Germaphobes and people who eat stuff off the floor...

Answer!

  • I clean everything that I touch...even the bleach bottle, and I never get sick

  • I clean everything I touch and have a slight fetish for hand washing, yet I still get sick regularly

  • I don't clean a damn thing, but I should cause I'm sicker than Michael Moore's last movie

  • I never clean. In fact, I eat my meals outside in the dirt. I'm healthy as a horse!

Results are only viewable after voting.
Charles

Charles

Sucks at budgeting
O.G.
Jan 5, 2007
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#1
How often do you get sick? I honestly think that the more germ conscious you are, the more you're going to get sick. There have been studies that show how people who clean and disinfect seem to get sick more often cause the cleaning kills off good bacteria as well as bad and also doesn't allow you immune system to build up defenses.
I'm not a germaphobe at all and I get sick maybe once every other year. And when I say sick, I mean I'll get a slight cough or a sore throat for the day. The last time I was holed up in bed was years ago. I've gotten sick from food maybe twice in my life and I eat anything and whatever. I've eaten sushi what was left out overnight. Stomach of steel!!!
So yeah, how often do you get sick in relation to your germaphobiness??
 
#3
Interesting topic. I think a lot of things contribute to a person getting sick. Genetics, ability to manage stress level, amount of exposure to other people. But to your point Charles, I think there is a lot to be said for being sensible (washing hands after restroom, etc) precautions but not being too crazy about it.
 
#4
OK...I picked the last one...but that may be a bit extreme, but I know where you are going.

This is one of my pet peeves...and I so agree with you Charles....as do so many doctors, especially pediatricians.

Antibacterial gel, hand sanitizers and the like are so bad for people and society as a whole. First they break down your own natural ability to fight germs or bacteria (or even worse for kids they hinder them even developing)...and then even worse for the big picture is that the bacteria and germs are mutating and creating stronger and more resistant strains because of them.

I am not saying you should live in squalor or never use sanitizer or wash your hands...but sanitizers and antibacterials should be used only when really needed...when actually exposed to a virus or visting patients in a hospital (for thier protect, not yours). For the most part common sense and moderate care should be enough. This is what my family does. My 13 year old missed 5 days from school last year...all spent at Disneyland ;)...not 1 sick day. My 7 year old had only 2 sick days, from a minor stomach virus. I can't remember the last time my DH or I was sick. Probably about a year or so for me, way longer than that for my DH, probably about 3 years.

So many parents are amazed when the constantly use this stuff on their kids...and then the kids start school and suddenly they are always sick....duh, you have killed their natural resistance.
 
#5
My mom was a total germaphobe and I didn't SEE a germ until I entered kindergarten. I caught everything that anyone else had at the time. And she was so baffled!! Hello?? I had never met "Mr. Germ" in my whole young life, so when I did, I caught everything imaginable. I definitely think there's something to what you said.
 
#6
I'm sick right now!! I'm not a germophobe and I used to hardly ever get sick but since I've had kids, I get sick whenever they get sick which seems to be quite often since my oldest started school. I think in general you get sick more once you have little slimeballs in your house cuz they are just gross sometimes!! hehe
 
#7
RowanOak said:
My mom was a total germaphobe and I didn't SEE a germ until I entered kindergarten. I caught everything that anyone else had at the time. And she was so baffled!! Hello?? I had never met "Mr. Germ" in my whole young life, so when I did, I caught everything imaginable. I definitely think there's something to what you said.
Click to expand...

:yes: Exactly what I was saying!
 
#8
In my country there is much less concern about health and cleanliness than here. I don't mean that people don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom, but nobody uses hand sanitizers etc. Everybody is encouraged to drink boiled / filtered water and breastfeeding is encouraged a lot. People travel packed like sardines in public transport and if you take public transport during rush hour you come home with a dozen people's sweat on you.

I only get sick about once a year, maybe even less. I don't have any allergies or asthma.

Maybe American germs settle on me and die?
 
#9
I hate cleaning.
I barley ever get sick, just the sniffles every now and then. I have friends who are sanitzing their hands...what is the dilly-o? You're getting rid of all the good bacteria!
 
#11
I am not a germaphobe but do wash my hands many times a day and that is always the first thing I do when I get home from being out anywhere.

I rarely get sick - maybe once every two or three years.
 
#12
I consider myself a germaphobe. I use my hand sanitizer only when I am out and about handling gross stuff, like after I leave the grocery store and handling the slimy grocery cart for an hour. I just feel gross. I use disinfecting wipes quite often in the kitchen and bathroom. Dh and I cook a lot. So I have to have a clean kitchen. I will be lenient when dd comes along. Kids are supposed to go out and get dirty.

I rarely get sick. Last year I had 2 colds and I haven't had the flu in 5 or 6 years. But I believe other factors contribute to whether you get sick often. Such as diet, sleep, and exercise, etc...
 
#13
I picked the last one, although I think the wording is a little far out on the limb for me :P. My fh and I hardly ever get sick. Yet he works as a retail store manager and has 3 co-workers who ALWAYS use hand sanitizers and they are ALWAYS SICK.

This one girl he works with has to use the stuff SECONDS after she's finished helping a customer and has handled money. One time she refused to help a customer because she had just "cleaned" her hands. My fh stopped in the middle of the sale and told her to help the customer and that she was acting stupid. Now I realize how dirty money is, I've worked retail, but to me and him, her actions and behavior make us believe she is off her rocker. He has tried MANY times to convince her that she is doing more harm than good by using that sh*t too much, but she doesn't believe him and won't listen. All 3 co-workers than are "germ freaks and avid hand sanitizer freaks" get more than the average cold probably upwards of 5-6x's a year!!!!

Just my 2 cents :P:graucho::tup:.
 
#14
I use to not be so conscious about the bacteria and the germs around us, but after microbio class, and growing differrent colonies of bacteria, it was hard for me to allow myself to go through racks and racks of clothes, then maybe eat a sandwich with my hands without using my handsanitizer beforehand. I try to not overdue it, which can deprive my immune system of some defenses.
 
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