With all of the illnesses that we have heard about recently in the media, it seems more common for people to have a fear of germs. A certain degree of this is good. This is how we keep ourselves healthy, by avoiding germs.
We have all seen the rows of loving, cautious mothers applying antibacterial hand lotion to their children’s hands at the petting zoo. This is definitely a good practice, as frequently animals carry germs which can be harmful to humans. The problem is that some of these same loving mothers will apply this antibacterial lotion whenever their child touches anything. Many of these mothers also spend numerous hours just about sanitizing their homes.
Many people have a fear of bees. In fact most people will either move away from them or at least shoo them away when they get near. This makes sense, bee stings hurt. However, we must also remember that these very same bees are necessary for our survival. The same is true of germs. Although germs can make us sick, they are indeed necessary for our survival.
Anyone who has ever eaten yogurt in order to obtain acidophilus knows that there are good germs and bad germs. What the bad germs do is obvious, these are what make us sick. The good germs are our friends. They are like the hero riding up on the white horse, coming to our rescue. These good germs defend us by fighting off the bad germs. It is absolutely necessary for our survival that we allow these good germs to survive.
Common sense and a few precautions will help you to stay healthier. Keep your hands clean. This does not mean you always need to sanitize them, just wash them at obvious times. Keep your hands out of and away from your mouth. If you or your children are sick, stay home. Be sure to stay up to date with all of your immunizations. Eat healthy and exercise, and just use a little bit of caution, particularly when you know people around you have been ill.
Fear of germs is very real, but usually unnecessary. Try to remember that many germs are here to help us.
Of course, that advice doesn’t apply to viruses – they’re not germs (although we can contain them in much the same way) and need treating with respect.
