<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" I cringe when I think back to my early days of yoga and all the time I spent on those communal mats at the yoga studio. I never thought about whether the person in the class before me had a) athlete&amp;#x27;s foot, b) a fungal infection or c) some other kind of frightening bacteria chillin&amp;#x27; on her skin. Now I know better, and here&amp;#x27;s why you should too.According to Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D., the co-director of the Simmons College Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community Settings, a yoga mat--like a pillow--is a personal item we probably shouldn&amp;#x27;t share. Here&amp;#x27;s what she has to say: &amp;quot;I have some data that indicates that skin bacteria, including Staph aureus and the resistant strain, MRSA, can be found on yoga mats. Our studies indicate that these mats are seldom, if ever, cleaned. These bacteria can cause serious skin infections if they gain access via any small breaks in the skin. My advice is to bring your own mat, or at least a large towel to put between you and the mat.&amp;quot; Do you bring your own yoga mat? Photo: Istock"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2008/08/worried-about-germs-at-the-gym>