Hand washing is a simple habit, something most
people do without thinking. Yet hand washing, when done properly, is
one of the best ways to avoid getting sick. This simple habit
requires only soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
— a cleanser that doesn't require water. Do you know the benefits of
good hand hygiene and when and how to wash your hands properly?
The dangers of not washing your hands................
Despite the proven health benefits of hand washing, many people
don't practice this habit as often as they should — even after using
the toilet. Throughout the day you accumulate germs on your hands
from a variety of sources, such as direct contact with people,
contaminated surfaces, foods, even animals and animal waste. If you
don't wash your hands frequently enough, you can infect yourself
with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. And you can
spread these germs to others by touching them or by touching
surfaces that they also touch, such as doorknobs.
Infectious diseases that are commonly spread through hand-to-hand
contact include the common cold, flu and several gastrointestinal
disorders, such as infectious diarrhea. While most people will get
over a cold, the flu can be much more serious. Some people with the
flu, particularly older adults and people with chronic medical
problems, can develop pneumonia. The combination of the flu and
pneumonia, in fact, is the eighth-leading cause of death among
Americans.
Inadequate hand hygiene also contributes to food-related
illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli infection. According to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 76
million Americans get a food-borne illness each year. Of these,
about 5,000 die as a result of their illness. Others experience the
annoying signs and symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
