Does the Office Make You Sick?

If you're a desktop diner or microwave your lunch in the office kitchen each day, then you might be setting yourself up for more than lunchtime boredom. If you can't break away from e-mails and the pile of work in your inbox and tend to eat at your desk, then it's time to get clean. Frozen meals like Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine are smart diet choices when supplemented with some fruit or a salad, but they have to be heated in the microwave.

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Have you taken a look at your office microwave lately? If the cleaning staff isn't on top of things, then it can become a bacteria breeding ground. If you want to take matters into your own hands, start by cleaning off the buttons with a bleach-based wipe or spray. Continue with the inside, then rinse to prevent the bleach smell after cooking. Keep the door open and advise others to do so after cooking to minimize smells.


If you're not cooking, then eating at your desk still can pose a health threat, especially if you have to leave your desk and don't return for an hour or so, it gives bacteria plenty of time to breed. And dirty desktops don't do workers any favors, either.{relatedarticles}Phones and keyboards can harbor up to 400 times more bacteria than a typical toilet, according to experts! Answer the call while eating, and you may transfer that bacteria to your food. Flip your keyboard to see how many crumbs fall out - the more, the merrier when it comes to bacteria on your desk. The good news is that sweeping an antibacterial wipe daily over those surfaces can prevent illness.