42 November 2015 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | wellbeing Germs. They’re everywhere – in your home, at the gym, in your car, and yes, even in your purse. But what are these invisible microbes that wreak havoc with our wellness and our everyday life when they decide to make our body their home? Dr Rama Krishna, surgeon at the American Mission Hospital Manama and chairperson of the hospital’s Infection Control Committee, spells it out for us. “In simple layman terms, all bad bacteria can be labelled as germs.” Dr Krishna emphasises on simple measures like hand hygiene, personal hygiene and minimising contact with infected patients to steer clear of germs. “On the personal front, appropriate vaccinations, a healthy diet and lifestyle keep germs at bay. From the community perspective good sanitation, availability of potable water and a clean environment are important,” he says. You may run in the opposite direction when someone around you sneezes and reach for the hand sanitiser several times a day, but bad bacteria can thrive in the least expected things that you use in the course of your day. And no, we are not talking of the toilets or kitchen sponges, which are obvious addresses for invisible bugs. Think of your favourite handbag, your makeup, your cell phone and the steering wheel and floor mats of your car. They are breeding grounds for germs and could do with some regular disinfecting. Avoid resting your purse on floors of public places like toilets and restaurants. Disinfect makeup with an alcohol solution and discard products after their expiry date. A quick wipe of the steering with antibacterial wipes and frequent washing of the floor mats should keep the germ quotient in your car to the minimum. Where there are germs, there are antibiotics. “Antibiotics are chemical substances that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria,” says Dr Krishna. This makes them an important part of a doctor’s medical arsenal. However, he goes on to say that they are not always necessary and will only be of any use in infectious diseases – that is, diseases caused by harmful bacteria. They will not act against illnesses caused by a virus – the most common example of which is the common cold, sore throat or the flu. Like all other medicines, an overdose of The Bad Bugs Germs have been around since time immemorial, but Superbugs have recently come up on the medical radar. Behnaz Sanjana finds out more about the urgency to develop new antibiotics and why you should think twice before you pop that antibiotic pill. On the personal front, appropriate vaccinations, a healthy diet and lifestyle keep germs at bay
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