Wash Your Hands

Did you know that the brown spots on apples are carcinogenic? That gardening can lead to Legionnaire’s disease? That a toothbrush can pass on the hepatitis virus, or that an improperly cared-for cavity can endanger your heart? These health risks—the very real results of diminished attention to personal hygiene, especially hand-washing—crop up in every part of daily life, from working and eating out to staying in and spending time around the house. Some threaten us not only on an individual level, but a global one as well. From allergies to the possibility of an avian flu pandemic, Dr. Frédéric Saldmann examines in detail the many dangers that may lie in wait and sets out simple measures for keeping them at a safe distance—his number one mandate being washing your hands as often and as thoroughly as possible.A nationally recognized expert in his native France, Dr. Saldmann introduces readers to new studies that show the incredible range of germs transmitted by our hands in the most commonplace interactions. This book not only concerns the bacterial dangers of bad hygiene, but presents a panoramic survey of health-endangering practices, rumors, and fears amok on the contemporary scene, offering a compendium of answers, advice, and condensed research in a single, handy reference. Other features include sections on psychological health and beating bad habits and on epidemics and worldwide health scares.Dr. Saldmann combines scientific study and practical advice in this veritable handbook for the personal hygiene our times demand. Rich in research, anecdotes, and unexpected humor, Wash Your Hands!, is a no-nonsense manual that is imperative to our daily lives.