It is an unfortunate fact that one of the things we do to keep us healthy is in fact one of the things that can lead to us getting ill. A New York Times article a few years ago pointed out that there is real risk of acquiring a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, infection at the gym. Although the risk is slight, it is not one you really want to take because this bacteria is really difficult to get rid of. All it takes is just a small scratch and this bug can enter your system and cause a huge amount of damage. One of the pieces of advice that doctors give to reduce the risk is that you use your own yoga mat in the gym. That makes a lot of sense. A gym or yoga studio is a warm and often moist environment that is just tailor made for growing infectious bacteria. And the yoga mat that gets shared and used by everyone coming to a class seems a perfect mechanism for transmitting disease from one person to another.

One solution is to bring your own yoga mat from home. Another is to simply bring a thin cotton mat cover that you can use to put down over the foam rubber ones in the class. This will keep you from making contact with the dirty mat and can also be easily washed. If you want you could also consider a padded cotton mat to use in your yoga class. These usually have a removable cover so that they can be washed at home and kept really clean. What is more, in getting a cotton yoga mat you avoid harming the environment. Many yoga mats are made from petrochemical-derived plastics that contain volatile compounds. An organic yoga mat is, however, made from a completely natural substance. Just don’t forget to also buy a matching yoga bag to carry it in. And stay healthy on the studio floor.

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