Keeping your hands away from your face is a cardinal rule in staying healthy.
Considering that your hands and arms are touching things all day long, if you go to sleep without showering, or at least washing your arms, you'll be transferring germs from your arms to your pillow.

And... if you sleep with your arm under your head, you're now exposing your face to those germs and those germs will enter your system through your eyes and nose.

The simple solution is to take your daily shower just before going to sleep.  

Germs are everywhere.  The Corona virus is the most worrisome as of this writing

Here are some rules to live by.

RULE #1  KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE.  
Many germs enter your system through your eyes and nose so rubbing your eyes and nose are not a good idea.  

It takes practice to avoid the itching but learn to do that for your own health.

RULE #2  COUGH and SNEEZE INTO YOUR ELBOW - NOT YOUR HAND.
People who cover the mouth and nose with their hands don't realize that every time they touch something they are spreading their germs.

Instead, sneeze into your elbow or upper arm.  Everyone will thank you. 

RULE #3.  DON'T SHAKE HANDS
Skin contact spreads germs quickly.  Don't do it.
Instead do a fist bump or elbow bump.  Recently bumping feet is becoming p0pular. 

Stay HEALTHY>

An article in USA Today says that the back seats of a ride share vehicle (Uber, Lyft, etc.) can be hundreds of times more "germey" than other vehicles. 

The next time you call for a ride share, make sure you have your hand sanitizer with you.  Maybe some gloves also.

Thought the kitchen counter was the dirtiest thing in your home? You'll be surprised.

You scrub the toilet bowl meticulously, wipe down your kitchen bench every evening and vacuum the carpet with precision. But some of the dirtiest items in your home may be the ones you don't often think of cleaning.

Here is a list of some of the filthiest items in your home with a few tips on how to clean them: 

CLEANING EQUIPMENT 
How often do you clean your cleaning utensils? If your answer was not often enough, you're not alone. Sponges, cloths and scrub brushes are responsible for wiping up the biggest messes in your home, and these utensils are often one of the most germ-infested areas, with their damp material being a breeding ground for mould.
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To keep clean, be sure to rinse the utensil in hot water, wring out and leave to dry on a rack after every use and launder them every couple of days or when they start to smell. Most importantly, be sure to toss out sponges, cloths or rags every few weeks. 

DOORKNOBS
Whenever we move into a different room ​of the house, we transfer any of the germs on our hands to the various doorknobs we touch. If left unclean, this results in the doorknob becoming one of the filthiest items in the house. To clean, use a cloth and hot, soapy water to wipe down, either weekly or as needed.

KITCHEN SINK DRAIN
The drain of your kitchen is filled with bacteria, with germ growth encouraged thanks to the combination of food scraps and moisture. Many experts believe the average kitchen sink is actually dirtier than your toilet seat. To ensure your drain is as germ free as possible, pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar, finish by letting the mixture sit for a minute and then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain. Use this inexpensive and eco-friendly cleaning method at least once a week and your drain should be in pristine condition. 

ELECTRONICS
The average person uses the electronic devices in their home numerous times in a day, resulting in a large amount of bacteria building up on your remotes and keyboards. For example, the Wall Street Journal found the average mobile phone has up to 30,000 colony-forming units of bacteria. To ensure these devices are kept as clean as possible, swab your remote, keyboard, mouse and your mobile phone (including it's cover), once a week with a well wrung-out disinfectant wipe.

BASE OF THE TOILET
We all make sure to scrub the toilet seat and bowl. However, many people forget to clean the base of the toilet and surrounding floor, which, is surprisingly one of the filthiest areas of the bathroom (particularly if you have small children or men in the house). To keep this area clean, be sure to wipe down the base whenever you clean the toilet and mop the surrounding floor at least once a week.

If everyone would barricade (cover) their coughs and sneezes properly, there would be less illness.

How do you cover a sneeze?

1)  Don't cover your sneeze.  BAD.  Germs can shoot out up to 10 ft.

2)  Sneeze into your hands. NOT AS BAD. After sneezing into your hands you will then contaminate everything you touch until you thoroughly wash your hands.

3) Sneeze into your sleeve. BETTER, but it doesn't cover your sneeze very well.

4) Sneeze into a tissue.  BEST.  It will cover your sneeze pretty well and you can then simply dispose of the tissue.

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quoted from an article by Sarah Rohoman in Yahoo Canada StyleNovember 23, 2016

Did you know that plucking or trimming NOSE HAIR can be dangerous. 

"There’s an area on your face that the medical community has ominously named “the triangle of death.” The top point of the triangle is the bridge of your nose with the bottom of the triangle being above your upper lip. This area of your face is obviously close to your brain which makes getting infections in the triangle more dangerous than getting a cut on your knee.
Not only is tweezing nose hairs incredible painful, it can leave the skin open from where you yanked the hair out. The hair in our nose is the first line of defense for filtering out the bad things we breathe in, so there’s plenty of germs trapped in there. The germs can then enter the body from the wound and cause an infection – staph, meningitis, etc. These scary bacteria can then infect the brain, leading to serious medical outcomes like paralysis or even death."

The bottom line is DON'T PLUCK IN THE TRIANGLE.  And don't pop pimples or pick your nose as either could leave your skin open to infection in vessels the feed the brain.  Not a good situation. 

Are you worried about germs in your office?  After reading this article, you probably will be.  

http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/specialLinks.do?&ID=blog_uk_article_office-bacteria-project-whats-lurking-on-your-desk

from US News & World Report HEALTH  June 8, 2015. 

Wanna stay healthy in a swimming pool this summer?  Here are some hints.

Test the water. Do a quick test of the chlorine levels in the water, When the pH or chlorine in the water is too low, bacteria, germs and viruses can proliferate. If there's too much chlorine in the pool, swimmers can experience coughing, nausea, burning eyes and throat, and other unpleasant symptoms.

To test, just  buy some test strips – most are available at home improvement stores – that measure the pH and free chlorine level in the water. "These are the most important parameters; to make sure you have disinfectant in the water, and to make sure the disinfectant is working properly."  Test strips are typically inexpensive, accurate and easy to use.

Don't pee in the pool or go swimming with diarrhea. It sounds like a no-brainer – don't pee in the pool. But in a recent survey by the Water Quality & Health Council, 55 percent of respondents admitted to urinating in the water at least once.

Don't drink the water. It seems obvious, but here's this season's reminder: Don't drink or swallow pool water to your chance of becoming infected with a disease.

Refrain from swimming with wounds. There are many myths suggesting that swimming in chlorine or salt water can help "disinfect" or clean a wound. In fact, an open wound is an entry point for germs. Don't go swimming with a major cut or injury.