Here are 10 suggestions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. Yes, this is an addition to changing the batteries once a year.
- Wash your child’s toys just as you do your hands. (Think of how much time they spend on the floor.)
- Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to avoid bacteria growth.
- Put together a mini health kit and tuck it into your daily tote. Include adhesive bandages, alcohol wipes, pain relief medication, hand sanitizer, a mini tube of sun protection and an instant ice pack.
- Make that wellness appointment you’ve been putting off. Ask if you need a tetanus booster. It’s a must every 10 years.
- Put the poison control number—800.222.1222—on all phones and make sure all family members know when to call it.
- Before leaving the house do a double check for safety. That means putting on sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for a walk and other activities, or a helmet and other gear for bike riding, or looking at the treads of your shoes before a run.
- Schedule a radon test for the air in your home. Have your water checked if you get it from a private well.
- Change your contact lenses on the right schedule. Don’t risk eye health by trying to extend their life past the prescribed usage, whether they’re dailies, monthlies or anything in between.
- Can’t do a full floss after lunch? Use dental picks to get rid of food caught between your teeth and prevent bacteria buildup.
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
