Wellness

Get Email Updates

Wellness Bloggers

Free Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER!

Health Tip: To Avoid Getting Sick, Disinfect That Shopping Cart Handle

By Christine Jeffries April 11, 2011 - 7:13pm
 
Rate This
0 comments View Comments
Wellness related image

A longtime suspect of harboring germs is now confirmed guilty by a LifeScript.com article: Shopping cart handles are on of the biggest germy messes you can find in public.

According to the article, we come into contact with roughly 60,000 different types of germs yearly. If you are healthy, this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for you, but it could cause a common cold, or diarrhea and vomiting depending on the type of germs you come into contact with.

Shopping carts are known offenders at harboring cold and flu viruses from the cart user, or a toddler in the seat with grimy hands. Or the shopping cart could contain salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli, present on leaky raw meat packages or from diaper-wearing toddlers in that cart seat. People using the carts may touch food packages, then the cart handle, or will sneeze, then grab onto the handle to push on with their shopping.

The best bet is to use the provided anti-bacterial wipes in the store, antibacterial gel, or bring your own to wipe down the handle and cart. People may look at you as a kind of germaphobe, but you’ll be happy when you don’t get sick.

Do you have a question about preventing sickness? Check out EmpowHER’s pages. Sign-up, post a question, share your story, connect with other women in our groups and community, and feel EmpowHERed!

Resource:
LifeScript.com: Avoid Getting Sick: Top 8 Germiest Public Places Exposed
EmpowHER: Tips to Avoid the Flu This Season

Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women.

 
Rate This
0 comments View Comments

We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Christine Jeffries View Profile Send Message

My Health Story I like to be healthy, and am constantly re-affirming my efforts that way. It's a struggle, just ...

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Image CAPTCHA
By hitting submit, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

Improved

622 Health

Changed

294 Lives

Saved

213 Lives
4 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More

Health Theater Videos

View More Videos

Take our Featured Poll

What do you think is the most important health test for women?:
View Results