15 November 2010

Over-sanitizing Can Be Bad For Your Health


Getting too focused on killing germs can create serious risks to your family. My mother is a nurse and I grew up in a community of wonderful medical professionals. You'd be amazed to hear how many of these people I have heard express serious concerns about America's obsession with hand sanitizers and over-sanitizing.

Hand sanitizers do kill the bad germs, but they also kill the good microorganisms that fight off disease and protect your immune system. Killing these microorganisms creates opportunities for super viruses to develop which are resistant to antibiotics which put us all at risk. Here is a warning on CNN.com about kids putting their hands in their mouths after using hand sanitizers made of significant amounts of ethyl alcohol. Another from The New York Times.

Cleaning too often with strong cleaners can also create serious health risks for you and your family. Over-sanitizing your home can be dangerous. Here's a great article detailing why cleaning must be done in moderation.  If your family is constantly sick and you are constantly sanitizing your home the cleaning may be the problem. Your cleaning chemicals may be harming your families health. Many strong cleaning products contain very intense chemicals which can affect breathing, kill flora in the digestive tract and more.

If you are looking for ways to protect your immune system some of the best are incredibly practical -- eat a wide variety of healthy fruits and vegetables, get plenty of sleep, exercise and maintain a healthy weight and avoid stress wherever possible.

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1 comment:

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Yeah - my daughters would love this post. They are often saying this.

Fondly,
Glenda

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