To Be Clean, You Gotta Get Dirty

As part of my necessary son duties, dinner was in my hands, just as it should be on Mothers day. Back home to honor the lady who raised two mischievous boys while working full time, the least I could do was stir up a meal. I set the pot a boil, got the cutting board out, spices and herbs at my fingertips, I wasn’t quite sure what was on the menu yet, but those are minor details. Potatoes are here somewhere, maybe behind the Windex, yep there they are. I’ll start by roasting some of these bad boys, just need a pan, let me just go grab it out of the….. Shit! Come-on, who leaves the swifter right in the middle of the floor, seriously? While I’m at it, I’ll cut up some veggies for a stir-fry, now we’re cookin'(pun absolutely intended), give em’ a little wash and…..Hmm, looks like someone just finished taking a bubble bath in the sink, I’m not sure soapy vegetables are a delicacy, so maybe I’ll rinse this out.  Alright, I think we’re good to go, everything cooked-up, mom in position awaiting food delivery, and this nutrient packed plate is en route. it’s turning out to be a perfect meal for a perfect….they what?

What do you mean it tastes like they’ve been sauteed in Dawn and a hint of Lysol by Mr. Clean. Apparently, these veggies were fully equipped to disinfect anything and everything as they took their magical train ride through your digestive track. Where was the miss, I’m pretty confident that I didn’t add any of these ingredients, let the  “First 48” investigation get underway, I’d have to re-trace all my steps, create a big investigation wall with pictures and strings, figure out who infiltrated these chemicals and….. Found It! It was the skillet, washed but not rinsed after a previous use, thus the soapy tang. Case closed, dinner ruined, takeout time.

When I took a moment and scanned the surface area of the kitchen counter-tops, I realized cleaning products held the majority of real estate – they were clearly winning this game of Monopoly. The fact that chemicals are more prevalent and accessible than food itself was a troubling reality. These cleaning supplies are a commonality in most households, and although they may not be in plain sight, they’re close, almost like…

There seems to be a specific cleaning product for everything these days, all accompanied with a long list of ingredients that require a PhD in chemistry to comprehend.  An abundance of chemicals to keep clean, yet illnesses are on the rise, and very few consumers blink an eye.  We have the perception that it’s normal to get sick, the expectation that it’ll happen a few times a year. That’s what doctors are for, right?  Get an antibiotic, and repeat 3-4 months later. With all the reliance we place on these practitioners, over the counter medications, and super bacterial killing sprays, it’s hard to picture how we ever survived prior, you know – the past 200,000 years.

The surprise discovery of penicillin in the early 1900’s, brought with it a way of killing potentially life-threatening bacteria. It was a major biological advancement that prevented and destroyed bacterial infections – A huge boost to medical science and life expectancy.   This was the beginning of an -almost- 100 year antibacterial revolution. During this little tick on the universal clock (the 20th century),  a war against bacteria has been declared! But does this antibacterial movement fall into a category that one political media guru might classify as “Fake News”?

Research has been emerging around the importance of bacteria in our lives. In fact, we have about 300 trillion micro-organisms calling our body their home at this very moment. Every centimeter of your external body is covered by bacteria, and that includes your digestive system. Yep, from your esophagus, to the place where the sun dont shine, and everywhere in-between. The epicenter for these bugs is the large intestines, lining the walls, feasting on the leftover food as it prepares for exit. They complete essential tasks, from breaking down indigestible foods our bodies can’t naturally consume, to keeping pathogens (harmful organisms and virus) at bay. They’ve been linked to regulating mood, preventing disease and increasing longevity. But if bacteria is helping us, why the hell are we currently engaging in military operations against them?

As a child, you are continuously delivered the message that germs are bad, to stay healthy you need to be clean, the cleaner the better. Public education and consumer marketing (by large organization) drill this message home from the very day you can comprehend words. Science has even created a theory called the Hygiene Hypothesis:

A lack of early childhood exposure to infectious agents, symbiotic microorganisms (such as the gut flora or probiotics), and parasites increases susceptibility to allergic diseases by suppressing the natural development of the immune system. In particular, the lack of exposure is thought to lead to defects in the establishment of immune tolerance.

Making ya think, huh?  What needs to be understood is, bacteria are living organisms, with goals the very same as ours – Survival. As we learn more about them we find that several species work with us to form a mutually beneficial relationship, while others have different agendas. These gut bugs sit atop a mucus buffer between themselves and our gut wall. This mucus layer is “HUGEE”,  it prevents pathogens from making their way to our gut cells (epithelial cells) and starting trouble with the immune system (border patrol).  If pathogens can’t enter you blood stream – penetrate the gut wall – there’s little chance they can get you sick – simple right? A diverse, healthy community of gut bacteria is the beginning of all things good, but it’s a two way street, and gut dysfunction waiting on the other side.

So killing bacteria is not necessary a good thing, yet we find ourselves preforming in theses activities daily, almost to the point that it’s incorporated into our unconscious routine. Do you know every-time you wash your hands with soap or sanitizer your killing the majority of the bacteria(good and bad) on them? Every-time you consume an antibiotic, it’s wiping out a large portion of your gut bugs, breaking down your protective mucus layer and opening up the opportunity for harmful bacteria to colonize? And all those cleaning supplies – with chemicals you can’t pronounce – make their way into your body and interrupt/block natural hormonal communication.  By participating in this war against germs, your becoming more-and-more vulnerable to the very germs your trying to protect yourself against. With every pill, every spray, every sanitation you feed into the ongoing loop of sub-par health. Take a look at this study on our rodent friends:

Researchers wanted to figure out just how big of a difference this change in microbiome could have. So they exposed two groups of mice—mice with typical lab microbiomes and lab mice with microbiomes resembling those seen in the wild—to a high dose of the influenza virus. Turns out, 92 percent of the lab mice with wild microbiomes survived the infection whereas only 17 percent of the lab mice with typical lab mice microbiomes did.

Being confined to a lifestyle sheltered from natural elements actually increased the chance of infection and death in these cheese lovers. Does this ring a bell? Sound like a certain species that lives a rather isolated life from the environment, maybe one that’s reading this right now?

I like to keep it simple, so I’ll leave you with this:

• Eat a healthy diet to promote beneficial Bacteria – Most experts recommend Plant based – Full of Fiber
• Avoid Harsh Chemicals – Cleaning Supplies, Beauty Products, Highly Processed Foods and Household Items
• Get Outside! – Diversify your Microbiome (bacterial community)
• Sweat it Out – It’s one of the best ways to remove Toxins from your Body

So get outside and get dirty, eat healthy and avoid the habitual urge to continue this war against germs. The objective shouldn’t be to kill potentially harmful bacteria, it should be to promote beneficial populations. You have the option between forming a mutually beneficial or cancerous relationship with them, so why choose the latter? If you create an environment for the good to prosper, the bad will dwindle, your gut-wall will strengthen and you’ll have an  “Ohh Shitt” moment! Realizing how much better you feel physically, mentally and emotionally.