My Embarrassing Health Habits

Sure, you might not talk about these over coffee with your workmates, but chances are you do at least one of them. Fess up! Wellness editor Lucy E Cousins asked the experts to break down which habits we don’t need to worry about – and which ones we need to farewell

- Lucy E Cousins

“I DON’T CHANGE MY UNDERWEAR EVERY DAY”

Left doing your laundry until the last minute and found yourself without a fresh pair of underwear? Don’t worry, says Dr Ginni Mansberg, it’s not that bad. “Are there a lot of germs on underwear that can make you sick? No,” says Mansberg. “It’s just more the ‘ew’ factor, because if you don’t change them enough, they’re going to smell. So it’s more about being socially acceptable, really.”

“I USE THE FIVE-SECOND FOOD RULE”

This food ‘rule’ has been around for generations, but skin and nutrition expert Fiona Tuck says picking up dropped food is never a good idea. “The ‘five-second rule’ does not exist,” she confirms. “It can take less than five seconds for microbes to be transferred to food.” Although the likelihood of getting sick is low, Tuck says those at higher risk are pregnant women, those with lowered immunity and the elderly.

“I EAT IN FRONT OF THE TV”