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I do not believe in a super-clean germ-free environment for my children. I don't use water-less hand sanitizer.
I DO clean and wash hands, but I want to make sure that my children are also exposed to some germs so that they do have a healthy immune system. Thomas McDade, a researcher at Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences published some work on this "Contrary to assumptions related to earlier studies, our research suggests that ultra-clean, ultra-hygienic environments early in life may contribute to higher levels of inflammation as an adult, which in turn increases risks for a wide range of diseases,"
I do frequently have my children wash their hands and preferable with triclosan free soap. "Triclosan, widely used as an antibacterial ingredient in household hand sterilization products, breaks down rapidly when exposed to chlorinated water and produces toxic chemicals, including chloroform. (According to a study published on the Environmental Science & Technology research website). The FDA classifies it as a drug. The FDA also recommends that there be "further studies because it has been shown to alter hormone regulation in animals." "It prevents the growth of bacteria and can even be found in things like It may be found in products such as clothing, kitchenware, furniture, and toys." .Eww!
What does this mean for washing your hands? Will you still be able to get rid of the germs without Triclosan? Well actually.. "research shows that traditional soap and water is more effective at bacterial removal than both waterless agents and antibacterial soap." (Discovery,Fit, and Health)
Just wash your hands to stay healthy!
