Today’s society seems almost crazy about cleanliness. However, excessive cleanliness can cause many health hazards. We analyze all of them.
Excessive cleanliness can cause many health hazards. However, there are people who shower even twice a day, without giving it time to get dirty (which we talked about a few months ago, and you can read again). Here,
Something similar happens in our homes and we use it cleaning product For everything: for bathrooms, for windows, for kitchen ovens or ceramic hobs, for wood, stoneware or ceramic floors, etc.
We are “very” clean and live in an environment that is at an aseptic level. And of course, like almost everything in life, it’s best not to fall short… or go too far. Actually, excessive cleaning can bring us health problems.
Too much cleaning damages the skin
is a rapidly resolvable problem atopic skin, This causes bothersome symptoms like itching, scaling and burning. This happens because the skin is dry, with a low water and fat content.
According to the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, cases of atopic skin have tripled in recent years.
Using soap frequently in the shower destroys the layer of fat that protects the skin. Dermatologists are becoming increasingly convinced that some excessive hygiene practices are harmful.
Also, paradoxically, prolonged or repeated exposure to water due to excessive hygiene can, in the long term, cause damage. skin dehydration, Washing with too much soap breaks down the skin’s natural vernix caseosa (a greasy layer), leaving open pores through which water can drain out.
“Good” Viruses and Bacteria
Minimizing exposure to bacteria, viruses, and allergens inhibits the normal development of the immune system, so contact with them is “good.”
Too Much Cleaning Can Hurt Our Growth Allergies, Asthma, Inflammatory and Intestinal Diseases,
And some autoimmune disorders are related to lack of exposure to natural infectious agents. Therefore, the ideal is to train the immune system from childhood.
Early exposure to microbes helps us build immunity from childhood.
a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology came to the following conclusions:In urban environments, children most exposed to specific allergens and bacteria during their first year were less likely to experience frequent wheezing and allergic sensitization.,
In other words, exposure to higher levels of certain allergens and bacteria in the first years of life is beneficial.
Another study, it presents data based on the prevalence of asthma in different countries of the world which can be contradictory. A developed country is considered healthier because it is “clean”.
But that scientific work shows that asthma cases are 20 to 60 times higher among the richest people.rhinoconjunctivitis And eczema compared to the poorest countries.
And the point is that the obsession with disinfecting everything, if possible, which has become more apparent after the Covid pandemic, causes us to eliminate not only bad viruses and bacteria, but good viruses and bacteria. also causes it to end.
Strict cleanliness in the home or office should not be like in hospitals, do not exaggerate.
It is recommended that the shower does not last more than 5 minutes and that a sponge is not used (it is a nest of germs because it is almost always wet), that it be done by hand. Soap is better than neutral.
And keep in mind that the temperature is also important, not too hot, better around 35-37º C., which is our body temperature. You need to minimize sudden changes in temperature to avoid skin problems.
It is better to use soft towels to dry and if they are made of organic cotton and do not contain synthetic dyes, then it will be optimal as it prevents itching. The skin should be dried without scratching.
Follow these tips and you will have a stronger immune system and fewer asthma, allergies or skin problems.
(Extracted from https://www.saludnutricionbienestar.com/)