Hand Washing
From one of our scientific followers
I read in New Scientist recently that bacteria have been found that are “good bacteria”. They highlight that these good bacteria are harmed by the use of antibacterial soap that we are all now using. This is increasing skin alergies and other things and so are we going to have to rub Yakult on our hands or should we stop killing bacteria on our skin?
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Interesting. The answer to this question illustrates how common sense is only visible with hind sight. What is now common sense today was less obvious many years ago when scientists were discovering that bacteria that caused many illnesses. Then, killing these bacteria was common sense. We have moved on, and common sense now suggests that we should not kill our skin flora, and similarly we should not keep every surface in our kitchen so clean as to be bacteria free. We need to good bacteria, and indeed the neutral bacteria to be there in order to keep healthy. Hygiene that allows us to be exposed to these is common sense. I will not suggest how to do this and stress that we (CSC) do not offer advice for fear that some idiot will follow it and the sue us.
As for smearing yourself in yogurt or similar, what you get up to in the privacy of your own home is up to you (weirdo).