Most likely, you came down with the flu at some point this year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the past flu season in the United States began earlier than most and was judged to be more severe than the previous four seasons.
Here are some other alarming facts.
* Only two-thirds of American adults wash their hands after using the toilet.
* Just one in three people wash their hands after sneezing or coughing.
* Not even one in five people wash their hands after handling money, a major carrier of disease germs.
* One in three E. coli outbreaks is caused by food handlers who don't wash their hands.
There is one simple way to help ward off illness: Wash your hands. Diseases like hepatitis A, meningitis and infectious stomach ailments also can spread from lack of hand-washing. The statistics don't lie: Children who wash their hands four times a day miss about half as many school days.
For hand-washing to be most effective, lather up for at least 20 seconds, the time it takes to sing the ABCs.
Need more hand-washing incentive? Use a rich, fragrant liquid hand soap, such as Nature's Gate Organics Fruit Blend Liquid Hand Soaps, which contain certified organic fruit, floral and herbal extracts. They are free of harsh ingredients that can dry out your skin and full of moisturizing nutrients to keep it soft and smooth.
To help inspire you to lather up on a regular basis, the soaps come in soothing pairs of scents, such as mandarin orange and patchouli; persimmon and rose geranium; grapefruit and wild ginger; and asian pear and red tea.
"Hand-washing is so essential to our everyday health," said Shelley Rubenstein, advertising and promotions manager for Nature's Gate. "These liquid hand soaps smell and feel so amazing that using them is a treat."
Nature's Gate Organics Fruit Blend Liquid Hand Soaps are available for about $6 at health-food stores, pharmacies and grocery stores nationwide and online at www.naturesgatebeauty.com. -NU |
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