It’s not the big bad germs that are going to get us in the end, it’s the big bad cleaning products. Yesterday, I saw a television commercial showing a mother spraying a household chemical cleaner on her baby’s high chair with him in it. The poor kid is sitting there waiting for lunch, inhaling toxic chemicals. The mom has a satisfied look on her face, sure she’s doing her job to protect him from germs. Are we nuts? Advertisements from companies who make cleaning products have succeeded in making us so paranoid about germs that we’re ignoring our common sense.
Look, germs are everywhere. We live them, breathe them, touch them, eat them. But they’re not all bad. There are good germs, too-they’re the ones that keep the bad ones in control. It’s a numbers game.
Using chemical disinfectants may kill some of the germs, but in the process they seriously compromise our immune systems and our environment. Many are literally weapons—take a look at some of the ingredients on the containers: quaternary ammonium compounds (such as benzalkonium chloride and naphtha sodium hypochlorite), ortho-phenyphenol, cresol, butyl cellosolve, sodium nitrate and sodium sulfate. These are big-time toxins. Some attack the nervous system and are easily absorbed into the blood stream through the skin, some are corrosive, some are sever respiratory irritants, some are carcinogenic. Several are considered hazardous waste. Aside from the damage they’re doing to our health, consider what they’re doing to our septic systems, landfills, and aquatic life. Imagine, not only are companies using these chemicals in new “anti-bacterial” sponges, but there’s talk of putting them in plastic baby toys and diapers. Several years ago only a few dozen products containg antibacterial agents were marketed for the home, now more than 700 products are available even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated . It’s insane.
"They (antibacterial agents) are now being added to products used in healthy households, even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated. Scientists are concerned that the antibacterial agents will select bacteria resistant to them and cross-resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, if they alter a person’s microflora, they may negatively affect the normal maturation of the T helper cell response of the immune system to commensal flora antigens; this change could lead to a greater chance of allergies in children." -Stuart B. Levy, Tufts, CDC
Even hopsitals don’t allow the use of some of these toxic chemicals disinfectants around the elderly and pediatric patients. I haven’t used a chemical disinfectant in over tens years and we rarely get sick. There is absolutely no need to use poisons to kill germs in your home.
GENERAL DISINFECTING: Germs love dirt. You won’t kill all the germs no matter what you do. So if you don’t get all the dirt up, the survivors will just get breeding again. Good cleaning is the key to keeping the bad guys at bay. I’m not suggesting you spend your days scrubbing. Just take time every now and then to get the dirt out of nooks and crannies, then just rinse well and wipe dry. Finish off by applying a safe, natural disinfectant and leave a residue so it can do its job. By the way, don’t even bother trying to disinfect the air. It’s not really possible anyway, and aerosol disinfectant sprays are especially dangerous since they are easily inhaled (that’s why the can usually states they’re meant for use on surfaces only). Just open a window for a blast of good fresh air or spray a mist of natural disinfectant and water.
What are great natural disinfectants? more tomorrow!
BREATHE WELL!
Look, germs are everywhere. We live them, breathe them, touch them, eat them. But they’re not all bad. There are good germs, too-they’re the ones that keep the bad ones in control. It’s a numbers game.
Using chemical disinfectants may kill some of the germs, but in the process they seriously compromise our immune systems and our environment. Many are literally weapons—take a look at some of the ingredients on the containers: quaternary ammonium compounds (such as benzalkonium chloride and naphtha sodium hypochlorite), ortho-phenyphenol, cresol, butyl cellosolve, sodium nitrate and sodium sulfate. These are big-time toxins. Some attack the nervous system and are easily absorbed into the blood stream through the skin, some are corrosive, some are sever respiratory irritants, some are carcinogenic. Several are considered hazardous waste. Aside from the damage they’re doing to our health, consider what they’re doing to our septic systems, landfills, and aquatic life. Imagine, not only are companies using these chemicals in new “anti-bacterial” sponges, but there’s talk of putting them in plastic baby toys and diapers. Several years ago only a few dozen products containg antibacterial agents were marketed for the home, now more than 700 products are available even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated . It’s insane.
"They (antibacterial agents) are now being added to products used in healthy households, even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated. Scientists are concerned that the antibacterial agents will select bacteria resistant to them and cross-resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, if they alter a person’s microflora, they may negatively affect the normal maturation of the T helper cell response of the immune system to commensal flora antigens; this change could lead to a greater chance of allergies in children." -Stuart B. Levy, Tufts, CDC
Even hopsitals don’t allow the use of some of these toxic chemicals disinfectants around the elderly and pediatric patients. I haven’t used a chemical disinfectant in over tens years and we rarely get sick. There is absolutely no need to use poisons to kill germs in your home.
GENERAL DISINFECTING: Germs love dirt. You won’t kill all the germs no matter what you do. So if you don’t get all the dirt up, the survivors will just get breeding again. Good cleaning is the key to keeping the bad guys at bay. I’m not suggesting you spend your days scrubbing. Just take time every now and then to get the dirt out of nooks and crannies, then just rinse well and wipe dry. Finish off by applying a safe, natural disinfectant and leave a residue so it can do its job. By the way, don’t even bother trying to disinfect the air. It’s not really possible anyway, and aerosol disinfectant sprays are especially dangerous since they are easily inhaled (that’s why the can usually states they’re meant for use on surfaces only). Just open a window for a blast of good fresh air or spray a mist of natural disinfectant and water.
What are great natural disinfectants? more tomorrow!
BREATHE WELL!
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