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Spring cleaning? Prioritize your fridge and pantry

Food-borne illnesses are common, sickening 48 million Americans each year, hospitalizing 128,000, and killing 3,000. One way to keep food safe is to clean the refrigerator and pantry regularly to cleanse surfaces and purge dated and possibly contaminated products. The process should include taking all items out of food storage areas, washing all surfaces, checking expiration dates, assessing products' smell and appearance, marking dates packages are opened, and avoiding cross-contamination between raw and ready-made foods.

Toothbrushing can be a literal lifesaver in the hospital

A 2023 study found that patients in intensive care units (ICUs) were less likely to die and spent less time on a ventilator during their stay when their teeth were brushed twice daily. Toothbrushing appears to protect patients from pneumonia, the most common ICU-acquired infection.

The right shoe for walking and running

Walking and running share similar movements, but how the foot is supported differs, which is why most walking and running shoes are designed differently. When walking, the heels hit the ground first before the foot rolls forward to begin the next step. Because of this rolling motion, walking shoes are designed to have soft, flexible soles, which help a person push off with each step, and an angled heel to absorb most of the shock and reduce pressure on the ankles. In comparison, runner's feet strike anywhere from the heel to the midfoot or forefoot. Therefore, running shoes are designed to have thicker soles that act as shock absorbers.

Try this: Give your hands a hand

Performing hand exercises using therapy putty can help a person improve grip and pinch strength.

Fighting fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom that can be caused by a whole host of factors, from medical conditions to stress and poor sleep. In order to ease ongoing fatigue, it's important to investigate and treat the underlying cause. Fatigue that doesn't respond to interventions or is severe or persistent should be brought to the attention of a doctor. It may be caused by a medical condition.

Ask the doctor: What is the condition called sepsis?

Can you please explain what sepsis is? What happens in the body to make it fatal?

Band together for stronger legs

Using your own body weight for exercise is simple and straightforward, but sometimes you need to further challenge your muscles. Resistance bands are versatile, portable, and easy to use to strengthen legs. These four leg exercises with resistance bands will enhance your lower-body workouts.

Resistance bands: 3 great ways to build upper body strength

Resistance bands don't look impressive, but they work muscles in different ways than other pieces of strength-building equipment. The bands offer varying levels of resistance, can be used to strengthen a variety of muscle groups, and may be easier to use for some people.

One more reason to brush your teeth?

New research suggests that people who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit are far less likely to develop pneumonia if their teeth are brushed twice daily. They also need ventilators for less time, are able to leave the ICU more quickly, and are less likely to die in the ICU.

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