Did You Know Protecting Your Good Microbes Leads to a Healthier You?
Microscopic creatures—including bacteria, fungi, and viruses— can make you ill. But what you may not realize is that trillions of microbes are living in and on your body right now. Most don’t harm you at all. We tend to focus on destroying bad microbes. But taking care of good ones may be even more important.
TO PROTECT GOOD MICROBES:
o Don’t pressure your doctor to give you antibiotics. They may cause more harm than good.
o Know when to wash your hands—for example, when preparing food and before eating.
o Don’t use antibacterial products you don’t need. Antibacterial soaps have little or no health benefit. And antibacterial versions of household products have not been shown to reduce your risk of infection.
o Don’t go overboard with hand sanitizers. They’re useful
in health care settings, but hand washing is a better option in most situations.
o Experiment with different skin moisturizers to see which work best for you.