Dog bites can cause pain and injury, but they can also spread germs that cause infection. Nearly 1 in 5 people bitten by a dog requires medical attention. Any dog can bite – know how to enjoy dogs without getting bitten.

Safe food handling and clean hands are important ways to avoid the spread of germs and bacteria this holiday season, and so is replacing your kitchen sponge. Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist Dr. Pritish Tosh says, "Make sure that the sponge you are using is itself not dirty and that the sponge is not cross-contaminating." Cross-contamination can lead to food poisoning and occurs when bacteria spread from a food to a surface, from a surface to another food, or from one food to another.

Hosting friends and family in your home is fun any time of the year, including the holidays. However, with entertaining comes the stress of planning and the pressure to make each get-together more exciting than the last.

Are you stuck in a cooking rut? It's common to cycle the same dishes over and over, but at some point your taste buds will crave something new. Maybe it's time to shake things up.