Just wash your hands with regular soap and water. This old-school method is the gold standard to use for cleansing—whether or not hands are visibly soiled, says Phyllis Ritchie, MD, a board-certified infectious disease specialist in Portland, Oregon. Antibacterial soaps are unnecessary to buy.
You can kill E. coli-contaminated water by bringing it to a rolling boil for three minutes, says Phyllis Ritchie, MD, a board-certified infectious disease specialist in Portland, Oregon.
People 50 years or older should get
the shingles vaccine (Zostavax), suggests Phyllis Ritchie, MD, a
board-certified infectious disease specialist in Portland, Oregon. Why? To
prevent getting the infection. The likelihood of shingles increases with age,
according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Check out health fairs in your
community. Many offer free examinations and check-ups to identify signs and
symptoms of conditions such as cancer, cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes,
says Mark Melrose, DO, FACEP, emergency
physician at New York City's Urgent Care Manhattan.