I ain't afraid of no germs!

KinkJarfold
KinkJarfold Posts: 2,735 Member
edited January 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm basically healthy. I avoid all those germ killing sprays, have tried all my life to get as may germs into my body as possible thus building my immune system, (polio was an actual fear when I was a kid until Salk came out with his vaccine) have eaten real MUD PIES as a kid, and honestly feel today's immune and allergic problems and such stem from too much protection from "bad" things, and all the PREVENTION being forced upon us. I know, this is very simplified way of advocating natural solutions. Look at the harmful stuff in diet products, refined products, pesticide protected foods and on and on. I'm going to be 68 on July 31st, 2013 and rarely get a cold. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong exposing myself to all the germs I can. What do you think?

Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    There are quite a few studies that back you up on this.

    My aunt has a master's in nursing and my grandmother was a pediatrician and my aunt agrees with this and my grandmother would if she were still alive. She always said the same basic thing.

    I don't constantly wash my hands or use a stupid paper towel to open the door when leaving the bathroom. I refuse to keep antibacterial soap in my house ...

    Even before I started eating super healthy, I didn't get sick even when everyone around me was hacking up a lung. And except for occasional hay fever, neither I nor my daughter have a single allergy.

    I think so many people being freaked out about their kids playing outside adds to this, too. You need to be exposed to things so your immune system can build defenses!
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I was raised in the 1950s in a family of 5 kids, back in the days where if one kid got measles, well, you may as well let the other kids get it, too, and that way they'd be immune. Mom kept a clean house but sure didn't try to kill every germ. I raised DS the same way. All of us are extremely healthy. I can't remember when I last took a sick day from work but it's been at least a couple of years. I had a really bad cold in January but the worst day fell on a weekend. Oh, well.

    I do believe in the "build up your immunity" philosophy. I try to be more careful during flu epidemics when everyone is coughing and sneezing at work. I also believe that there are some germs out there that are just a whole lot nastier than the 1950s version. MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is one. DH (age 74, a few chronic health issues) tends to get respiratory infections every time we come home from Europe and, while one morphed into pneumonia and 2 into bronchitis, we've done everything possible to get him treatment outside of hospitals so he can recuperate at home. It may take longer, but neither of us wants him in the hospital because that's where the really bad germs live.
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
    I think you folks need to take a step back and realize that you currently benefit from a healthier society. It wasn't too long ago when germs were killing people by the wagon load and life expectancy was very short as a result. Vaccines, antibiotics, an abundance of food, and advancements in modern medicine allow you to live long enough to collect Social Security and Medicare benefits, to the point where we actually have a problem with an aging population. The answer isn't to regress and hearken back to times when people died of cholera, but to advance and take advantage of modern society.

    Super bugs are a problem that need to be corrected through smarter use of antibiotics, but I would rather have MRSA to deal with in special circumstances rather than the constant threat of dying from typhoid fever, as is the case in many developing nations.
  • Kushy8
    Kushy8 Posts: 103 Member
    I agree! The immune system is built up by exposure to germs. I use hand sanitizer at times, but not compulsively. I touch surfaces without fear!
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I think you folks need to take a step back and realize that you currently benefit from a healthier society. It wasn't too long ago when germs were killing people by the wagon load and life expectancy was very short as a result. Vaccines, antibiotics, an abundance of food, and advancements in modern medicine allow you to live long enough to collect Social Security and Medicare benefits, to the point where we actually have a problem with an aging population. The answer isn't to regress and hearken back to times when people died of cholera, but to advance and take advantage of modern society.

    Super bugs are a problem that need to be corrected through smarter use of antibiotics, but I would rather have MRSA to deal with in special circumstances rather than the constant threat of dying from typhoid fever, as is the case in many developing nations.

    Yes, I do realize that many of us have been through illnesses that killed our ancestors and we survived because of antibiotics. In my case it was pneumonia when I was in my 40s. Your reference to smarter use of antibiotics is right on, though. Too many people practically demand them for every little infection and too many docs are willing to write out prescriptions. When DH gets one of his bad respiratory bugs, we get him on them as soon as it takes a turn for the worse because we know that otherwise he'll go downhill from there. In my case, 99% of the time I can get through something with a day or two of rest.

    I was donating blood once and overheard someone being turned away because they'd been on an antibiotic recently. Well, they felt they were coming down with a cold and had a leftover antibiotic prescription, so... Yeah, we need to educate people.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I agree! I let my kid get dirty. I don't follow him around with sanitizer. God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt. :wink:
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I hope that you're concerned enough about germs to wash your hands after using a toilet.
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  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Vaccines, antibiotics, an abundance of food, and advancements in modern medicine allow you to live long enough to collect Social Security and Medicare benefits, to the point where we actually have a problem with an aging population. The answer isn't to regress and hearken back to times when people died of cholera, but to advance and take advantage of modern society.

    No one is saying that. In fact, the OP and what I said are exactly this. That's how vaccines work: they expose the immune system to a germ so that it can build immunity to that germ.

    As the OP pointed out, there are 7 billion people on this planet, vast numbers of them in places that don't have the access to health care we have here. We aren't THAT fragile. Playing in dirt won't hurt you and antibacterial soaps, etc., actually weaken the immune system. There's a reason all my germaphobic coworkers have colds and the flu all winter while I never get a sniffle.
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
    Yes, the reason is that your coworker's germophobia protects you. If you're surrounded by people who don't care about hygiene or cleanliness, then germs are able to spread very easily. People who are germophobes may or may not be hurting themselves, but they are mitigating their part in the spread of germs. Clean water and modern medicine also protects you, so your lack of sickness has little to do with you playing in the mud. Try living in a developing country with that same attitude and see how long you last.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    Try living in a developing country with that same attitude and see how long you last.

    I've been to India quite a few times. Although I stayed in hotels geared towards American/European notions of sanitation and didn't drink the tap water or eat food from street vendors, I enjoyed the food in the company cafeteria and avoided KFC, McDonald's and Pizza Hut. I had only one bad episode on one trip after eating fish in a hotel restaurant. I did not take antibiotics and did not use antibacterial or antiviral wipes, despite the fact that I was always sent with a supply of Cipro. I eventually got over the worst of the intestinal problem after spending a night making visits to the bathroom and drinking herbal tea.
  • owieprone
    owieprone Posts: 217 Member
    having done science at college and uni, stop using hand sanitizer and antibac handwashes and antibac soaps!!

    they're only good UNTIL they get contaminated by you touching them. and as bacteria grows on every surface, you don't have to touch the spout for the wee germs to get inside and contaimate the rest of the bottle.

    soap and warm water has always been the most effective germ killer, it doesn't rely on fancy agents to kill the germs off by attacking it's insides, it simply causes them to burst open and hence kill them.

    Some germs are good for you too, they keep bad germs at bay, and bad germs help keep your immune system in fighting form.

    also, use soapy water and/or diluted white vinegar around your house to clean stuff (specially the kitchen,bathroom) its cheap and does the job, there is NO need for all these funcy detol (other products are available) cleaners and germ killers. they are toxic to both germs, you and your pets.

    good hygiene as skeptical talks about below is great, and someone else with bad hygiene does 'endanger' you, however, all the precautions in the world won't save you from some one who is truly disgusting, you can take all the necessary steps and still get norovirus or flu becuase you still have to open that door to get out of the loo, touch the tap to turn it off and use the same door handles, kitchen applicances, you also have to breath the same air.. if they've got something airborne, soap and water and all the antibacterial nonsense in the world won't help you. Getting ill, like anything else is down to 'luck' in most cases, my office is full of germ ridden child bearers, i've been there a year and only had something once where everyone else has been sick at least 3 times, often with the same thing.

    keep yourself clean and try and educate those who don't, but it's not worth going OCD about. ;)
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    good hygiene as skeptical talks about below is great, and someone else with bad hygiene does 'endanger' you, however, all the precautions in the world won't save you from some one who is truly disgusting, you can take all the necessary steps and still get norovirus or flu becuase you still have to open that door to get out of the loo, touch the tap to turn it off and use the same door handles, kitchen appliances,

    One of DH's cases of bronchitis probably originated when we were buying duty-free liquor at the Madrid airport on our way back home. The guy at the cash register in the liquor department was coughing, sneezing and blowing his nose. I'm sure he had one of those jobs where you don't show up, you don't get paid. We tried to pay for our stuff at another counter. They directed us back to the guy with the cold. We probably should have refused to buy anything, but we made our purchases and immediately headed off to our respective restrooms and washed our hands thoroughly. In DH's case, apparently, it wasn't enough. He got sick right after we got home.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Yes, the reason is that your coworker's germophobia protects you. If you're surrounded by people who don't care about hygiene or cleanliness, then germs are able to spread very easily. People who are germophobes may or may not be hurting themselves, but they are mitigating their part in the spread of germs. Clean water and modern medicine also protects you, so your lack of sickness has little to do with you playing in the mud. Try living in a developing country with that same attitude and see how long you last.
    That doesn't even make sense.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    I agree! The immune system is built up by exposure to germs. I use hand sanitizer at times, but not compulsively. I touch surfaces without fear!
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    Yes, the reason is that your coworker's germophobia protects you. If you're surrounded by people who don't care about hygiene or cleanliness, then germs are able to spread very easily. People who are germophobes may or may not be hurting themselves, but they are mitigating their part in the spread of germs. Clean water and modern medicine also protects you, so your lack of sickness has little to do with you playing in the mud. Try living in a developing country with that same attitude and see how long you last.
    That doesn't even make sense.

    I think that what she was saying is that everyone around me is covering their mouth when they sneeze, taking antibiotics, scrubbing down surfaces, etc. so there are fewer germs to go around and I'm benefiting from that, not from any better-than-average immunity. I still think I've got better-than-average immunity. ;-)
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Agreed. Although I practically lived outside when I was young, I can't run away from the allergies lol but everything else is fine
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Yes, the reason is that your coworker's germophobia protects you. If you're surrounded by people who don't care about hygiene or cleanliness, then germs are able to spread very easily. People who are germophobes may or may not be hurting themselves, but they are mitigating their part in the spread of germs. Clean water and modern medicine also protects you, so your lack of sickness has little to do with you playing in the mud. Try living in a developing country with that same attitude and see how long you last.
    That doesn't even make sense.

    I think that what she was saying is that everyone around me is covering their mouth when they sneeze, taking antibiotics, scrubbing down surfaces, etc. so there are fewer germs to go around and I'm benefiting from that, not from any better-than-average immunity. I still think I've got better-than-average immunity. ;-)
    That's why I'm saying it makes no sense. They're being super careful to kill every little germ they come in contact with and they're getting sick while I'm not doing that (don't get me wrong, I shower daily and wash my hands with NON-antibacterial soap when warranted. I'm not running around all gross or anything.) and I'm not getting sick.

    Add to that the fact that my boyfriend and daughter, whom I live with and one of whom I share a bed with, get sick plenty and I still don't get sick.

    She's equating vaccinations with using hand sanitizer and it isn't the same thing. Vaccinations make it so that the people who have the vaccinations don't get the disease and therefore, those who are stupid enough not to get vaccinated (or who have an illness preventing it) don't get sick because they're not exposed to the illness in the first place.
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