Yes, to some degree exposing ourselves to germs strengthens our immune system, however there are just some infectious germs that we don’t want to mess around with, ever. According to Douglas Powell, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University, bugs like E. coli, campylobacter and salmonella can cause severe sickness and even death.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says that just seven pathogens cause 90% of all foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths. They are known as foodborne illnesses because microbes attack the body through the gastrointestinal tract. Our mouths are the primary point of entry. Most people put their hands to their faces anywhere from 18 to 40 times each day – that gives germs a lot of opportunity to enter the body.
Where the Germs Lurk
In the refrigerator: When you bring raw meat home from the store and place it in the fridge next to food that you eat cold such as fruit, or vegetables, you are opening yourself up for contamination. Always keep your fresh food as far away from your meat as possible so that none of the juices spill over onto your food.
In the bathroom: None of us would lick our toilet on purpose but when you leave your toothbrush in close proximity to your toilet you might as well be licking your toilet according to a recent study out of Manchester. The study noted that the average toothbrush contains upwards of 10 million germs including E.coli and staphylococci. Gross!!
Additional studies have shown that bacteria within the toilet can fly out into the air after flushing. It will land on anything nearby such as a toothbrush or damp facecloth. To keep the germs from flying, always close the lid before flushing and keep your toothbrush covered. Don’t forget to wash your hands, this can reduce your risk of getting sick by 30%.
On your shoes: If your mother told you to take your shoes off she was instilling a very good and healthy habit. Walking around your home with your shoes on means that you are dragging and depositing all kinds of yucky stuff from outdoors all over your floor coverings and furniture. Even if you clean your floors regularly, some amount of debris still remains and depending on where you have been outside, it can be quite dangerous.