shirl
05-20-2008, 08:36 AM
Location, location, location... it doesn't just apply to where you buy your house, you know. Many of us are creatures of habit, flinging our toothbrush into the same holder above the bathroom sink or shoving leftovers into the fridge.
But maybe we should stand back and think more about our actions -- and their impact on our health.
The worst place for a toothbrush is the bathroom sink. This is because it is normally very near the toilet. Every time you flush the toilet you are spreading germs, sometimes as much as six feet away.
The advice is to keep your toothbrush under wraps, in a bathroom cabinet or in your bedroom.
Never place a large bowl of hot food into the fridge. It leads to uneven cooling and possible food poisoning.
It can take a long time for the food in the middle of the bowl to cool and this encourages bacteria. You can safely leave food to cool on the counter for up to an hour after cooking.
Or split it up and put it into smaller bowls -- then place in the fridge.
Think twice about having your medicine cabinet in the bathroom.
The temperature in a steamy bathroom can reach 100oF which is well above the recommended storage temperatures for many common drugs.
For instance the top temperature at which to keep the cholesterol drug Lipitor (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Lipitor) is around 77°F.
The best place to store medicines is in a cool, dry place.
Are you guilty of coming home and putting your handbag or shopping bags on the kitchen counter?
Just think of where they have been -- on the floor of the bus, the boot of the car or on a supermarket check-out desk. Put your bags anywhere except where food is prepared or eaten.
But maybe we should stand back and think more about our actions -- and their impact on our health.
The worst place for a toothbrush is the bathroom sink. This is because it is normally very near the toilet. Every time you flush the toilet you are spreading germs, sometimes as much as six feet away.
The advice is to keep your toothbrush under wraps, in a bathroom cabinet or in your bedroom.
Never place a large bowl of hot food into the fridge. It leads to uneven cooling and possible food poisoning.
It can take a long time for the food in the middle of the bowl to cool and this encourages bacteria. You can safely leave food to cool on the counter for up to an hour after cooking.
Or split it up and put it into smaller bowls -- then place in the fridge.
Think twice about having your medicine cabinet in the bathroom.
The temperature in a steamy bathroom can reach 100oF which is well above the recommended storage temperatures for many common drugs.
For instance the top temperature at which to keep the cholesterol drug Lipitor (http://www.independent.ie/topics/Lipitor) is around 77°F.
The best place to store medicines is in a cool, dry place.
Are you guilty of coming home and putting your handbag or shopping bags on the kitchen counter?
Just think of where they have been -- on the floor of the bus, the boot of the car or on a supermarket check-out desk. Put your bags anywhere except where food is prepared or eaten.