I watch The Chew on ABC every weekday. It’s a fun, interesting show centered on food. Former Iron Chef Mario Batali and Iron Chef Michael Symon are two of the people on the show. There is one that cooks lighter, healthier dishes (she’s mostly vegetarian but tastes all the goodies) and then are two more very amusing people with recipes, etc.

Today they were discussing germophobia. Recent studies indicate that all the over cleaning of everything including our hands constantly is not a good thing and is actually making us sick. There are critters (bacteria, etc.) on our skin and in our guts that protect us from getting sick. If we eradicate those, our first line of defense is gone. The current germophobic trend is helping to increase the incidence of asthma, diabetes, etc. per the research they had read.

That is what I already thought, knew, and so have never done all the handwashing shit constantly. I mean I wash my hands after visiting the restroom and at normal times when I’ve been handling chicken, or other raw meats. But I am not sanitizing constantly to prevent this and that and the other. My own defenses are still there taking care of that.

Remember that the next time you come down with a nasty bout of something. Or you guilty of killing your little critters that are supposed to be protecting you?

Just use common sense. I think there is a dearth of that now.

I’ll try to remember to see if I can find the research and links for you tomorrow (and for me).