Germs at the Shopping Mall

You can always count on Health magazine to find fun ways to report on the topics that interest you most in the health and beauty aspects of your life. A good example is an article in the December 2011 issue about the "8 Germiest Places in the Mall."

A lot of them would surprise you! Of course, you should read the full article in order to learn how to best protect yourself, but here is a hint of what you can expect at the mall. The worst place is the Restroom Sink, because that's the first place people touch after using the toilet. "The sink area is a moist environment, so bacteria can survive longer there," the article points out, "Watch out for soap dispensers, too--not only are they handled by so many dirty hands, but the soap itself may harbor germs." Among Health magazine's tips to protect yourself: "Use a paper towel to turn off the water and open the door." The second germiest place at the mall are the Food Court Tables. "The rags themselves (that are used to clean the tables) can actually spread harmful bacteria such as E. coli if they are not changed and washed regularly." After that, among the germiest places included in the article are the Escalator Handrails ("In our testing, we have found food, E. coli, urine, mucus,feces, and blood on escalator handrails...and where there is mucus, you may also find cold and flu viruses."), ATM Keypads and Makeup Samples.  "Between 67 and 100 percent of makeup-counter testers were contaminated with bacteria, including staph, strep, and E. coli" as though the person who tried on that lipstick shade before you didn't wash her hands after she had gone to the toilet. So Health magazine magazine has given you something to think about, and that article in the December issue is worth looking up for good tips on how to protect yourself. Here's another good tip on how to protect your family's health care budget: Before you go to your local pharmacy to fill a prescription or for any health care-related product, visit the website MyRxCoupons.com. Look for free money-saving coupons that you can print from your computer and bring to the pharmacy to save hundreds -- even thousands -- of dollars a year on your family's health care costs.