After a long winter, spring is here. Many people find it’s the perfect opportunity to clean their homes and get a fresh start. Yash Thakker, MD, family medicine resident with Doylestown Health’s Family Medicine Residency Practice, says it’s also a great time to take stock of your health.
“As you do your spring cleaning, take a moment to make sure you are doing all you can to keep your family healthy. Simple changes can make a big difference,” he says.
Call Your Doctor
Spring is a great time to refresh your home, and a great reminder to refresh your health! Take a look at your calendar and plan ahead to schedule any appointments and screenings you may need for the year. By planning ahead, you can get the appointments you need in a timely manner. If you aren’t sure what screenings you need, check with your primary care physician.
Dispose of Old/Unused Medication
Expired or unnecessary medication can be dangerous to leave in your home. Dr. Thakker suggests going through all of your over the counter and prescription medications to make sure nothing is out of date.
"Expired medications can lose their potency and become ineffective. Some medications may even harbor harmful bacteria or undergo chemical changes after the expiration date, posing a potential danger to your health,” says Dr. Thakker.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends flushing some medication down the toilet or sink because they pose a danger to others. You can determine whether your medication should be flushed by looking through the information that came with your medication or on the FDA’s drugs that should be flushed.
It’s also very important to know what medications cannot be safely flushed. Medications that cannot be flushed, can be dropped off in a secure collection box inside Emergency Department (ED) entrance at Doylestown Hospital. There also is a collection box for needles at the ED entrance of Doylestown Hospital.
More information on how to safely dispose of your old and unused medications, the location of permanent medication collection boxes in our area, and upcoming medication collection events, visit the Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission’s website.
Change Your Air Filters
Spring allergies can wreak havoc on your health, with symptoms ranging from coughing and sneezing to sore throat and itchy eyes. Make sure that your home is a safe haven from spring allergies by changing your air filter regularly. This will improve your air quality within your home.
“By changing your air filters regularly, you can reduce the amount of dirt and other particles in the air and improve your family’s health throughout the year,” Dr. Thakker says.
Dr. Thakker says most home air filters need to be replaced every three to six months. The best way to check if your air filter needs replacing is to perform a visual test. Hold it up to a light source, and if the light doesn’t pass through because it is too dirty, it needs to be replaced.
Wash/replace Your Makeup Brushes
Dirty makeup brushes aren’t just bad for makeup application; they can also be bad for your health. They can cause fungal infections and even more serious infections, such as E. Coli or staph infections. To remove harmful bacteria that can be found on your makeup brushes, Dr. Thakker recommends cleaning them every seven to ten days and replacing them every few years.
To clean your makeup brushes thoroughly, Dr. Thakker suggests either a specially designed cleaner or just soap and water.
Clean Your Pantry
When you clean your pantry, throw away any out-of-date or expired foods. You can determine whether your items are safe to eat by looking at the expiration date. Keep in mind a sell-by date is different than an expiration date. The sell-by date is how long stores can display products. Food is generally good for ten days after the sell-by date if stored properly.
Dr. Thakker also recommends taking a look at your family’s eating habits while you’re cleaning your pantry. “If you are finding a lot of half-eaten bags of chips and candy, you might want to retool your shopping list. If we keep a lot of unhealthy snacks in the house, we are more likely to eat them more often,” he says.
The United States Department of Agriculture is an excellent resource for guidance on food product dating and food safety.
Contributing Caregiver
Yash Thakker, MD is a family medicine resident with Doylestown Health’s Family Medicine Residency Practice. Dr. Thakker provides comprehensive care to every member of the family, with a preventive approach.
Find a Provider
If you are looking for a family medicine provider, you can search for one who is right for you in our Find a Provider directory. To learn more about primary care at Doylestown Health, visit Primary Care: Physicians & Services | Doylestown Health.
About Doylestown Health
Doylestown Health is a comprehensive healthcare system of inpatient, outpatient, and wellness education services connected to meet the health needs of the local and regional community. The flagship of Doylestown Health is Doylestown Hospital, a not-for-profit, community teaching hospital with 242 beds and a medical staff of more than 600 providers who deliver the highest quality care in over 50 specialties. Renowned locally, regionally, and nationally, Doylestown Hospital provides superior healthcare and offers advanced surgical procedures, innovative medical treatments, and comprehensive specialty services. Now in its 100th year of service in central Bucks County, Doylestown Hospital is proud to educate and train the next generation of physicians through its family medicine residency program. Consistently ranked among the best hospitals in Pennsylvania and distinguished in both infection prevention and patient experience, Doylestown Hospital is the only hospital in Pennsylvania to achieve 17 consecutive ‘A’ grades for patient safety from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Learn more at doylestownhealth.org.
