Tag Archives: hygiene

A Recipe for Safe Cooking

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living and tagged with ,

image source: Comics by Brad

Okay, this is embarrassing, but here it goes: I did not learn how to scramble eggs until the age of 24. Yes, it’s true; I’m one of those very late bloomers when it comes to cooking. I used to joke, “I’ll learn when my survival depends on it,” and unfortunately, or fortunately, that time is now. Making my first salad was a success, seriously, then I moved to scrambled eggs and boiling pasta, and just yesterday I baked fish by myself for the first time. Slowly, but surely, almost a year after I started getting innovative with some spinach leafs, I’m on to actual cooking!

While learning how to cook can be a lot of fun, there is potential for harm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans, roughly 48 million people, gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases each year. According to findings from a national study conducted by the Partnership for Food Safety Education in 2007, food safety risks in the home are more common than people may think. In fact, less than 60 percent of respondents indicated that they correctly follow important safe food handling practices. Now, I’m not saying we should all get take-out every night (there are food safety concerns there also, but we can leave that for another time), I’m just saying that we should all be aware of the four core food safety practices: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

Here are some tips from the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s Fight BAC! Campaign on how to practice safe food handling in your home:

Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often

  • Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
  • Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
  • Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
  • Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten, and rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables while rinsing.

Separate: Don’t cross contaminate

  • Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator.
  • Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
  • Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

Cook: Cook to proper temperatures

  • Use a food thermometer to ensure that your food is safely cooked to the appropriate internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria that causes illnesses. Refer to a temperature chart to determine what temperature your meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and leftovers should reach in order to be food safe.
  • Remember, color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly

  • Refrigerate foods quickly to prevent growth of harmful bacteria.
  • Keep a constant refrigerator temperature of 40°F or below and a freezer temperature of 0°F or below.
  • Never let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90°F).
  • Never defrost food at room temperature. Three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
  • Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling
  • Use or discard refrigerated food on a regular basis. Check this Cold Storage Chart for optimum storage times.

For additional resources on safe food handling, check out resources from the CDC and FDA on food safety and food-borne illness.

And  remember, “Don’t Get Sicky Wit It!” Enjoy this food safety music video from Dr. Carl Winter at the University of California, Davis:

By LAURA COELHO

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Sneeze Like a Lady

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living and tagged with , , ,

image source: logicmgmt.com

Welcome to the getPHYT Finishing School for Young Ladies and Gentlemen. Today’s lesson will be hygiene etiquette. Like saying “please” and “thank you,” hygiene etiquette is easy and it truly makes the world a better place. Upon completing this lesson, you will know how to help prevent the spread of illness and disease.

You should always practice good hygiene etiquette, but it is especially important when you are sick. The CDC explains that “serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)” are spread by coughing, sneezing, and unclean hands.

I am confident that if you follow these 4 steps from the CDC, you will be on your way to becoming a proper and healthy lady or gentleman.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  • Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
  • If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
  • Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing. And make sure to wash them for at least 20 seconds (or the duration of the “Happy Birthday” song sang twice).

Remember, practice makes perfect.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Who Let the Dogs Out?!

Posted by getPHYT in Healthy Living, Injury, Violence & Safety and tagged with , ,

Bow Wow. Photo by Arielle Colon

Memorial Day has passed, which means one thing: summer is here!!! Summertime is great for barbecues, swimming, the beach, and the outdoors. Unfortunately, summertime also brings about heat, humidity, and bugs (Gross)! If you have a fluffy best-friend around your house, summertime also means that you have to take extra care of your pet. If you keep your pet healthy, you keep your home and yourself healthy, as well!  So here are a few tips on keeping your pet’s health at its best (AVMA and Chatham County’s Public Health Department):

First of all, it is EXTREMELY important to keep water around inside and outside of your home. Getting dehydrated is a lot easier during the summer, so check water bowls periodically throughout the day and carry some water with you on car-rides and walks.

Sophie. Photo by Arielle Colon

Grooming isn’t just for looks.  Your pets are supposed to be well-groomed so that their fur can protect them from the the rays and warmth of the sun.  If your pet has too many tangles (or too much fur in general), it’s best to cut off some of those locks in order to release some of the trapped heat.

On walks/runs, make sure your pet doesn’t drink from any puddles (in case there is something toxic mixed in) and don’t overexert your pet (because your pet might have trouble keeping a normal body temperature in hot or humid weather).

Also, keep your pets inside when it’s a burning hot day (and I don’t mean inside a car)! It’s easy for pets to get overheated, and if that happens, your pet can get sick, get brain damage or die!  If your pet is panting excessively or passes out, spray water on him/her and get him/her to a vet quickly (LA County’s Department of Animal Care and Control)!

Finally, just like humans need regular check-ups, animals do too!  In order to avoid easily preventable diseases within pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association said that 95% of veterinarians recommend at least one annual exam.  The AVMA believes that the veterinary field needs to start promoting overall health, instead of just treating the sick or giving vaccinations.

Socks. Photo by Arielle Colon

Keeping your pets healthy means that you keep your home healthy.  If your pet is unhealthy, your family runs the risk of becoming unhealthy, as well.  For instance, many immunocompromised people (people who can’t fight off disease normally, like chemotherapy patients, HIV infected people, etc) run risks of catching zoonoses (diseases that can be transmitted from animal to human) from bites (The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases: Understanding the Impact of Animal and Human Health- Workshop Summary by Tom Burroughs). This means you have to keep your pets’ vaccinations up to date!  Help your pet out with fleas, too!  Not only will he/she be uncomfortably itchy, but you might suffer from flea bites. Make sure to wash your hands right after touching your pet or anything that comest into contact with them, such as treats and toys.  Point is–by keeping your pet healthy, you not only help your pet, you help yourself! 

For more information, check out CDC’s Healthy Pets Healthy People.

Dotty. Photo by Arielle Colon

By ARIELLE COLON

Are You Making a Sissy?

Posted by getPHYT in Diseases & Conditions and tagged with , ,

According to “the Poolman” of Poolinfo, the swimming pool chemical that turns pee blue (as seen in Grownups) does not exist. “The limit does not exist!” (Mean Girls was on this morning). Anyways, just because there isn’t a chemical to detect urine doesn’t mean you should be peeing in the pool! Please, don’t pee in the pool!

But isn’t that why there’s chlorine? What’s the big deal about going number one in the pool anyways? When urine and chlorine are mixed, this produces irritants that cause skin rash and red eyes (Water Quality and Health Council). Not to mention the fact that you’re swimming in another person’s pee. The Water Quality and Health Council reported that 1 in 5 people admitted to peeing in the pool. I’m assuming that the actual number is probably higher. No one wants to swim in a toilet, so don’t pee in the pool.

Chlorine does not kill germs instantly. In fact, it can take minutes to days for chlorine to kill them (CDC). Even swallowing just a tiny bit of water that contains germs can make you sick with a recreational water illness (RWI). So, avoid getting pool water in your mouth (that’s kinda tricky). But most importantly, don’t swallow the pool water.

You can also get an RWI by “breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans” (CDC). Chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water and cause indoor air quality problems can also cause RWIs.

RWIs can be a wide variety of infections, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. And the most common RWI is diarrhea, which can be caused by germs such as Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7. This is really obvious, but I gotta say it anyways, “Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.” GROSS.

To help prevent RWIs, it is important to practice good hygiene. The CDC recommends showering with soap before swimming and washing your hands after using the bathroom. Remember, clean hands save lives.

How much do you know about water safety? Test your knowledge and take the quiz!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

p.s. Don’t make a sissy!

image source: wizzley.com

Hand + Foot + Mouth

Posted by getPHYT in Diseases & Conditions and tagged with , , , , ,

image source: cartoonstock

Equals disease. Wait, what? Can you get it by putting your hand or foot in your mouth? Foot in mouth? GROSS. No, no, no. Let me clarify: Hand, food, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral contagious illness that commonly affects infants and children. Most cases of HFMD appear in the spring, summer, and fall. Just like its name, HFMD affects the hand, food, and mouth. An infected person  could have a rash, mouth sores, a combination of symptoms, or none at all. Symptoms include:

  • fever
  • poor appetite
  • malaise (fancy term for “feeling vaguely unwell”)
  • sore throat
  • painful sores in the mouth
  • skin rash with flat or raised spots on the palms of hands and sole of feet and sometime on the buttocks (rash may blister, but won’t itch)

Anyone can get HFMD. Once a person gets HFMD, he or she develops immunity to the specific virus that caused the infection. But there’s a catch! You can still get the disease if you’re infected by a different HFMD-causing virus. These viruses can be found in an infected person’s nose and throat secretions (saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus), blister fluid, or feces. HFMD spreads from an infected person to others through:

  • close personal contact (kissing and hugging)
  • the air by coughing and sneezing
  • contact with feces
  • touching objects or surfaces that have the virus on them

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for HFMD, but over-the-counter fever reducers/pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can be taken. Also, you should also drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. HFMD usually isn’t serious. In fact, most patients recover in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment. Though complications are not common, a person with HFMD can develop viral meningitis, polio-like paralysis, or encephalitis (brain inflammation) (CDC). Since there isn’t a vaccine to prevent HFMD, it’s important to reduce your risk of getting the disease. The best offense is a good defense.

  • Wash your hands. Seriously, clean hands save lives.
  • Thoroughly clean objects and surfaces that may be contaminated with a HFMD-causing virus. Invest in Clorox wipes.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are infected. That means no hugging or kissing your HFMD-infected boyfriend or girlfriend.

And just in case you were wondering, hand, foot, and mouth disease is NOT the same as foot-and-mouth disease. Foot-and-mouth (aka hoof-and-mouth) disease affects cattle, sheep, and swine and is not a threat to human health. For more info on foot-and-mouth disease, visit USDA: Animal and Plan Inspection Service.

 By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Oh Schmidt

Posted by getPHYT in Mental Health, Physical Activity & Exercise and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you watch New Girl, then you’re probably familiar with Schmidt. Nine out of ten times, he’s pretty much what you see in that video. But in episode 15 (Injured), Schmidt said something…profound. For once, he wasn’t JAR’d.

“Treat your body like a temple. Treat your body like a temple” – Schmidt.

Here’s how:

1. Eat healthy. This does not mean going on a Whole Foods (whole-lotta-money) diet. Click here for some tips from My Plate on how to stretch those food dollars. Make sure to include grains, veggies, and fruits into your everyday meals. Beware of Suga Suga Suga and Step Away from the Big Mac. And can we get some Waters All Around, Please? Thanks. Eat healthy and you may have what it takes to be America’s Next Fruit Ninja!

2. Be active. The CDC recommends 1 hour of physical activity every day for children & adolescents and 150 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity each week for adults. Keep your Head in the Game and play sports! Hear music and Just Dance!

3. Wash your hands. None of us know where those Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all have been. Plus, Clean Hands Save Lives.

4. Don’t smoke. Duh! So, want to go to college? Then you better quit smoking! Click here for tips from former smokers.

5. Stay positive. Stress Stinks! Don’t let your Horrible Bosses get the best of you. And don’t forget about those new years resolutions you made not too long ago. We Like Number 16 of Thought Catalog’s 20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20-Somethings.

6. Get sleep. The CDC recommends 7-9 hours of sleep. Rock-a-bye-baby!

7. Get check-ups. Make sure you’re up-to-date with all of your vaccines and tests. Sexy and I Know It? Yea, that’s great. But did you know that healthy is the new sexy? So if you get sick or feel pain, make an appointment with your doctor. Don’t go playing doctor and diagnosing yourself using WebMD. It’s Trichy Trichy Trichy.

For more info, check out CDC’s Tips for a Safe and Healthy Life.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

Before you go any further, click on the vid so you have a sweet tune playing while you read. THROWBACK!   

Money may be a popular subject to sing about, but that doesn’t make it any less dirty. Just think, where has that dollar bill been? Scenario: Girl hands it to a cashier at the grocery store, who hands it back to a guy who just went to the bathroom and didn’t wash his hands. Then the guy hands it to a homeless dude who sneezes on it. Homeless dude uses it to buy a coffee. Barista has a cold. You walk into that coffee shop, ask for some change, and BAM, you’re the proud owner of the dirty dollar bill. Congratulations.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • “The metallic odor left on your hands after touching coins and metal objects is actually a type of human body odor. Skin oils break down and decompose after touching iron – creating the oh so familiar coin smell on hands” (Happy Worker).
  • In a study by Dr. Peter Ender,  86 percent of bills had germs such as Streptococcus.
  • “The highest amount of bacteria on an ATM is fecal bacteria” (Tipking).
  • 30 percent of bills is contaminated with fecal bacteria.
  • 90 percent of US Currency is laced with Cocaine.
  • E. Coli can be found on 7 percent of all bills.
  • BPA, the chemical carcinogen, can be found on half of all notes.

HOW TO PREVENT GETTING SICK

  • “After handling a lot of bills, rub rubbing alcohol on your hands. Also it is wise to wash hands thoroughly after visiting ATMs. You may wish to carry an antibacterial solution with you” (Tipking).

The importance of washing your hands cannot be stressed enough. Did you check out our post on it yet?! Cash will never be germ-free, so it is up to YOU to handle it properly.

By HOSNA SAFI

Clean Hands Save Lives

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with ,

image source: mbmusic

After you use the bathroom, you wash your hands. Before you eat, you wash your hands. It’s pretty routine stuff. But does rubbing soap between the palms of my hands for 3 seconds and then rinsing them for 5 seconds really count as “washing my hands?” Does dipping my foot into a pool really count as “swimming?” I think not.

 

Here are the 5 simple steps of how to correctly wash your hands:

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
  2. Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

So why spend a whole minute washing your hands?

Just because your hands look clean doesn’t mean they are clean. “The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between that we’re touching door knobs, water fountains, and each other.” – Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet’s character), Contagion.

According to the CDC, washing your hands is the number one way to avoid catching a cold or especially a bacteria that could cause a food-borne illness, such as E. coli or Salmonella.

Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives

Ever heard of fomite? Fomite is an object that may be contaminated with infectious organisms and serve in their transmission. Examples include door knobs and water fountains. This is not to scare you into becoming a germaphobe, but pathogens do not always spread from person to person. It could also be person-fomite-person. Break the chain and wash your hands.

“The CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne disease.” Click here for more information on foodborne diseases.

Quick scenario: The chef at your favorite restaurant makes you a salad. He washes his hands for 5 seconds and then mixes the greens with his bare hands. You eat the salad. What happens to you? Click here to find out!

I’m not asking you to obsess over your hands like the creepy hand model, but take a minute and please wash them the right way.

And for my fellow book worms and science enthusiasts, here’s a book on Urban Microbiology, courtesy of Google. Skip to page 558 for an excellent explanation on fomite transmission.