germs

Flying This Season? The Germiest Places On A Plane

Posted on 12/22/2011 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthGifts aren’t the only thing you can bring back after holiday travel. Your fellow passengers can also gift you with a nice, juicy cold or the flu. That’s because flying increases your risk of getting sick. A 2004 study found that adults are up to 113 times more likely to have a cold after a long flight, when compared to the same risk among of the rest of us on the ground. Why are planes such germ incubators? It’s not …

Want to Stay Healthy This Winter? Follow These Four Steps

Posted on 11/7/2011 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthWhy is it that some people seem to sail through cold and flu season without a sniffle, while others can count on always catching that winter cold/flu/virus? Health magazine asked experts for the best, research-backed secrets for staying well. The article was aimed at mothers and grandmothers, but the advice applies to everyone. The number one tip was to get the flu vaccine, but after that, they suggested following these four simple steps: 1. Breathe some fresh air. Yes, of …

Eew! Gas Pump, ATM the Germiest Things We Touch

Posted on 10/26/2011 by | Personal Health and Well-being | Comments

Bulletin Today | Personal HealthJust in time for cold and flu season comes this icky news: A new survey has found that the germiest thing you touch is the gas pump handle, followed by the handle on public mailboxes, escalator rails and ATM buttons. You can thank environmental microbiologist  Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona — affectionately known as Dr. Germ — for these results, reported in USA Today. All of these things, says Gerba, are touched by zillions of people every day …

Germs Are All Around

Posted on 03/15/2011 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Personal HealthPic via Daniel Lai/Aurora Photos Isn’t it funny how people will wash their hands when they arrive at a restaurant, but then pick up a menu that has been touched by possibly hundreds of people beforehand? That’s right, restaurant menus is is one of the worst ways folks can pick up germs. It’s true that germs are all around us, but there are certain particular places that leave people more susceptible to catching colds and viruses. So why not better …

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