Germs are found all over the world, in all kinds of places. There are four major types of germs: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They can invade plants, animals, and people, and sometimes they make us sick.

Bacteria (say: back-teer-ee-uh) are tiny, one-cell creatures that get nutrients from their environments in order to live. In some cases that environment is a human body. Bacteria can reproduce outside of the body or within the body as they cause infections. Some infections bacteria cause include sore throats (tonsillitis or strep throat), ear infections, cavities, and pneumonia (say: new-mo-nyuh).

But not all bacteria are bad. Some bacteria are good for our bodies — they help keep things in balance. Good bacteria live in our intestines and help us use the nutrients in the food we eat and make waste from what’s left over. We couldn’t make the most of a healthy meal without these important helper germs! Some bacteria are also used by scientists in labs to produce medicines and vaccines

Storm has a good point though. First thing I always do before I leave the gym, even if I’m off to shower at home and all, is wash my hands. I don’t suck my fingers after using the equipment but I’m sure as hell not eating breakfast without washing off the snot, spit and sweat.

The other thing, all you guys are complaining about toilet doors, not much complaint about tap handles. Imagine what they look like, all those people who think a two-second rinse under cold water washes off the poo germs. I don’t go as far as covering them up with paper (you’re supposed to, you know) but I tend to slosh a soap/water mix over them to at least rinse off the really obvious. More necessary at home in fact as the kids have got handwashing down (dad trains catering staff in hygiene principles, see) but don’t always realise the stuff they’re putting on the tap beforehand.

Hygiene soaps are useful. Hands are gross. The problem is when you use antibac on everything thinking it does jack. Unless you live in a little white cell with no corners, your house ain’t never clean. Ask hospital administrators about resistant germs.

But apart from the aestethics: Why is it that regular scuba divers only rarely catch the cold? Why has working outdoors always been considered healthy?

Eat garlic!

(- or mustard, or other growings with the similar oils).

It mobilizes the immune system like few other remedies, apart from the direct exposure to germs. If your system is not used to exposure, you will definitely get sick in this world.

open blog: do you know what you’re touching

skim a little

…anal…creepy…public toilets…what?

had to read this blog twice, lol

what about your keyboard sarah, ever wondered how sif that is…

not fussed too much – wash my hands frequently and don’t bother the germs …. we’ve got an agreement I don’t stress about them, they don’t kill me….

Amount of handwashing in a male jazz is inversely proportional to the square of the total amount of alcohol consumed in the establishment plus a constant of sober non-washers.

The more guys drink, the less they wash hands and the more likely it is that you will see them resting their open beers on top of the urinals that they are spraying down less and less accurately as the night goes on. So much for your toothbrush…how about the microbiology report on those open beers!!!