Germs and Your Defenses

From WikiBody - The Owner's Manual For Your Body

The Germ

A mighty creature is the germ,

Though smaller than the pachyderm.

His customary dwelling place

Is deep within the human race.

His childish pride he often pleases

By giving people strange diseases.

Do you, my poppet, feel infirm?

You probably contain a germ.

by Ogden Nash

[edit] Types of germs

One of the keys to keeping your body healthy long-term is Avoiding Sickness. Sickness is caused microorganisms (for other ailments, see Taking Care of the Unexpected). There are many microorganisms on and around us. Bacteria and fungi, which can live and reproduce independently from us, sometimes invade our bodies and cause disease. These are considered unwanted contaminants on surfaces you touch every day, called fomites (e.g., doorknobs, dish towels, and the insides of your shoes). Viruses, which cannot live and reproduce themselves without using a larger host organism, such as your body, can also be left on fomite objects and be transferred to your body when you touch them. Germs each have some length of time they can sit on an object and still be infectious, if you don’t clean them off, and still be infectious. Most can be washed away with soap and water or bleach.

[edit] Natural protection

Your body comes with many built-in mechanisms for Avoiding Sickness by defending against infection by unwanted microorganisms.

• Barriers: your skin, mucus produced by your nose, lungs, genitals, and digestive tract, tears produced by your eyes, and saliva produced in your mouth. Your skin is mainly impenetrable to invading microorganisms, as long as you keep it intact, free from cuts and scrapes, and all of those substances act to flush unwanted microorganisms from the surface.
• Immune system: Your bloodstream contains cells specially trained to recognize invading microorganisms and kill them. Unfortunately, these cells cannot always get to the site of infection right away, and sometime don’t recognize a new microorganism the first time they see it, so it may take your immune system a few days to a few weeks to cure you of even a common cold or flu.
• The Locals: Not all microorganisms are bad! You currently have about 1 million bacteria living on each square centimeter of your skin[1], 10 times more in your mouth and your gut, and very rarely do any of them give you any trouble. Some of them even help you digest your food. This population helps discourage new invaders from taking up residence, either by actively fighting off newcomers, or just by taking up space and being good neighbors.

[edit] Making the most of your protections

Protect your barriers:

• Use moisturizer to protect your skin from becoming raw or chapped in cold or windy weather.
• Prevent bug bites. Insects can poke holes directly through your skin, enabling microorganisms carried by that insect AND from the general environment to penetrate your body.
• FOR WOMEN: Avoid wearing the same tampon for more than 8 hours or overnight (FDA recommendation[2]). Toxic shock syndrome is usually caused by bacteria which can invade your body if the mucus and skin are compromised.
• Wear shoes. Because you have fewer nerves in the bottoms of your feet than elsewhere on your body, you may not feel a scratch or crack in your skin which would allow dirt and microorganisms from the ground into the tissues of your foot.

Get vaccinated: Your immune system relies on being able to recognize invading microorganisms. Vaccinations, such as the seasonal flu shot, are like a training manual for your immune cells.

Get enough sleep, drink enough water: Your immune system functions best when you are well-rested (citation). Your body needs water for many reasons (link), including making enough mucus, saliva, and tears to protect your skin.

Keep it clean, but not too clean: Decontaminating surfaces you touch regularly (such as door handles, towels, and toilet flushers) can prevent these from being a reservoir for germs. However, taking antibiotics (which kill bacteria) without knowing what kind of sickness you have (most colds are caused by viruses), can accidentally kill off the “friendly neighbor” bacteria that normally live on your skin and in your gut, leaving you vulnerable to invasion by less-friendly bacteria. ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A DOCTOR TO BE SURE YOU NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC BEFORE TAKING ONE.