Saturday, October 25, 2008

Microwave your toothbrush?

On the Reader's Digest site they have an article about how to prevent yourself from getting sick and list 23 things to do to reduce your chance of getting ill. I found it to be a very interesting article!

Some tips are commmon things like washing your hands and using hand sanitizer.

However, there are some more unique ideas (to me anyway) like:

"Run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for 10 seconds to kill germs that can cause colds and other illnesses. You think it gets your teeth clean -- and it does. But once you're done brushing, your toothbrush is a breeding ground for germs. Sterilize it in the microwave before you use it, or store it in hydrogen peroxide (rinse well before using), or simply replace it every month when you change the page on your calendar and after you've had a cold."

and

"Leave the windows in your house open a crack in winter. Not all of them, but one or two in the rooms in which you spend the most time. This is particularly important if you live in a newer home, where fresh circulating air has been the victim of energy efficiency. A bit of fresh air will do wonders for chasing out germs."


and

"Inhale air from your blow-dryer. It sounds nuts, we know. But one study conducted at Harvard Hospital in England found that people who breathed heated air had half the cold symptoms of people who inhaled air at room temperature. Set the dryer on warm, not hot, and hold it at least 18 inches from your face. Breathe in the air through your nose for as long as you can -- 20 minutes is best."

and

"Take a garlic supplement every day. When 146 volunteers received either one garlic supplement a day or a placebo for 12 weeks between November and February, those taking the garlic were not only less likely to get a cold, but if they did catch one, their symptoms were less intense and they recovered faster."

and

"Eat a container of yogurt every day. A study from the University of California-Davis found that people who ate one cup of yogurt -- whether live culture or pasteurized -- had 25 percent fewer colds than non-yogurt eaters. Start your yogurt eating in the summer to build up your immunity before cold and flu season starts."

and

"Scrub under your fingernails every night. They're a great hiding place for germs. "

For the full article go HERE

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are all pretty good but I'm not sure I could stare into my blow dryer inhaling air from it for 20 mins. That seems a little bizarre to me.

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