Handwashing - An Exercise in Being Healthy

Did you know that statistics show people spend on average less than 20 seconds washing their hands? This can be after using the restroom, eating a meal, working in the garden, changing a diaper, picking up after the family pet.  Less than 20 seconds?  It's barbaric right?  Many use cold water, and most don't even bother to use soap.

Here are the facts,  simple and true, 20 seconds of rinsing your hands is not enough.  If you are one of the 20 second club, please wear a sign and don't serve me food, shake my hand, or touch anything I do. 

Cold vs. Hot water,  truth is of course hot water sanitizes better, but cold water will work just as well. Its more about the time spent and the procedure followed.  It's the motion in the ocean.  Soap is also a plus, one with bacteria and germ killers, even better, but again, its more about the time and process, scrub a dub dub.

Being a bit of a confessed germ-a-phobe freak, I prefer the hot water, anti bacterial soap and the time and process.

When washing your hands its about sloughing off the germs, this takes motion.  Briskly rubbing ones hands together under running water, the palms, in between the fingers, the nail beds, the back of the hands and the lower wrist. You should spend 60-90 seconds washing your hands every time.  Its a small investment in your health and the health of everyone you know.

I can't begin to tell you how many times I have seen people simply not wash their hands after doing something gross, or who simply swipe their hands under the water and back out again.  These are the same people who pick at a buffet table, pot luck, or candy bowl. The snack from the pretzel bowl, lick their fingers and dive back in. They are the double dippers. They sneeze and don't cover their mouths, and they cough just the same. They are the reports on the news of E-Coli, and Staph infections.

In today's world of ever morphing viruses, new strains resistant to antibiotics, please show a little respect and courtesy to others.  Don't deliver your germs to me on a golden platter.  I don't want them.  I didn't order them. And I promise not to share mine with you in return.