Dump the Antibacterial Soap

I am amazed at the power of marketing and hysteria in the U.S. of freakin' A at times. Then again, considering the previous posts, not really.

But something that I think I should at least mention is the scourge (scourge, I say!) of antibacterial soap.

"Whaaaaat? You're off your meds again." True! But that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

We have been told, through our watchful media, that bacteria are bad. Bacteria are germs, germs are bad, and so we shall kill them whereever they hide. It makes sense.

The problem is, these people told you eggs were bad, then they weren't. They told you MSG was bad for you, until it wasn't. Fluorine in water- bad, until it's not. They tell you fat is bad for you, until it isn't. Carbs are bad, unless, y'know, they're not. Gluten is the new rage fad food-to-hate.

As with everything the media reports on, they never do their jobs by reporting balanced news- that's hard. No. Sensationalism- especially when it comes to science- that sells! Scare people with psuedo-science and they'll feel grateful.

Your body is covered in bacteria, whether you like it or not. Even better- it is theorized that there's more bacteria on you than you have skin cells! Yet, surprisingly, you're not dead?

That's because there is some bacteria that lives in symbiosis with you. (that means the lives of both benefit from each other's presence, Hronek) 70% of your bacteria lives in your gut. It breaks down components of your food and allows it to be absorbed by the body. They also enable white blood cells. In fact, the cleaner you are the more likely you are to be susceptable to random diseases, like colds and flu.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Antibacterial_cleaning_products?open

http://www.ei-resource.org/expert-columns/dr.-gloria-gilberes-column/bacteria:-the-good,-bad-and-the-ugly/

http://intlxpatr.wordpress.com/2007/03/18/bacteria-helpful-not-harmful/?referer=sphere_related_content/

http://media.www.thenorthernlight.org/media/storage/paper960/news/2008/11/11/MedicalIncredible/AntiBacterial.Helpful.But.Possibly.Harmful.In.The.Long.Run-3537672.shtml

The use of antibacterial soaps kills all bacteria, sure. Including, eventually, the good ones. Strangely enough, all soap is inherently antibacterial. The difference is that soaps labeled "antibacterial" contain added bacteriocides. There is a place for antibacterial soaps- hospitals. That's it. Humans don't need antibacterial soap. In a way, it's similar to the thought process "if one aspirin is good, then ten will really help."

I don't even know what impact these soaps have on the water supply, as it works its way through the sanitization plants and their filters of bacteria, then out into the water supply, into water plants and fish. I mean, no one is projecting panic over it and maybe it is effectively filtered somewhere... but it can't be good.

My advice- dump the antibacterial and get a bottle of plain ol' liquid soap. I haven't used antibacterial soap at home in over 5 years, and I haven't gotten a cold or flu once either. An oversimplification, sure, but it's at least semi plausible.