Today's Advice for Healthy Living

The Germ Journey (By Jordan Rubin)

Germs don't fly — they hitchhike. They travel when you touch other people's hands (and whatever they have touched) or when you touch surfaces (and whatever was just there). Your hands come into contact with bacteria and other infectious organisms on hundreds of surfaces daily. , including other people's hands (and whatever they have touched).Surprisingly, more than 90 percent of the germs on your hands reside under your fingernails. (The same is true for allergens and environmental contaminants.) And it is difficult to clean this area simply by washing your hands.

These germs easily enter the body through the nasal passageways or tear ducts when we touch our eyes or nose — which we do at least twenty times a day. Typically, your fingertips come in contact with your eyes and nose more than 12,500 times each year. Each time there is the potential of autoinoculating yourself with germs, allergens, environmental toxins, and viruses.

Autoinoculation of the eyes and nose from contaminated fingertips is particularly dangerous because these areas provide a direct pathway to the upper respiratory tract. (Some diseases enter the body through the mouth, but fluids in the mouth and stomach combat pathogens very effectively.) Upper respiratory problems, including sinus infections, account for eight of every ten visits to doctors' offices. The average adult battles four colds per year (six colds annually for children), and nearly one person in three has allergies.

Jordan's Tip of the Day From the author of The Maker's Diet

Clean on the Surface?
Kitchen countertops are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. To keep yours germ-free, frequently wipe them down with sanitized cloths and never prepare food directly on the surface. Even if you're just preparing sandwiches, use a clean plate, placemat, or tablecloth as a barrier.