Can you be Too Clean?

I always thought this. That the human body builds up immunity to diseases by fighting them off once or twice, then they no longer show. Also, when we use Purell, really we are helping bacteria evolve. Being a clean freak is detrimental in the long run, and yes, eating boogers is healthy. Weird shit but true.
 
This may sound prudish of me but I think that anti-bacterial handsoap should just be banned for most uses. It's too much of a public health risk. People buy it without even thinking about it, and the advertising campaigns have them believing that it's better for cleaning. Sure - it does kill 99.9% of bacteria. The 0.1% that survives evolves and is immune to it from then on.
 
Watermark said:
This may sound prudish of me but I think that anti-bacterial handsoap should just be banned for most uses. It's too much of a public health risk. People buy it without even thinking about it, and the advertising campaigns have them believing that it's better for cleaning. Sure - it does kill 99.9% of bacteria. The 0.1% that survives evolves and is immune to it from then on.
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There are studies that prove that they are exactly as effective in getting rid of bacteria on your hands as non-bacteria fighting soap. The action, and soap cleans the bacteria off. The anti-bacteria stuff is worthless.
 
Damocles said:
There are studies that prove that they are exactly as effective in getting rid of bacteria on your hands as non-bacteria fighting soap. The action, and soap cleans the bacteria off. The anti-bacteria stuff is worthless.
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Medical practictioners need that little bit of extra protection. But widespread, unneeded, consumer use has made the anti-bacterial stuff in their soap worthless.
 
This article is pretty good. We need worms.

Our overuse of antibiotics is harmful. There is bacteria all around your body that needs to be there. The antibiotics may help you get well sooner, but they don't discriminate. They kill all of the bacteria in your body.

My dad almost died once from anti-biotics. He went to the doctors office, got an ingrown toe-nail removed, and the doctor gave him an antibiotic because he thought that it might get infected. But then my dad started to get terrible heartburn. He went to the doctor again, and he just barely noticed the problem. The antibiotic killed the bacteria in his throat that prevented yeast from growing. His entire esophogaus was lined with yeast.
 
I think there's lots of truth in the idea of letting kids get in the dirt and such. On the other hand, at school I make the kids use anti-bacterial stuff before using the laptops in my room. Even jr. high kids tend to slobber, have runny noses, sneeze etc. I have to touch them and I don't go the places they do. ;)
 
Hand sanitizer is different. It uses alcohol. Alcohol is antiseptic, not antibiotic. A bacteria developing resistance to alcohol would be like a bacteria developing resistance to fire.

Triclosan is the main ingredient in so called anti-bacterial handsoaps. It's an antibiotic, like penicillin. Hospitals run amok with untreatable super-bugs because of overus of antibiotics. It's not good to make your school the same way. Soap is good at removing dirt. Hand sanitizer is good at killing germs. One can't do both effectively, even with Triclosan in it.
 
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Watermark said:
Hand sanitizer is different. It uses alcohol. Alcohol is antiseptic, not antibiotic. A bacteria developing resistance to alcohol would be like a bacteria developing resistance to fire.

Triclosan is the main ingredient in so called anti-bacterial handsoaps. It's an antibiotic, like penicillin. Hospitals run amok with untreatable super-bugs because of overus of antibiotics. It's not good to make your school the same way. Soap is good at removing dirt. Hand sanitizer is good at killing germs. One can't do both effectively, even with Triclosan in it.
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I'm more than a 1/2 century old. I count myself lucky that my first doc had been one in WWII. When I got sick my mom was like, "Give her an antibiotic" as that was the real wonder drug. The doc explained to my mom that these new antibiotics were indeed wonderful, in the time and place. Sulfa kept my dad's hand from being amputated after Omaha Beach, but not every cold, sore throat, flu should be treated or could be with them. Once he explained resistance to her, she swung the other way, 'no drugs', until I had pneumonia.

LOL! Fast forward to 1970's when it started to be reported that livestock was being fed anti-biotic treated feed. We had meat once a week, there wasn't 'organic' or 'free range' back then. I think she would have been a vegan if she hadn't been brought up with the idea that meat was necessary for 'strong blood.'
 
Antibiotics don't work against colds or flus or pneumonia. They only work against bacteria. Viruses aren't technically alive and so can't be harmed by them.

I honestly don't get how the doctors who supply those unsick livestock with antibiotics are allowed to keep their medical licenses.
 
Watermark said:
Antibiotics don't work against colds or flus or pneumonia. They only work against bacteria. Viruses aren't technically alive and so can't be harmed by them.

I honestly don't get how the doctors who supply those unsick livestock with antibiotics are allowed to keep their medical licenses.
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Yep, that was my doc's advice to my mom. Do you have any idea of how many antibiotics most babyboomers have had?
 
Watermark said:
Antibiotics don't work against colds or flus or pneumonia. They only work against bacteria. Viruses aren't technically alive and so can't be harmed by them.

I honestly don't get how the doctors who supply those unsick livestock with antibiotics are allowed to keep their medical licenses.
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Hells bells, most of the livestock feed is still filled with antibiotics. It's the reason that certified organic/free range is worth the extra cost.
 
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