Cleanliness/Good Hygiene

[Palmares]

In another thread I posted the following:


Originally posted by Cthenthar
dreads are too crusty for ya? seriously, what the hell does that mean???? this is the second time i have heard this and i dont know if i should take offense to it as a dreadie....so fill me on this.

:rolleyes:
Don't feign ignorance to save face or attempt to make me look silly, that's immature.

Dreads get gross, grosser than my hair, Nickademus has good hygeine as I'm sure plenty of people do, although a lot of people I know with dreads are fucking gross and just let the shit fester. [/b][/quote]
Please define what "gross" and "good hygiene" is before using those terms.

You see, what you may see as "dirty" may well not be that unhygienic at all.

How clean do people really need to be to be healthy?

It's a difficult thing as a certian amount of "cleanliness" can infact be detrimental to your health as because your environment is so divorced from bacteria, your body has not had the opportunity to become exposed enough to it to create an immunity to it.

From that, it can quite reasonably be said that a certain amount of "uncleanliness" is infact healthy.

The overbearing importance of "cleanliness" is much a bourgeois mentality, that isn't to say you should be clean at all, but rather it is this society that drives you to believe that you "need" to be that clean.

A good analogy is "human nature", in that, we do have human nature, but the degree to which we have it is definitely not as the neoliberals would have us believe. And in the same way, the same can be said of cleanliness.

Hell, did you know that toothpaste has no scientific proof alluding to it actually cleaning teeth? The only thing that can be proven is that the act of brushing, as in using a toothbrush against your teeth, does clean teeth.

But toothpaste does make your mouth smell nice! :rolleyes:

Anyway... in regards to dreads. It isn't really a good idea to have really clean dreads, or at least to wash them alot, as it runs the risk of undreading them. I guess its different if your dreads are mature, but using shampoo also causes residues to get stuck in your routes and can hinder the dreading process.

So either be dirty with your dreads (like me), or wait til they are mature, and wash them either only with water, or hippie dread shampoo (or similar stuff with the nasty residues of normal shampoo).

So... fuck you guys. I'm dirty. :lol:[/b][/quote]

This really got me thinking about what do the terms "cleam" and a "good hygiene" really mean? What do you think?

[Free Palestine]

Listen to Carlin's "Fear of Germs" diatribe on the CD "You're all Diseased." It articulates my views quite well. Basically, the American obsession with cleanliness results in us often ending up sicker beacuse our immune systems are not exposed to enough germs. Carlin talks about how when he was a kid in the '40s in New York, how he and his friends would swim in the polluted Hudson River to cool off. At the time, everybody was concerned with polio and thousands of children died or were cippled from it. But no one in Carlin's neighborhood ever got polio, he asserts the reason for this was because his friends' immune systems were strengthened. Here's the exact quote:


"Let me tell you a true story about immunization. When i was a little boy in New York City in the 1940s, we swam in the Hudson River. And it was filled with raw sewage. Okay? We swam in raw sewage! You know, to cool off.

At that time the big fear was polio; thousands of kids died from polio every year. But you know somethin'? In my neighborhood no one ever got polio. No one. Ever! You know why? Because we swam in raw sewage! It strengthened our immune systems. The polio never had a prayer; we were tempered in raw shit!

And you know something? In spite of all of that so-called risky ehavior, I never get infections. I just don't get 'em, folks. I don't get colds, I don't get flu, and I don't get food poisoning. And Ya know why? Because I have a good, strong immune system, and it gets a lot of practice."

[Palmares]

That reminds me of a story I was told about an Indian guy who never caught any of the many diseases prevalent in India whilst growing up, perhaps through his body becoming immune to it. He then lived in a first world country for a few years then moved back to India.

Straight away he caught a disease.

So that would point to exposure having to be constant in order to bring an immunity.

[Hiero]

In Health Sociology we were shown a graph were there was a declining trend over years of bad health. This was taking over a large demographic. What it was that health was getting better before modern science improved medical procedures and medicines, because of improved living conditions. Such things as better water, better sewage etc.

We need a standard of cleanliness that results in good hygiene. While it may have benifits to swim in unclean water, we only need to look at countries that live with dirty water to see there are to many negatives.

Although there is a social ideas on what is good good hygiene and what is cleanliness. Some social requirements of being clean have some basis for them and are conected with good health. Then there are thoose that a cultural.

[Clarksist]

Did someone just quote Carlin? :lol:

I fucken love you now Free Palestine.

Seriously, anti-bacterial soaps ARE destroying our immune systems and evolving bacteria to a frighteningly fast degree.

If we don't cut down, slow down, or all-in-all stop... we have some HARSH consequences coming.

Just look at penicyllin. The same infection used to take something like a third of what it takes now to cure similar infections.

Our environment changes, but our defenses cannot keep up. So oddly, if we roll back our defenses, we can save ourselves.

[MysticArcher]

Seriously, anti-bacterial soaps ARE destroying our immune systems and evolving bacteria to a frighteningly fast degree.

Yeah, tell me about it; in my apartement we had a clear container labled pro-bacterial soap, it'd been out for a long time and was full of anti-bacterial soap that had colonies of bacteria growing in it

Some hygiene is necessary though, bathing and proper sanitation have brought actual benefits, the main issue I believe is the over use of anti-biotic substances

[bed_of_nails]

I have the habit of exposing myself to things I probably shouldnt, and I never get sick (save ear infections dammit).

I think it came from the fact I often eat other animals... While they are alive.

[Anarcho-Communist]

My hygiene is relatively good, I make sure I'm clean before eating and watch what I do... :lol:

[Mujer Libre]

I think there's a line between good hygiene and stupid hygiene. :P
I mean, washing your hands before you handle food is common sense, it prevents the unnecessary transmission of bacteria and other nasties.

But as for things like anti-bacterial sprays and soaps, they belong in hospitals and other care environments. By living in super clean homes we ARE hurting ourselves, in the sense that, as people have mentioned, we aren't encountering the same range of allergens or pathogens and thus building the appropriate immune reactions. In addition to getting sick more easily, there are theories that believe the ultrahygienic modern home plays a part in causing allergic responses like asthma or hayfever, which explains why these are becoming more and more common.

I guess the message is, be clean but not paranoid!

[guerillablack]

Whose the ignorant fool who believes dreadlocks are unhygienic?

[coda]

That Carlin story reminds me of a story too. When I was about five i was leaping across some rocks in a pretty stagnant creek on the side of my house, with about no more than a foot of water, and fell in or stepped in briefly.. and ended up getting Impetigo, which is a type of Group A Strep. I was a fucked up mess. Impetigo is characterized by crusty blisters. (ahh, there's that old crusty word again.)

"When impetigo is caused by Group A streptococcus, it begins as tiny blisters. These blisters eventually burst to reveal small wet patches of red skin that may weep fluid. Gradually, a tan or yellowish-brown crust covers the affected area, making it look like it has been coated with honey or brown sugar."

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/ba...l/impetigo.html (http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/impetigo.html)

[Don't Change Your Name]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2005, 05:50 AM
Seriously, anti-bacterial soaps ARE destroying our immune systems and evolving bacteria to a frighteningly fast degree.

If we don't cut down, slow down, or all-in-all stop... we have some HARSH consequences coming.
I never understood this argument. It's pathetic. Just because they CAN have mutations that CAN save them it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to kill them before they manage to get stronger. If you manage to kill "A" before "A" breeds a mutated copy of "A", then they won't "evolve".

I'm keeping my clean environment, thank you. You can keep your "less evolved" bacterias to kill you easily if you want to. Good luck.

[Bannockburn]

Just a fast post here: I have two friends living together. My buddy's mom is a clean freak...to the max. They are always sick. I keep my home, clean, but nothing special. When they come here for a week. They feel better.

[apathy maybe]

Using soap is not needed. The human body produces oils and fats on the outside of the body which help it. If you wash regularly with just water then you get rid of the bad things, but keep the good oil.

That said; if you are going to be in a position where you might be doing "naughty" things, then wash with (plain cheap unfragranted) soap and water. Comb and brush your hair. It helps prevent leaving tell tall traces of DNA.

Also if you are going into a position where you might get gassed, wash with the same soap and water. The gas gets under the fat. For the same reason, don't wear contacts (or have glasses to wear if the filth brings out the gas).
http://www.wombles.org.uk/files/teargas.php
3

[Seeker]

keep the good oil

That's the stuff that bacteria feasts on. Not using soap is like turning your body into a giant petri dish

[DarkAngel]

BAD HYGENE: You smell like ass.
GOOD HYGENE: You don't smell like ass.

[Palmares]

But what is "ass" then?

A donkey? ;)

[Anarchist Freedom]

Eh showering is over rated. I usually dont shower unless im going out for the night.

[guerillablack]

Originally posted by apathy [email protected] 7 2005, 03:07 AM
Using soap is not needed. The human body produces oils and fats on the outside of the body which help it. If you wash regularly with just water then you get rid of the bad things, but keep the good oil.

That said; if you are going to be in a position where you might be doing "naughty" things, then wash with (plain cheap unfragranted) soap and water. Comb and brush your hair. It helps prevent leaving tell tall traces of DNA.

Also if you are going into a position where you might get gassed, wash with the same soap and water. The gas gets under the fat. For the same reason, don't wear contacts (or have glasses to wear if the filth brings out the gas).
http://www.wombles.org.uk/files/teargas.php
3
That's why you probably smell and don't even know it.

[Organic Revolution]

keeping clean is one thing. i keep my body clean, but i dont do it religiously. i dont wear deoderant, i rarley wash my hair and i wash my body with all organic soap. i dumpsterdive food and never get sick. you dont need to be overly clean.


remeber: cleanliness is next to godliness.. but do you want to be a god or a man.

[Donnie]

This really got me thinking about what do the terms "cleam" and a "good hygiene" really mean? What do you think?
Well I wouldn't say the bourgeois systems view of cleanliness and hygiene is very accurate as I fail to see splattering "war paint" or in this case anti-ageing cream and new improved shampoo formula as cleanliness, all I see it as is new chemicals to damage you're body. However it must be noted that I do wash my hair with shampoo however I'm not one of them people that wash there hair 3 time's a day muttering to themselves "still not clean, STILL NOT CLEAN, NEED MORE CREAM AND SHAMPOO!!" and then go out and buy the new improved "Panten V05".

However I do have baths regularly because after a long hard days work I don't like the smell of sweat on me and I find it uncomfortable walking around and sitting down sweating (that’s one thing I hated up at the G8).

Oh and one thing that really winds me up is the way men put on so much aftershave. I mean when you walk past a lad who reeks of aftershave you’re like “omg I’m choking” and you end up smelling the aftershave afterwards because he leaves a trail of it and you know he’s absolutely doused him self in it. It makes you wonder whether the man has really had a wash or just not bothered and slapped on tones of aftershave.

It’s the same with many women in today’s society how so many of them are genderised into getting sweet smelling perfumes.
I mean I remember when I was on a bus with a mate and this girl pulled out this can of deodorant and sprayed herself for like 30 seconds top to bottom and me and my comrade got this absolute nasty taste in our mouth.

Aftershave and perfume are like this modern version of the art of matting “douse you’re self in the latest Lynx because the ladies love it”. Do they really love it? Or is this just for profit?

[Invader Zim]

You know you need to improve your hygene when your lovely summer tan washes off in the rain...

[Organic Revolution]

im not sure about that. its better to have organic dirt on you, full of minerals, than to have chemical soaps on you.

[DarkAngel]

Originally posted by Anarchist [email protected] 15 2005, 05:49 PM
Eh showering is over rated. I usually dont shower unless im going out for the night.
eww :(

I am sorry, I come from a family of dirtbags. But I myself take 2-3showers a day... I can't help it. Otherwise I feel so bad, and dirty. Unless I am outside in the forest, then I'd swim, or go to a sauna in a village. But otherwise, I am an ultra clean person...

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by DarkAngel+Aug 19 2005, 11:19 PM--> (DarkAngel @ Aug 19 2005, 11:19 PM)
Anarchist [email protected] 15 2005, 05:49 PM
Eh showering is over rated. I usually dont shower unless im going out for the night.
eww :(

I am sorry, I come from a family of dirtbags. But I myself take 2-3showers a day... I can't help it. Otherwise I feel so bad, and dirty. Unless I am outside in the forest, then I'd swim, or go to a sauna in a village. But otherwise, I am an ultra clean person... [/b]
do you realise that water is an expensive material in this day and age, how can you afford this. also, your wasting drinking water.

[guerillablack]

Ill, you drink tap water?

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by [email protected] 20 2005, 10:04 AM
Ill, you drink tap water?
You don't? :huh: