Food that may not cause illness in young adults, could make an older person sick. In addition to exercise and proper diet, cleanliness and food safety are essential elements to a healthy lifestyle. Follow these tips from the Georgia-Pacific Health Smart TM Institute and stay healthy. It is particularly important to clean communal surfaces such as kitchen and bathroom countertops, coffee tables, phones, TV remote controls, doorknobs and light switches because they are frequently touched by everyone in your household. Wash dishes within two hours of eating in the hottest water possible and thoroughly dry them with paper towels.
Germs can multiply on dishes left soaking in dishwater.
Since bacteria breed in moist environments, keep the bathroom ventilated and dry to reduce the possibility of bacterial multiplication. Shake the shower curtain after showering and leave open so moisture can completely evaporate. Refrigerate or freeze prepared food, leftovers and perishables within two hours of preparation, using small shallow containers for rapid cooling. Throw out foods left at room temperature longer than two hours. When reheating leftovers in the microwave, cover dishes and rotate them to evenly disperse the heat.