Topic: germs and hand washing

Are You a Germaphobe? You Might Be After Reading This

Are You a Germaphobe? You Might Be After Reading This

Ever since hearing how gross public restroom door handles were because of the number of people who don’t wash with soap after they use the toilet, I pull my shirt sleeve over my hand to open the door when exiting so as not to touch contaminate myself. I also use my elbows to turn on faucets in public bathrooms, don’t go barefoot in a hotel room and pull my shirt up over my nose (my shirts come in very handy) when on an airplane if the guy in front of me starts hacking and expelling all kinds of nasty germs. Guess you could say I’m a bit of a germaphobe. But who can blame me? Every time I open a magazine or newspaper, it’s seems there is yet another study telling us about more places where tons of disgusting organisms are lurking. At this rate, I may never leave the house. More »

A Dirty Diet Could Boost Your Immune System, But Don’t Stop Washing Your Produce

A Dirty Diet Could Boost Your Immune System, But Don't Stop Washing Your Produce

A new study published in The Quarterly Review of Biology is digging up the dirt on our diets, literally, and surprisingly, researchers are saying there’s not enough of it on our fruits and vegetables. After analyzing 480 cultural practices from around the world, researchers at Cornell University in New York found that those who consumed dirt (not top soil, but deeply dug earth, closer to the level of mud or clay) had protected stomachs against ingested parasites and plant toxins, in addition to higher iron, zinc, and calcium levels. That’s great, but I won’t stop washing my fruit and veg just yet. More »