One dirty undergarment in the washer can spread to the whole load and the machine.

Ways to reduce the risk:

-Run washing machines at 150 degrees (you can check the temperature of your washing machine water with a candy thermometer--before adding the clothes!) and wash whites with bleach (not the color-safe type; it doesn't pack the same punch), which can kill 99.9% of germs.

-Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don't multiply.

-Wash underwear separately (there's about a gram of feces in every pair of dirty underwear) and dry them for a minimum of 45 minutes.

-Wash your hands thoroughly after handling dirty laundry.

Tune in next time for...the bathtub! :o)

Have a Healthy New Year!

One of our local hospitals ran an article in our weekend paper regarding ways to stay healthy this winter. I won't try to put it all in one post, but here is the first installment. And have a happy New Year!

Kitchen sink--
Studies have shown that kitchen sinks are dirtier than most bathrooms. There are approximately 500,000 or more bacteria per square inch in the drain alone. Plus the sponge, the basin, and the faucet handles are also crawling with bacteria.

Ways to reduce the risk:

-Clean your kitchen counters and sink with antibacterial products after preparing or cleansing food, which carry lots of potential pathogens like salmonella, campylobacter, and E. coli.

-Wash your hands well with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds (long enough to sing, "Happy Birthday").

-Sanitize sponges by running them through the dishwasher's drying cycle, which will kill 99.9% of the bacteria. (If you don't have a dishwasher, microwaving the sponge for 1 minute on high can also sanitize it. Washing regularly in the laundry and drying it might help, but many sponges can't be run through a dryer.)

-As for the sink, clean it twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon chlorine bleach and one quart of water. Scrub the basin, and then pour the solution down the drain.

Tune in next time for my installment on Wet Laundry!

The Reason for the Season

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called 'Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' "

~Isaiah 9:6

A Marriage Prayer

For about 18 years now, I have carried a card (in my Bible) with the following prayer. I wanted to share it with my readers today.

Lord,
help us to remember
when we first met
and the strong love
that grew between us.
Help us to work that love
into practical things
so nothing can divide us.
We aks for words
both kind and loving,
and for hearts always ready
to ask forgiveness
as well as to forgive.
Dear Lord, we put our marriage
into Your hands.
Amen.
~Author Unknown

A Northerner's Fund Raiser

Some Christmas Cheer

Just So You Know...

I'm taking a short hiatus from blogging.

God bless.