Germ Warfare

[Rakuen Growlithe]

Germ Warfare
By: Rakuen Growlithe

There have been a lot of adverts on TV lately about germs. Not specifically advertising germs but actually advertising anti-bacterial products. They usually say something along the lines of “Your family is constantly exposed to a variety of germs. Most soaps don't clean properly but YYY (which is like XXX only it means you can sell alcoholic drinks (Which I think are really drinks with ethanol only as anything with an -OH is an alcohol (Which means all sugars are actually alcohols))) will remove 99% of germs. If you don't look after your family who will?”

I don't know, perhaps their immune system. You know that little biological system that evolved specifically protect us from germs over a few million years. But people don't think of that and that it's hypothesised that living in too much of a sterile world is actually bad for your health. In the western world, where people use a lot of soaps and disinfectants and such, there is a higher occurrence of diseases like Asthma and allergies. This is supposedly because your immune system doesn't learn what real problems are and so overreacts to tiny things that shouldn't affect you. In poorer areas where kids play in the dirt they have stronger immune systems as they are exposed to germs and learn what's a dangerous invader and what's harmless.

Separately there was a study with mice showing that certain germs in the soil could make you happier. They rubbed some mice with dirt and for some they didn't, then they dropped them in water. The ones who'd been rubbed in the dirt took longer to drown, suggesting they were happier and more interested i surviving than depressed mice.

I've read a few books saying things such as after playing with a pet you must immediately wash your hands, blah blah etc. I've lived with pets (cats) my entire life and never done that and I'm fine. The average germ can't hurt you if your immune system is working properly.

As if that weren't really enough of a reason to relax on the constant germ killing, did you ever think you're actually making the germ problem worse? That's right. No household products can kill 100% of germs meaning there will always be a few that survive. The ones that do survive will be he ones that are resistant to the disinfectant. If you keep using the same disinfectant you're encouraging the resistance of the germs to it, the whole idea behind evolution. If you don't believe in evolution then start thinking a bit more but as an example hospital strains of diseases (where disinfectants are far stronger than household ones) are always a lot more dangerous and harder to kill. In addition just think of things like XDR and MDR TB. They were formed by the same process you encourage by constantly exposing germs to environmental pressure but don't kill them all (although in that case 'twas because people didn't finish their medicine as prescribed).

Now I'm also not saying don't use soaps and such as that would be just as stupid. I'm saying use them appropriately. You only need to wash your hands after going to the toilet, before preparing food and after anything that's likely to have contaminated you. In the same way you don't need to constantly disinfect everything. Hospitals do because they deal with sick people and compromised immune systems. Unless you're in that situation a good clean once a week should be fine.

[Dracius]

I've read a few books saying things such as after playing with a pet you must immediately wash your hands, blah blah etc. I've lived with pets (cats) my entire life and never done that and I'm fine. The average germ can't hurt you if your immune system is working properly.

*nods to you* And I know many other people that live with cats, no harm done. But me, stick me around a cat for 10min and my entire immune system collapses (allergies..). I think its just different from person to person. Another reason why there are so many brands and different types of soaps is exactly because of allergy, so people can try different things before finding the correct one.

On most product lables, any skin treatment products recommends you first apply the product to a small area on your skin, then see the results. Then based on this, you can either stop using it or keep on using it.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I had no problem with having lots of different brands of soap and I understand that some won't work because of allergies but this is about what they tell you about killing germs and what that can lead to.

On that I'm not sure what all causes allergies but like I said in my essay, some allergies can be caused by being too clean. I'm not sure how you were brought up but if your mom was one that liked to clean everyhting around you the whole time that might be why you have allergies.

[Dracius]

On that I'm not sure what all causes allergies but like I said in my essay, some allergies can be caused by being too clean. I'm not sure how you were brought up but if your mom was one that liked to clean everyhting around you the whole time that might be why you have allergies.

Hmm... I understand the point that you are putting across, though I'm not too sure about it. My brothers were treated in pretty much the same way and we each have the cat issue but my case is far more severe.
I'm pretty sure that it would of been made a far bigger issue worldwide if it was really such a huge issue.

P.S I typed this out on my iPod Touch XD

[Rakuen Growlithe]

Not all allergies are caused by cleaning of course. And just because something is true it doesn't mean it's going to be made a huge issue. There are lots of huge issues based on ignorance that people ignore.
e.g. obesity in America. They actually had to start making bigger machines and things at hospitals to fit obese people. And that's not exactly a secret either.

And if you want more assurance that cleanliness might give you allergies just google "hygiene hypothesis". You'll get a bunch oflinks like this.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00_pf.html
http://www.parenthood.com/article-topic ... le_ID=7155

[Red]

I agree with your concerns, I have been amazed how people demand to keep their households as clean as a hospital. I never use disinfectant to clean up the mess of the house unless it is required (wounds, cuts on the body or a pet throws up on the carpet, etc).

It makes sense though about the immune system, your immune system need to "learn" how to cope with the environment as you grow up to protect you from stronger and more harmful diseases should you ever come across them. The immune system is constantly being attacked by diseases all the time even now without you realising it, and from those attacks, your immune system is more prepared than last time to deal with the future attacks. If you keep the houses too clean, it runs you at a risk that you would be more severly affected by a disease than normal due to your immune system being more limited than a normal average person.

Our world is too clean, let your kids play in the mud, at least it is for the good of them, and very exciting for the kids!

Cheers, Red.