Did YOU Wash Your Hands???

     Good evening, FAMILY...  The first week in December is recognized as National Handwashing Awareness Week.  Now, I don't know about you, but in my Momma's house, hand washing was an all day, anytime she asked, your hands better be clean before coming into her kitchen moment.  And what really used to get me was when she asked, "did you wash your hands?", (as I stood in the kitchen next to the sink)   I said, "no", she would tell me NOT to wash them in the kitchen sink but "go on upstairs and wash them".  I would ask, "why?", and she would say, "because I said so"...  Anybody else remember those moments?  Well, handwashing is as important now as it was then.  

     Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infections and illnesses.  During this time of cold and flu season, it is critical.  I know some of us THINK our hands are clean, but we come into contact with so many items that carry germs and we don't even think about it.  That door you touched, the telephone you just answered, the shopping cart you are pushing, the money you just counted, the computer keyboard you are using and let's not forget the germs that float on your face.  How many times did you tell your parent you had a pimple that you kept touching?   The first thing your parent would say was, "don't touch it with your dirty hands".  

     According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) you should wash your hands--

• BEFORE, during, and after preparing food
• BEFORE eating food
• BEFORE and after caring for someone who is sick
• AFTER using the toilet
• AFTER changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• AFTER blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• AFTER touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• AFTER touching garbage

     The most effective way to wash your hands is to wet your hands and use enough soap for a lather,  then rub your hands together for at least 15 seconds, then rinse them well with water.  Now that you have done that, please use a clean paper towel to dry your hands, not the community towel that is hanging in the guest bathroom.  Now days, you will see people have fancy napkins or even a paper towel dispensers in their bathrooms.  USE them. 

     If for some reason you are not near water and your hands are not visibly dirty, use a hand sanitizer.  Hand sanitizers need to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective.  You place enough in the palm of your hand to wet your hands completely, then rub your hands together until they are dry.

     Statistics gathered by HealthReach CHC state that 1 in 4 adults do not wash their hands after changing diapers, less than 1/2 of Americans wash hands after cleaning up after pets, 2 out of 3 people do not wash their hands after sneezing/coughing.  Got you thinking, huh?

     Just remember, it's cold and flu season from now until about March.  Even the most healthy people can get sick, but children have weaker immune systems than adults and can become sick faster.  Germs are spread too easy from dirty, germy hands.   Also germs spread easy from raw, uncooked foods to your hands.   Be careful.  ALWAYS wash your hands after handling uncooked foods and keep some hand sanitizer nearby.  
(special thanks to HealthReachchc.org, cdc.gov, mayoclinic.com)