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How often should you wash your water bottle? A doctor finally settles the fierce debate

Your water bottle is a germ haven.

Image via Canva/Africa Images

This is how often you should be washing your reusable water bottle.

Staying hydrated has never been easier thanks to reusable water bottles. But one of the biggest downsides to using water bottles is having to wash them. And if we're honest, most of us probably go *way too long* between uses before giving them a deep cleaning.

You may be curious about how often you should be washing your water bottle—and the possible negative health effects that can happen if you neglect to. Unfortunately, if you simply rinse and re-fill without thoroughly washing with soap and water—it's not cutting it.

"Wash it with soap and warm water at least every other day," says Dr. Shanina C. Knighton, PhD, RN, CIC, Research Associate Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. She adds that if you drink anything beyond just plain water—such as adding lemon to water, adding flavor to it, protein drinks or coffee--then your water bottle should be washed immediately and daily.

"Sugar loves yeast, mold, and bacteria and when water bottles are left with fluids sitting in them for days odors can occur," says Dr. Knighton.

Your water bottle can quickly become a petri dish as bacteria settles in, forming a biofilm (a slimy film or thin coating of germs). "This biofilm protects bacteria from casual rinsing, which is why that weird taste and smell develops even when you are 'just using water' to clean it out," she adds.

Failing to properly wash your water bottle can lead to sickness as bacteria continues to grow and comes in contact with your mouth. "Unwashed bottles can harbor dangerous bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Mold and yeast can accumulate in bottles that are stored while damp."

Dr. Knighton adds that an upset stomach (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea) or food poisoning symptoms can stem from a dirty water bottle. "We know the impact of mold are attached to respiratory issues. Even something such as a rash around the mouth or skin infection can occur," she says.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

How to wash your water bottle

Warm water is best to clean your water bottle—and washing with cold water is not recommended. "Cold water does not break down bacteria or any oils and residues that may be in bottles," says Dr. Knighton. "If the water is too hot, excessive heat can damage plastic or can weaken rubber water seals."

You should also be hand-washing your water bottles. "I do not recommend harsh chemicals and the use of a dishwasher for water bottles. Given the depth of water bottles adequate cleaning may happen best if by hand," adds Dr. Knighton. "I always suggest to check the manufacturer's suggestions for cleaning."

water bottle, stanley cup, water bottles, reusable water bottle, how to clean water bottle Dakota Johnson Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live Giphy

To properly wash your water bottle, you can also use vinegar instead of soap:

  1. Fill your bottle halfway with white vinegar, top with warm water and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
    "It can help with any bacteria or crusty build ups that may be hard to reach inside of bottles," says Dr. Knighton.
    She also suggests investing in a bottle brush to help you get to areas that are hard to reach with a sponge or dish towel, such as straws, lids or mouthpieces.
  2. Always allow your bottles to adequately dry before putting the caps back on.
    "Hang them upside down on a rack where they are not touching the surface," says Dr. Knighton. "If you put the tops back on them before allowing them to dry you are trapping moisture, which can become a breeding ground for germs."

Finally, Dr. Knighton recommends that you replace your water bottles if you see any mold spots or if the rubber seals become worn down or hard to clean.

Happy hydrating!

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Wellness

Waxers, nurses, and doctors share their unfiltered inner thoughts about your 'privates.'

They're professionals, but they're also human beings.

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There's no need to feel self conscious.

Look, let's just get it out there: It's uncomfortable any time you have to get fully or partially naked for a medical exam or cosmetic procedure. Right? It's natural and part of the process, but while you know that the person on the other end is a professional who's just there to do their job, they're also a human being. Getting naked in front of them in any other context would be extremely weird, and it's hard to completely shut that part of your brain off no matter the setting.

It's amazing how body dysmorphia really knows no bounds. We tend to think of insecurities as focusing on things like the flatness of our stomachs or the size of our noses. But perhaps the thing that people are most self-conscious about is the thing we actually talk about the least.

According to one study, about 30% of men are "dissatisfied" with the size, shape, or appearance of their penis. That number is even higher when it comes to how women feel about their vaginas. A survey done by Refinery29 showed that almost half of women had "concerns" about the appearance of their vulva.

The numbers say anywhere from a third to a half or more of all people think there's something wrong with the way our private parts look. Which begs the question: If we all think we're weird, is anybody really weird at all?

A fascinating Reddit thread recently polled experts on this very topic—people who tend to see an awful lot of genitals in their line of work: Waxing technicians or estheticians. The responses were oddly inspiring.

waxing, brazilian wax, body image, body positivity, medical care, embarrassment, cosmetics, askreddit Steve Carrell gets waxed in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" Giphy

The prompt asked, "Waxers, how often are you surprised by how a clients genitals look?"

Professional waxers chimed in with their stories and observations. As did doctors, nurses, pelvic floor therapists, urologists, and lots of other pros who work closely with people's unmentionables.

Here are a few of the best responses:

waxing, brazilian wax, body image, body positivity, medical care, embarrassment, cosmetics, askreddit Doctors and cosmetic professionals have literally seen it all. Laura Woolf/Flickr

"Gonna chime in as a doctor - and I would imagine it’s the same for professional waxers. WE. DONT. CARE. And in my case I would be surprised if you’d show me something I’ve never seen before." - feelgoodx

"I use to be very self conscious and insecure about my genitals. I honestly thought I had a weird vagina. But working in this industry has taught me that every one is a snowflake. I’ve seen it all and nothing surprises me. Just clean yourself before coming in." - Wild-Clementine

Not a waxer but I am a labor and delivery nurse. I see a vulva every single day I work, often multiple, and frequently about 3 feet from my face with a spotlight on it lol. Not much surprises me. Most are out of my memory by the time they're clothed or covered up. When it comes to genitals you want to be unremarkable." - tlotd

"Very, very rarely. Shaved, not shaved, lots o’ labia, no labia, etc—it’s all the same to me. I’m just here to work." - Important-Tackle

"never. i have seen it all. scars, hyperpigmentation, unevenness; none of it surprises me. just please wash yourself before coming to me." - pastelmorning

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Nothing surprises me, I'm mostly just focusing on the hair, but i do have a client who has a tuft of hair on the underside of his shaft near the tip of his penis we call his downstairs soul patch." - noorisms

Two big takeaways:

First, outside of obvious mutilations or pathologies, nothing stands out to people who are extremely knowledgeable about genitals. Differences in size, shape, and structure are totally normal and barely even register on the radar!

Second, no matter what you look like down there, good hygiene is always appreciated. A solid tip that extends far beyond the borders of the esthetician's office!

Being embarrassed, self-conscious, or even ashamed of the way your parts look doesn't seem like a big deal, but it can be.


waxing, brazilian wax, body image, body positivity, medical care, embarrassment, cosmetics, askreddit Embarrassment about the nether regions is normal, but it can be harmful if not checked. Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

It's bizarre and tragic that unrealistic beauty standards actually effect the way we perceive our own nether regions. Pornography, media, and inconsiderate past partners all play a role in people developing anxiety about the way their genitals look.

Both men and women can have their sex lives negatively impacted by bad self-image and anxiety over the way they look naked. When the shame is really bad, it can hold them back in relationships, or even stop them from seeking them in the first place.

This shame or embarrassment also unfortunately extends into the medical arena, as well.

Fear of being judged or humiliated can stop women in particular from not just going in for a wax, but from going to the gynecologist, getting breast exams, or asking potentially-embarrassing but critical and life-saving health questions. For their part, men are prone to skipping prostate exams, testicular exams, or conversations about potentially embarrassing topics like erectile dysfunction or bladder problems. None of these things are fun or comfortable, but they're critical for our health!

Experts say sharing your vulnerability with your doctor or cosmetic professional can help. Letting them know you're nervous or embarrassment can signal them to offer you comfort measures. It also helps to be really direct and detailed with what you want or what you want to discuss.

According to Cedars Sinai, "Does sex hurt? Tell your doctor exactly where you feel the pain. Notice that your poop stinks? Try to describe the odor in detail." If you're too embarrassed to talk about it, try writing it down. At some point though, you'll have to get the exam. Just get through it, it gets easier once you build a relationship with your doctor (or waxer!) over time.

If you've ever been a little self-conscious, take it from the experts, from the people who have seen hundreds if not thousands of genitals up close and personal, in the most unflattering lighting and from the worst angles possible: You're totally normal!

This article was originally published last year. It has been updated.

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Science

Scientists pinpoint the exact 'turning point' year when your body’s aging process accelerates

Much like you had a growth spurt, scientists have found an aging spurt.

via Canva/Photos

A woman slowly aging from her 20s to her 50s.

It’s often assumed that aging is a consistent process where we grow to a certain point and then our bodies begin to wear down at a predictable pace until the inevitable end. However, according to a new study out of China, the average human body has an accelerated leap during the aging process before returning to its normal rate.

According to the researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aging begins to accelerate at the age of 50. Or, when women are going through menopause and men are starting to love Kirkland jeans. "Based on aging-associated protein changes, we developed tissue-specific proteomic age clocks and characterized organ-level aging trajectories. Temporal analysis revealed an aging inflection around age 50, with blood vessels being a tissue that ages early and is markedly susceptible to aging," the team led by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences wrote in the journal Cell.

aging, aging woman, wrinkles, aging science, woman in tank top A woman looking at her face in the mirror.via Canva/Photos

Why does aging accelerate at 50?

To put it in layman’s terms: By looking at how specific body proteins change as we age, researchers made special tools to measure how old organs vary in biological age. They found that around age 50, the aging process accelerates, and blood vessels start aging earlier than other organs.

To learn more about the aging princess, the researchers collected tissue samples from 76 organ donors between the ages of 14 and 68 who had died of traumatic brain injury. The samples were taken from seven of the body’s systems: cardiovascular (heart and aorta), digestive (liver, pancreas, and intestine), immune (spleen and lymph node), endocrine (adrenal gland and white adipose), respiratory (lung), integumentary (skin), and musculoskeletal (muscle).

old watch, aging hands, senior women, wrinkled hands, time, passing of time, A senior woman's hands holding a watch. via Canva/Photos

The body’s aging process speeds up between 45 and 55

After studying the proteins found in different systems, the researchers found that the most stark changes in the aging process occurred between the ages of 45 and 55. The greatest amount of changes happened in the aorta, the body’s main artery that runs that passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down the front of the backbone.

The researchers hope that their work will eventually lead to mapping of the entire body, where we can better understand the process on an organ-by-organ basis. That could lead to one day having different biological ages for various body parts based on proteins and lifestyle choices. One could have a liver that's 35 and an aorta in its 50s. "These insights may facilitate the development of targeted interventions for aging and age-related diseases, paving the way to improve the health of older adults," the authors concluded.

It may be a bit jarring for younger people to know that just like they may have enjoyed a growth spurt while in high school, they can also look forward to an aging spurt that happens at 50. The good news is that if you are past 55, then you are likely to be able to look forward to a phase where the aging process slows down a bit.

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Women's Health

Woman has cyst removed and is stunned to learn it had teeth, hair, and maybe even an eyeball

They're called teratomas, and they are the stuff of nightmares. They're also really misunderstood.

Canva Photos & E.dronism - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Woman lying in hospital bed.

The human body is fascinating and, to this day even, full of mysteries. Did you know there's a condition called Stoneman Syndrome where a person's ligaments slowly transform into bones? Or how about Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome where a person lives their entire life on the brink of orgasm? Or how about Auto-brewery Syndrome, where a person's gut biome naturally creates alcohol out of normal foods and beverages, thereby making them intoxicated without drinking a drop of booze?

The body is capable of extraordinary and extremely bizarre things, that's for sure.

That was certainly the case when 20-year-old Savannah Stuthers went in for a relatively routine cyst removal that turned out to be anything but.

Stuthers dealt with months of cramps, pain, and even bleeding—which doctors told her was normal after having an IUD inserted—before she couldn't take it anymore and took herself to the emergency room.

There, ER docs discovered a sizable cyst on one of her ovaries. Because the cyst was so large, the OBGYN at the hospital wanted to have it removed as soon as possible. Within a few days, Stuthers went under the knife.

When she woke up from the anesthesia, the doctors had news. Her mom was there to capture the moment Stuthers heard that what was removed from her body was no normal ovarian cyst. It was a teratoma—a unique kind of tumor that grows from germ cells (cells that eventually become sperm or, in Stuthers' case, eggs). Because of their origin, teratomas frequently grow hair and even teeth, along with various kinds of tissue. The teratoma inside Stuthers' ovary had all that, and more... The surgeons even thought Stuther's teratoma may have had an eyeball! (Later testing ruled this out... close call!)

Here's the exact moment Savannah Stuthers learned what had been growing inside of her:

teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst Savannah Struthers was horrified to learn that her cyst was actually not a cyst at all. www.tiktok.com

Stuthers posted the photo on TikTok where it went mega-viral to the tune of 34 million views. The morbid curiosity in the comment thread was absolutely off the charts. Many people had never heard of teratomas before, and most of them wish they still hadn't.

"Girl I could have went my entire life without looking up what a teratoma is," one wrote.

"I just looked at photos of teratomas and it made my arm get chills," a user added.

"it's crazy the body can actually create new eyes and teeth and THIS is what it chooses to use that ability for," said another.

Other commenters were just here to applaud the teratoma representation:

"this happened to me, they removed my ovary with the teratoma and my surgeous said it burst on her 😩 I was the first surgery of the day"

"this happened to my sister but there were brain cells in hers, causing her anti bodies to fight off both the teratoma braincells as well as her actual braincells putting her in a coma for 4 months. it was awful."

Of course, there were plenty of jokes, too:

"Why am I picturing Mike Wazoski from Monsters Inc???" one user said.

"Can we see it? ❌ Can it see us? ✅" joked another.

Mostly, people just wanted to know if they could see a picture of the actual teratoma. Stuthers did eventually show a photo briefly in a follow up video, but luckily for us, we can get a better look at these things through a plethora of high-res online images.

Ready? If you're squeamish, you might want to look away now.

teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst A teratoma with lots and lots of hair growth.Ed Uthman, MD. - Public Domain

Stuthers was not about to let her newfound virality go to waste: She set right to work busting myths and misconceptions about teratomas.

Obviously, with 34 million viewers and many who had never heard of teratomas, she was going to get a lot of questions. She also got a lot of opinions that needed correcting.

"Those things form from sperm so tell your man to get a better pull out game or use protection," one commenter said. In a response video, Stuthers simply wags her finger: Uh, no. Teratomas form from germ cells, which can turn into sperm, but they have nothing at all to do with sexual activity.

Another asked if the teratoma formed from a pregnancy gone wrong in the early stages. "So you would've maybe had a viable pregnancy but it didn't make it down into the uterus." Stuthers responded by citing that teratomas are actually congenital tumors, meaning they are present or begin forming prior to birth. So this was lurking in her body for a long time before it reached critical mass and had to be removed, and again, has nothing to do with her sexual activity whatsoever.

(Sorry, one more photo incoming.)

teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst An ovarian teratoma with a long strand of visible hair.E.dronism - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

In an interview with Newsweek, Stuthers said that discovering the teratoma inside of her made her feel "gross."

"It messed me up for a while thinking about how I never knew that it was there. In a way, it made me feel gross. The photo of the tumor truly altered my brain chemistry," she said. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Teratomas, while admittedly a little freaky and frightening, are really no different than any other kind of tumor. It's their origin from germ cells which makes them capable of growing human tissue, teeth, hair, and eyeball-like structures.

But they're understandably hard to talk about. And so as a result, the general public doesn't understand teratomas very well. But Stuthers is working to change that with her follow-up videos on TikTok.

She also wants to encourage young women to advocate for themselves medically. Doctors dismissed her pain and discomfort for months before she finally went to the ER, and she's urging women to trust their gut and fight for their own bodies:

"I got lucky as we found it in time so nothing too extreme happened. But I can't help but think that if my doctors in Illinois would've listened, I would still have both ovaries. It is so important for women to express our pain and not allow doctors to invalidate us."

This article originally appeared in May.

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