People often go to the gym to expel energy, get their heart pumping and work on losing weight or toning up. While you are trying to stay healthy, there are some lingering threats that are invisible. Germs! There are a few ways to try to protect yourself from catching someone else’s germs and it is especially necessary if it is cold or flu season. Bacteria is usually not a threat unless a person has an open cut but fungus and viruses are the biggest looming monsters. Some viruses can make you very sick or cause you to break out in a rash or cause warts. Fungus can lead to nail infections or athlete’s foot. Don’t be scared off from going to the gym but instead, look at these tips on how to stay healthy and protect yourself from the ick.
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from germs at the gym is to wipe down any equipment with an antibacterial or antiseptic wipe. Even a paper towel or cloth towel is better than nothing. Many public or members only gyms often provide these at work out stations so you can sanitize the work out equipment and machines. Wipe down the equipment before and after you use it for the best protection. Nasty residue can lurk in the humid gym environment and can only be killed off when the area is disinfected and cleaned thorougly.
If you work out on a daily basis, alternate your shoes so that moisture and sweat in them can dry out so eliminate the possibility of any foot fungus. In the locker room or in the shower, be sure to wear flip flops so to ward off athlete’s foot. Make sure to dry off your sweat in between work out regimens and to also dry off after showering or being in the sauna. Germs can also be found in hot tubs or swimming pools so be sure to shower off after using these facilities. Also beware of using used towels that are found in the facility. They have other people’s sweat and germs and you do not know what kind of virus or bacteria they have on them. Also, water or sports drink bottles can carry germs and bacteria if they are not being cleaned each time in between uses. Make sure that you always wash your hands before and after exercising. If you have used a machine, do not touch your face until you can wash your hands with soap.
When done working out, always change sweaty shorts. If you have to run an errand after being at the gym, at least change into clean underwear and shorts if you don’t have time to shower. Sweaty shorts can cause a person to get a bacterial infection not only because of the sweat but also because you have probably at some point sat down somewhere at the gym. When you are done working out, leave your shoes outside the house or wipe them off. They carry a lot of bacteria from the gym and you can even wipe them off with disinfectant.
This article was syndicated and originally appeared on the Heits of Minnesota website.
