Do you wash your hands? When and with what?

[FruitAndVegLover]

In the past week I have given up shampoo, washing in the shower with soap, fluoride toothpaste, deodorant and all lotions

So right now only my hands are touched by soap.   I use soap and water to wash my hands

Before Eating
After Restroom
After handling something dirty
Whenever they feel gross

I wash my hands probably 8-10 times a day.

Too much or not enough?  What do you do?

[TylerDurden]

One of the reasons why we do not suffer  from major plagues any more is because we  sometimes wash our hands. There was a shocking study that showed that only a third of men and two thirds of women wash their hands after going to the toilet. Since I  wash my hands with soap all the time,  I find the notion of shaking hands with people a bit sordid in view of that study. I do not wash my hands before eating, though. Seems pointless, since I often do not use  cutlery and my hands therefore become quickly stained by the blood in the raw organ meats I buy.

[eveheart]

I wash my hands with Dr. Bronner's unscented liquid soap - in the morning before I put in my contact lenses (not paleo) and after using the toilet. Washing hands after using the toilet is a courtesy to others, IMO. I never used commercial toothpaste or deodorants. I've been shampoo-free for many years. I go lightly on soap in the shower - only when I think I need it. I like pure, raw coconut oil for a hair and skin lotion. Sweating is good to clean your skin, too.

[goodsamaritan]

yes, i wash my hands for all the reasons of health, i use the most basic soap i can find. none of that anti bacterial chemicals. we dont have fluoride in our tap water.

[nummi]

I only use soap on hands when they get some nasty or hard to get rid of stuff on them. Otherwise just water.

Washing hands because of fright of becoming sick is mainstream created nonsense. It is unrealistic. As we are surrounded by "lethal" bacteria and other microorganisms each and every moment of our lives from birth till death, no matter whether hands are washed or not. Plus mouth has very high defensive mechanisms against bad microorganisms anyway.
This "becoming sick because not washing hands" essentially only applies some bit to those who have no awareness over dieting or health, thus they eat all kinds of body and mind destroying crap. And so they will be susceptible to everything from anywhere. But in truth even in their case washing hands "due to fright of becoming ill" is pointless as they will become ill one way or another whether they do it or not.

Try to remove fluoride from your life as much as you can, as this substance is only poison to human body.

[FruitAndVegLover]

I just use my hands so much.  I play basketball and football, sports, etc...


I have always wondered if I should be washing my hands everytime right after I do something or handle something.  Or if I should keep washing in my routine of before eating, after bathroom and when dirty looking.

[eveheart]

... I have always wondered if I should be washing my hands everytime right after I do something or handle something.  Or if I should keep washing in my routine of before eating, after bathroom and when dirty looking.

You really didn't specify why you are asking if you should wash your hands "everytime" right after I do something, and why is really what determines if you wash or not.

As nummi pointed out, fear of germs causes many people to wash very frequently. In reality, a little dirt won't hurt you, even if it gets in your mouth. Other factors are: will you be soiling things that you touch? will you look too unclean for work if you don't wash? do your hands feel sticky?

I aim for as little washing as possible because it disrupts the defenses of the skin. That leaves me with washing only when I have a reason to wash, a reason like not wanting to get other things dirty if I touch them with soiled hands.

[FruitAndVegLover]

I have this weird OCD kinda hard to explain. It happens with me a lot with health.

Its like my mind needs to know when to wash my hands and when not to and it wants some healthy person or "guru" to tell me when to and when not to.  Right now I pretty much think about this all day.   I go to the gym and think "should I be washing my  hands before moving to the next machine?"  or just at the end of my workout?   Entering the bathroom "should I wash before after or both"

Cant really seem to shake it

I had this obsession with cookware in the past where I asked a million people and searched for the least toxic cookware and dinnerware.   Ive also had this with washing fruits off.  Questioning constantly how I should be doing it

[eveheart]

Well then, if your reason is OCD and washing makes you feel right, then do it. It's not perfectly harmless, but it is relatively harmless.

[goodsamaritan]

I don't obsessively wash.  I just wash before I eat.  And I tell my children to wash before they eat.

Also wash if you've handled something dirty like mechanical work, grease and all that.

As for fruit, we have an ozonator if we aren't sure.