Too Clean

[tonado]

My wife washes her hands too much with antibacterial soap because she always worries about dirts and bacteria. I told her that some bacteria is good for her. Whenever I try to convince her about not washing her hands 10-20 times a day, she gets angry at me. I think people in China are bought up like that.

 

Too Clean is not healthy

[Maui & China]

Tony,

 

I don't think its only people from China. How many times have you heard parents in the US tell their kids, "Did you wash your hands?" What about all those advertisements on TV about killing germs on your hands, in your laundry, your dishwashing liquid, so on and so forth. Its not the washing the hands all the time that is bad; although, it would tend to dry your hands out. But its all the anti-bacterial soap. When I use to be an Architect and used pencils, (yes I actually used to draw and design the old fashion way without computers ) I needed to wash my hands all the time to get the pencil lead off and not smudge the drawings. I still wash my hands often, but I try to avoid anti-bacterial soaps. At my house, I have no anti-bacterial products of any kind as my place uses a cesspool and I don't want to kill off any of the good bacteria.

 

Can you substitue some of your soaps with something without all the "Germ Killers?"

[Jeikun]

Interesting article. I also remember hearing somewhere, that children who are raised in a more sterile environment are more likely to have severe allergies when they mature. It seems that our immune system gets bored with no real germs to fight and starts attacking other things.

 

I knew there was a good reason for the "10 second rule"

[Maui & China]

I knew there was a good reason for the "10 second rule"  

I thought it was "Blow on it 3 times rule."

[Patrick & Li]

Yes, I find that part of the Chinese culture to be somewhat strange to me, but i also realize where some of it comes from. Open sewers make you wary about germs. What i find funny is..... Even after all of the washing, She still won't eat with her right hand....hahaha!

I also agree with Darryl, If never exposed to germs, you have no chance to build up immunities.

Seems at least 3 times per month my wife is claiming to have a cold. Where as for me, I haven't had a cold in almost 2 years. In fact, the last time i felt even a little bit sick was in April, 2003 after coming back from China, I had a little bit of Mao's revenge.

I will try to explain this to my wife when she is here, but i suspect it will just go in 1 ear and out the other. They can be soooo stubborn sometimes, but hey, so can I.

 

Patrick

[warpedbored]

I vaguely remember reading something about this topic concerning Japanese being too clean. As I recall thier immune systems are way down because of it.

[Robert S.]

Tony, because of your warnings about antibacterial soap a long time ago I quit buying it. On the other hand it is difficult for me to imagine a lifestyle that is so much too clean that it would affect you. Seems like all you would have to do is go to the mall or the grocery to pick up plenty of germs floating in the air.

[se_lang]

I also agree with Darryl, If never exposed to germs, you have no chance to build up immunities.

Huh, What did I say, I think you mean Jason, I am the good looking younger guy, he is just the younger guy Sorry J couldn't resist.

[keelec]

Hmmm,

 

Interesting article.

 

It is not "Super Bug" vs "Ordinary Bug" somewhat like Clark Kent vs Jimmy Olsen.

 

The problem is multi-drug resistance in bacteria.

 

In many senses the multi-drug resistance actually weakens the bacteria. “Ordinary” bacteria can often grow better and reproduce better, and perhaps even have more severe consequences than the multi-drug resistant bacteria.

 

Heck, I probably have been exposed to both MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) as well as VRE (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus). Perhaps both on the same day. Both types of bacteria can be very difficult to kill off due to multi drug resistance. And if the bacteria could share genes (hypothetically possible), they could create a bacteria that would be almost impossible to kill with our current drugs.

 

Yet, I lived to tell about it.

 

Why?

 

Well, the bacteria really aren’t very harmful to “normal” people. Staph or Strep can cause nasty wound infections or prosthetic device infections. However, they can live on unbroken skin without any ill effects, and probably aren’t that bad for most ordinary cuts either. Staph can cause a nasty case of 24 hr food poisoning, but most of that is not the bacteria itself, but rather the toxins that can build up in the food that one consumes (thus VERY short-lived).

 

These multi-drug resistant bacteria probably can not survive in “nature” because the multi-drug resistance traits generally come at a competitive cost (thus, the “super bugs” are weak like Jimmy Olsen). The big problem with these multi-drug resistant bacteria is that they live in hospitals where LOTS of people have weakened immune systems, and doctors, nurses, visitors, or patients can carry the disease from one person with a weakened immune system to another patient with a weakened immune system. And, the bugs can be very difficult to kill off.

 

Ok, so the risk of SOAP????? Well, antibacterial soap is generally stronger than the antibiotics that people ingest. However, there are bacteria that will develop a resistance to it.

 

And the more “antibiotics” that are around, the more bugs that become resistant to that particular antibiotic.

 

And, I certainly want the soaps in the hospitals to be effective in killing off the bugs.

 

And, if I should ever have surgery (which can introduce whatever is on the surface of one’s skin into a body cavity or onto a prosthetic device), I want the antibiotic washes to be effective at protecting me.

 

Please don’t breed antibiotic resistance when simple soap and water is sufficient to protect yourself.

 

So, what would be the best way to take antibacterial / antiviral baths? Whenever you take a bath, fill the tub with isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) an then mix in ½ gallon of Bleach…. It will kill off EVERYTHING Of course, you might have a strange scent so you might want to add some deodorant too, but better to be safe than sorry :P

 

----- Clifford -----

[Patrick & Li]

LOL, Sorry Darryl, Should have used the quote button and i would have remembered it was Jason.

 

Patrick