feliceIf you are a yogi, you are going to want to read this just to remind yourself to clean your yoga mat and not to borrow one. It’s a little cruel to think that going to yoga to get healthy, could make you ill, but it doesn’t have to if you take heed.
Many of us are toting our chic and essential fashion accessory around with us but we could be lying on an incubator of germs.
A yoga mat is the perfect incubator for skin infections as we all know, according to Elle Magazine and the New York times.
I heard an upsetting story the other day I wanted to share. I was a bit grossed out by it, but not surprised it happened,
My friends daughter goes to hot yoga regularly and can’t always bring her own mat. A day after class she noticed a red infected mark on her leg and went to urgent care. She was put on heavy antibiotics and thank goodness it worked. When she showed me a photo of the skin infection it was truly frightening and clearly, if not treated could have become septic.
This story is not unique. For those of us who borrow yoga mats and don’t bring our own yoga mat cover to put on top of it, we risk germs from the last 100 people who used it. (slight exaggeration, but you get where I’m going).
Bikram, Heated Vinyasa classes, Core Power classes…all of these classes make you sweat which feels fantastic. After class, there are spray bottles and cloths in most classes and most of us voluntarily wipe down the mats before returning them. But that’s voluntary.
As winter approaches I love a good sweat in a yoga class. That story reminded me that I have to pack my mat towel and make sure to wash it when I get home.
But even more so, I have to clean my own yoga mat. The truth is, I usually just roll it up and throw it in the back of the car til next time. I am just not germ phobic, and am not one of who cares Purel. But this story was so innocent and relatable and I believe most of us who practice regularly are at risk.
There was a great piece in the New York Times on this as well so click here to read more….