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“Kill 99.9% of household germs!” That’s what many TV adverts for household cleaners promise, and warn us about the supposed dangers of bacteria. But how many of us stop to ask if it is necessary to have such sterile homes? The truth is that many bacteria are beneficial, and, in fact, we could not live without them.
Despite the great medical advances in affluent countries throughout the world, some medical conditions are actually on the rise: these include: allergies, asthma,Type 2 diabetes, a variety of cancers and Crohn’s disease.
One example: a study by the US national institute of health found that the number of people who tested positive to allergies in 2005 was almost double what they were thirty years ago! Why would that be the case?
The answer is that the western world is, quite simply, far too sterile for its own good. With a pathological (i.e. insane) focus on cleanliness, and with almost no exposure to normal parasites and pathogens, human bodies in affluent countries are failing to build up adequate immune systems, making them all too susceptible to just about any ailment that comes our way. Immunisation, antibiotics and anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners all serve their purpose well, but result in a vastly weakened immune system.
Western medicine, and giant chemical and pharmaceutical companies all push the idea that sterility is safety. Through relentless advertising, they encourage people to live in a sterile environment, where all the microbes in your environment (or on your food) are killed by antimicrobial soaps and pharmaceutical drugs. This obsession with sterility is deeply misguided because certain bacteria – “germs” - are very important for your health!
“Good” bacteria help not only to stimulate digestive health, but may stimulate a healthy immune system. While “bad” bacteria cause disease, good bacteria work with the body’s immune system to keep the bad microbes at bay by crowding them out. In the symbiotic relationship between good and bad microbes, recent research has uncovered the importance of these useful germs.
However, chemical household cleaners do not distinguish between useful and harmful germs, and kill the ‘good guys’ along with the ‘bad’ ones. The excessive use of chemical cleaners, aerosols, disinfectants, and air fresheners also irritates eyes, skin, and the respiratory system, and some of them even contain known carcinogens. In addition, research has shown that pregnant women who are regularly exposed to mainstream cleaning products increase their baby's risk for asthma. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents of Children studied over 13,000 children and found that exposure to household cleaners increased a child's risk of asthma by 41%.
So what can you and I do?
ONE: Stop using chemical household cleaners and anti-bacterial soaps. Outside of specific settings (like hospitals) they are both unnecessary and harmful.
The growing public concern over chemical cleaners means there are many more options for natural cleaners. Many commercial brands offer green cleaning products but you can also make your own green cleaner for a fraction of the price using products you may already have at home.
An all-purpose cleaner can be made by mixing two cups of water, two cups of white vinegar, and a few drops of essential oils. Popular choices include tea tree oil (which has antibacterial and antifungal properties), lavender oil, lemon oil, and bergamot oil. A window cleaner can be made using the same amounts of water and vinegar and adding a tablespoon of dish soap instead of the essential oils. Baking soda sprinkled on the carpet and vacuumed up can do just as good of a job as a chemical air freshener. Besides saving you money these cleaners are much better for indoor air quality, the environment, and health. There are many resources on the Internet to learn more about specific recipes for green cleaners.
TWO: Up your intake of probiotic bacteria. Probiotics are bacteria that we eat, and that help reduce the numbers of “bad” bacteria. They are found in many foods on supermarket shelves, and they have the added benefit of tasting great. You can support probiotic growth by increasing the amount of cultured dairy products you eat, such as cheeses and yogurt, and the foods that encourage probiotics from these dairy products to multiply even further: spices, tea, red wine, berries, apples and beans. If you don’t do dairy (and many people are allergic, or find that dairy increases their mucus production) there are plenty of other fermented foods which will also provide you with lots of probiotic bacteria. These include:Just A Little Green
Miso
Miso is a fermented soybean paste. It is a savoury, high protein seasoning made from soy beans, grain (usually rice or barley), seasalt, water and Aspergillus Oryzae (a “good” germ) culture. In Japan, over 70% of the population starts each day with a health-giving, nutritious, and warming cup of Miso soup instead of coffee.
Tamari Soy Sauce
(also called natural Shoyu) Fosters the growth of healthy bacterial cultures in the intestinal tract.
Kombucha
A symbiotic culture of yeast and several different strains of bacteria grown on sweetened black or green tea. Kombucha has been shown to have anticancer and liver strengthening and detoxifying properties. Kombucha fans also claim it increases energy, sharpens eyesight, aids joint recovery, improves skin elasticity, and aids digestion. Should be taken in moderation, as it can become very acidic.
Natural ginger beer, sourdough bread, genuine pickles and sauerkraut are also good fermented foods, although it is advised to also eat these latter two in moderation, as they can be quite acidic.
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