Hand Dryers No Good

[Outta Here]

I give up!

[Bravus]

I guess I'm just suggesting balance...

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

When my cousins were born, my aunt went crazy washing down all the things that babies might touch. The first cousin was constantly having the sniffles.. With the 2nd cousin, my aunt wasn't so careful about cleaning everything, and that cousin did better, healthwise. By the time the 3rd cousin arrived, my aunt didn't seem to be so intent on germ-free cleanliness... Being "clean" was good enough. And that cousin is the healthiest of the bunch.

[Gail]

I agree with Bravus. I am more afraid of supergerms that no longer respond to regular cleaning or antibiotics, and we humans seem to be facilitating this evolution (ie in hospitals)

In my workplace, my colleagues who are most fastidious about germs are not any healthier than those who are not. In fact, one is nearly always ill.

[phkrause]

Good point rudywoofs, that makes alot of sense. It is important to have cleanlyness, but we have to live. I suppose we could go around and not touch anything, wear suits and gloves all the time.

pk

[GreatLakesGramma]

Long ago I read something a mother had contributed to some publication or other. She said she asked her doctor when she could stop sterilizing her baby's bottles. He said, one day you will go into the bedroom and find the baby chewing on your shoes, and you will say to yourself, "and 'm sterilizing his bottles?!" and then you'll quit.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I agree with what Bravus and others have said. It is important for our immune systems to be exposed to harmless bacteria, in order to keep them primed and ready for the harmful ones. It does more harm than good to try to wipe out all bacteria from our environment. But fecal bacteria are dangerous in the wrong place, which is why we should wash after using the bathroom.

As for washing hands every time I go near a sink, I could never do that. My skin is so dry, I have to avoid getting my hands wet any more than absolutely necessary this time of year. I even have to wear rubber gloves to wash fresh produce, or my hands will hurt all winter long.

[Outta Here]

People who wash their hands all the time don't develop good immune systems and they're always sick.

And...

They're always sick because they've been exposed to something they hadn't been exposed to previously.

So...

People who are clean are not exposed to germs and don't have good immune systems, but they're sick all the time because they're being exposed to germs.

???

Anyway. I'm not suggesting being hypervigilant. I'm just suggesting washing your hands people--and being aware that there are those who don't. There are those who don't wash their hands when using a public restroom, but who do wipe themselves and get fecal matter on their hands and then proceed to touch the door handles.

Don't wash your hands if you don't want to.

Or, wash 'em if you want to.

It really doesn't matter to me what anyone else chooses to do.

[Guest]

People who wash their hands all the time don't develop good immune systems and they're always sick.

And...

They're always sick because they've been exposed to something they hadn't been exposed to previously.

So...

People who are clean are not exposed to germs and don't have good immune systems, but they're sick all the time because they're being exposed to germs.

???

Anyway. I'm not suggesting being hypervigilant. I'm just suggesting washing your hands people--and being aware that there are those who don't. There are those who don't wash their hands when using a public restroom, but who do wipe themselves and get fecal matter on their hands and then proceed to touch the door handles.

Don't wash your hands if you don't want to.

Or, wash 'em if you want to.

It really doesn't matter to me what anyone else chooses to do.

Until you have to shake their hand.

[Bravus]

I just hug

[GreatLakesGramma]

[phkrause]

That was pretty good GLG and to the point.

pk

[Gail]

LOL

[GreatLakesGramma]

People who wash their hands all the time don't develop good immune systems and they're always sick.

And...

They're always sick because they've been exposed to something they hadn't been exposed to previously.

So...

People who are clean are not exposed to germs and don't have good immune systems, but they're sick all the time because they're being exposed to germs.

???

Anyway. I'm not suggesting being hypervigilant. I'm just suggesting washing your hands people--and being aware that there are those who don't. There are those who don't wash their hands when using a public restroom, but who do wipe themselves and get fecal matter on their hands and then proceed to touch the door handles.

Don't wash your hands if you don't want to.

Or, wash 'em if you want to.

It really doesn't matter to me what anyone else chooses to do.

Aubrey, I wasn't criticizing what you said, just participating in the conversation, sharing what came to mind while reading yours and other posts.

Anyway, I don't think anybody said anything about people who wash their hands a lot getting sick. It's people who disinfect everything, all the time that have problems. Washing hands is good. Keeping oneself and one's household clean is good. There are plenty of areas where we should be diligent about cleanliness.

Besides bathroom use, pets come to mind. Considering what dogs will eat when their people aren't looking, we should especially be diligent around them. Cats aren't quite so bad, but since they will kill and eat mice and other small creatures, the same goes for them. If we get parasites from our pets, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them, because anything that will kill those parasites would also kill us.

[Gail]

GLG, you are wise beyond your years...

[GreatLakesGramma]

Hmmm. I think I might be a lot older than you think, Gail.

[phkrause]

At least 39!

pk