Are you "germ-phobic"? Where do you draw the line?

Question

It seems our society has become irrationally afraid of germs and bacteria. While I believe in taking precautions I think some people take things a little too far.
I have heard studies which suggest that we are weakening our naturally acquired immunities to such things by overusing products like lysol and hand-sanitizer. If this is true, what will happen to our children and THEIR children when they are exposed to germs we consider insignificant today?
Are SOME children ALREADY suffering the consequences of over-cleanliness?

Answer 1

I'm not germ-phobic; I think any vestiges of such a fear disappeared when I had a child. Kids are incredibly tough, and as long as a place is reasonably clean, they're going to be fine. I HAVE heard the idea that children are becoming more allergic to things like molds because their parents simply won't allow them to play outside in the dirt as much! I do think that hand-washing is important, especially during flu season, and certainly when cooking, or dealing with an infant. I believe it's like most things - excess in ANYTHING can be harmful, but all the things like hand sanitizers certainly have their place, especially in situations where there's no water available (car trip and dirty restrooms, for instance - yuck!)

Answer 2

Preschools and elementary schools are breeding grounds for everything. There is no sanitary procedures followed there so our children are exposed and will inevitably come down with various illnesses. They then pass these on to us. My kids are pretty much grown now and I have noticed that I hardly ever get ill any more because they are not bringing home stuff to us. I am not obsessive but I use antibacterial cleaners in my kitchen and bathrooms regularly and antibacterial hand soap. I think we have all had are share of communicable diseases and have developed some immunity through exposure. Regular vitamin intake is something I recommend to maintain a strong immune system too.

Answer 3

Im not suffering from too much cleanness but too much germyness.The fact is who knows how many times you are exsposed before you actaully get Ill?PEOPLE ARE VERY GROSS.I work in a restaurant and these people I wait on have black dirty hands and when you go to the counter they are picking at their faces and touching money.I wash my hands as often as possible.Ive already caught hpylori from someone not washing their hands after using the restroom then then preparing food.At least thats how my doctor said I probly got sick.Germs have always been deadly! think plague,typhoid, and flu.The main way of fighting this in the last two hundred years has been good old soap and water.However anything that kills germs will help.The problem is really that people are very unsanitary and they spread these illnesses to people with weakened immune systems due to autoimmune diseases.There are hundreds of thousands with weak immune systems who get sick easily due to thyroid disease epstein bar,Fibromyalgia,rheumatoid arthiritis,lupus,and many other disorders that weaken immune systems.

Answer 4

people who are obsessed with germs are going to have a hard life. with that said.

our bodies are covered in germs, ordinary soap does a great job reducing their numbers. most of the antibacterial products do not work well. in order for a germacide to work it has to stay on long enough to kill all of the pathogens and must be of sufficient strenght to accomplish the job. most of the products do not have the strenght and that presents another problem.

we are losing our war against bacteria, most have become immune to even our most powerful drugs. thus we will start seeing more and more surgical intervention to fight infection. the drug companies are working madly to find new antibiotics but it can years to find one that works.

according to some journals, antibiotics in our food, overuse of broad spectum antibiotics, patients not taking the drugs as perscribed, use of the soaps and cleaners that do not contain enough antibiotic agents, etc have contributed to our demise.

to help reduce infection, bathe often, wash your hands as needed. this is the most effective way of prevention.

Joe

Answer 5

If I'm eating outside and my food falls to the ground and a mangy looking squirrel gets it, thats where I draw the line. I will not eat it after a mangy squirrel has bit into it. It may have germs