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What Everyone Knows PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by Jeff Wagg   
Wednesday, 04 August 2010 13:29

bedEveryone knows.... that you should make your bed

Everyone knows... that you should wash chicken before you cook it

Everyone knows... that mayonnaise goes bad quickly

Everyone knows... that what we used to know is wrong, but what we know now is correct.

People are often wrong. Experts are only as good as their knowledge, observations, and ability to interpret what they see. In the three cases above, studies and new thinking have replaced "what everyone knows" with new knowledge – and they're all false.

While making your bed may seem tidy, it's been known by scientists for years that making your bed increases the growth of mites. During the night, you sweat and that moisture is absorbed by the bed. In turn this moisture provides a hospitable environment for the mites who breed and multiply as they feed on your dead skin cells. If their concentrations get too high, you may experience itchiness or other symptoms from their excrement. For the best results, don't make your bed, which helps it dry out during the day.

As for chicken, it's also been known for years that washing raw chicken increases the likelihood of food poisoning. Why? Because chicken meat and skin are often covered with harmful pathogens. While cooking the chicken kills these pathogens, washing the chicken just spreads them around to the sink, counter, cutting board... and your hands. It's far better to handle the chicken as little as possible and then wash your hands and anything else that has come into contact with the chicken.

And if you're choosing to make chicken salad out of that chicken, know that mayonnaise is a preservative, not something that makes the chicken go bad faster. Mayonnaise has a pH of 3.7, which is acidic enough to retard the growth of most bacteria. That doesn't mean food should be left out – bacteria will grow eventually. Just know that if you get sick, it was likely the chicken's fault rather than the mayo.

Don't believe me? See what Google says. And see what we've known for years.

Except that we haven't, have we? I'll wager that many of you believed some if not all of these pieces of wisdom. The fact that they're "time-honored" and dare I say "ancient wisdom" has no bearing on the fact that according to the best information we have available today, they're all false.

Yet many would claim that we not update what we "know" based on new information. Purveyors of "ancient arts" like homeopathy, Ayurveda, bloodletting, the four humors, acupuncture, and phrenology fail to embrace this idea.

Science is not about what we know, but about how we know. And we know that as we gather more information, we'll have a more accurate view of the way the world works.

And that means... I don't have to make my bed anymore. Yay science!

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Comments (43)Add Comment
I have been on the cutting edge for years
written by Xiphos, August 04, 2010
Because I didn't make my bed. Yay me.
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PJZen's The Big Picture
written by PJZen, August 04, 2010
"Science is not about what we know, but about how we know. And we know that as we gather more information, we'll have a more accurate view of the way the world works."
Keep the knowledge coming. smilies/kiss.gif
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Oh heck!!
written by dgamble, August 04, 2010
I have a 10 year old who was sitting beside me and reading this over my shoulder ... I can feel a PubMed citation coming on the next time a request to make a bed gets issued by her mum ... smilies/smiley.gif
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written by Willy K, August 04, 2010
Ancient Wisdom????
I contend that the "ancients" had no more "wisdom" than today's Humans. They sure as heck didn't have as much information available to them and the speed that information travels these days (nearly the speed of light) would simply astound those same ancient wiseguys! smilies/wink.gif
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written by Cethis, August 04, 2010
You could make your bed, and then make sure to wash your sheets.
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written by Able, August 04, 2010
I knew about not taking raw chickens to bed but now I can again (as long as I use mayonnaise)smilies/cheesy.gif. Actually: Thanks, this was a very good article on using new knowledge (as long as its science based) to replace old information.
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@Cethis
written by Zoroaster, August 04, 2010
I think the idea is that some of your sweat is absorbed into the mattress itself, so the longer you leave the sheets and blankets off the bed or at least partially off the bed, the more time the sweat has to evaporate so the mites don't have an environment. Washing the sheets would help, but if the mattress doesn't dry out, you're leaving a habitat for them there.
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written by rjh02, August 04, 2010
There is a huge amount of knowledge that many people know that is actually false. The Mythbusters have a show based on that idea.

A famous example is 'what direction does water go down the sink?' The answer depends on the sink and the water and not where you live.
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written by Otara, August 04, 2010
To be picky, from the end of that article theres a dissenting opinion:

"However, most homes in the UK are sufficiently humid for the mites to do well and I find it hard to believe that simply not making your bed would have any impact on the overall humidity."
--------------------------------

Given mites can also live in carpet, I suspect he's got a point. Ive done a quick google check and can only find lots of slightly reworded articles referring to this one institutes research - is this really a solid replicated finding or more of an internet meme? Sometimes these 'amazing things you didnt know' are occasionally a bit overhyped themselves.

Otara
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Disagreement
written by lolcyrillic, August 05, 2010
I am disappointed. This article promotes bad science. All of these statements are equally true and false.

Elaboration:
The arguments provided during the article do not disprove any of these general statements, but just some special instantiation (if at all). For example, the "do not make your bed"-argument is in fact a "get rid of mites"-argument. A well made bed might please your aesthetic feelings, thus "balancing your soul" and provide a more comfortable living experience, which has a more healthy effect than the unhealthy effect of the mites. [Mind you, this is just a hypothesis and needs testing - but as long as it is not, you cannot for sure say: "Making your bed is wrong!"] Furthermore my mother taught me that an essential part of "making the bed" is to air the blanket and pillow, exactly to get rid of mites ... So "make your bed" is true!

Just listing one advantage or disadvantage of something doesn't prove anything. You have to weigh them against each other. Travelling to the moon is bad, because there is no air and humans will die ... NO!
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written by Great Scott!, August 05, 2010
I have to say, I never "knew" any of those things.
I'd never heard of having to wash chicken. Nor have I ever heard a rationale for why one ought to make one's bed (other than to make it look tidy). And I'd expect mayonnaise to last at least as long as predicted by the use-by date (though I don't have much of a taste for it anyway).

What percentage of everyone "knows" these things? And how is that percentage known?
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Yet Again, Lowly rated comment [Show]
They were just examples!
written by Able, August 05, 2010
Sometimes we pick these articles to death.
What I read was an attempt by Jeff to get us thinking about re-evaluating things that we “know” using newer information.
He was also pointing out that most “purveyors of ancient arts” refuse to re-evaluate what they “know” for fear of discovering contradictions.

As far as the chicken: I was taught to wash those germs off. I am going to stop and see if it kills me.
Mayonnaise: I had never given the pH a thought so now I might not be so panicked about it causing food to go bad.
Making my bed: Does not apply to me.

Jeff might have come up with some better examples but the ones he used work for me.

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written by GeekGoddess, August 05, 2010
I quit washing chicken once I applied a bit of logic to it. And, anything that will survive boiling water, or a 400 F oven, or an even hotter skillet, deserves to live...
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Space Filler
written by Caller X, August 06, 2010
As for chicken, it's also been known for years that washing raw chicken increases the likelihood of food poisoning. Why? Because chicken meat and skin are often covered with harmful pathogens. While cooking the chicken kills these pathogens, washing the chicken just spreads them around to the sink, counter, cutting board... and your hands.


Really? "It's been known for years?" Aren't you arguing against your own argument? How does washing the chicken spread germs to the counter and cutting board? Aren't you washing your hands at the same time you're washing the chicken? Putting unwashed chicken on the counter or cutting board DOESN'T spread germs to those surfaces? Washing your hands afterwards DOESN'T spread germs to the sink? Sounds like some kind of Bizarro world to me. On the other hand, you've got another publication on your CV.
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Mayonnaise safety
written by tmac57, August 06, 2010
The idea that mayonnaise is dangerous to foods left out for a short time probably arose from the use of homemade mayonnaise that uses unpasteurized raw eggs of which a small portion may contain salmonella bacteria. The FDA warns against the use of raw egg products for that reason. And to Caller X, the FDA also warns against washing raw meat of all kinds before cooking due to the increased possibility of cross contamination.
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correction on Mayonnaise safety
written by tmac57, August 06, 2010
I should have referenced the USDA,not the FDA in my above comment.My apologies.
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written by pillock, August 07, 2010
Funny that about beds: I perspire a lot at night (especially during hypoglycaemic attacks) and have been pulling off the clothes and airing them all day for at least a decade, while people tell me that I should do otherwise. As to the chicken and the mayonnaise; I've never heard either before, though one of my grandmothers said that one should always boil pork for a few hours before roasting it (I never did that either!)
P.S. A warm, damp bed is ideal for keeping your lute in good condition! (traditional.)
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written by Mark P, August 07, 2010
Furthermore my mother taught me that an essential part of "making the bed" is to air the blanket and pillow, exactly to get rid of mites

And you think that works?? smilies/cheesy.gif A bit of a wave around and they die? If only mites were so easy to kill. It strikes me that you don't like to admit that you have been wasting time.

How does washing the chicken spread germs to the counter and cutting board? Aren't you washing your hands at the same time you're washing the chicken? Putting unwashed chicken on the counter or cutting board DOESN'T spread germs to those surfaces? Washing your hands afterwards DOESN'T spread germs to the sink?

And yet another one who proves Jeff right, that traditional knowledge is often useless.

There is no point washing a chicken before putting it into a hot oven/pan. The washing achieves exactly nothing, since all the germs will be killed anyway.

Jeff carefully said what you should do - which is to handle it as little as possible. In my case a chicken comes out of the packet directly onto the roasting plate and into the over. No counter involved. No hands touch it. If I am going to divide it up, then everything is very carefully cleaned in hot water afterwards and no other food comes near the board (and it never touches the counter).

You are advocating washing EVERYTHING EXCEPT CHICKEN.

He wasn't actually. I have no idea how you read that into anything.

Me, I wash nothing that's going into a hot oven or saucepan, except to remove grit or critters. I sure don't wash any meat.
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written by Mark P, August 07, 2010
Apologies for wrong formatting above. smilies/angry.gif
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written by Caller X, August 07, 2010
It's far better to handle the chicken as little as possible and then wash your hands and anything else that has come into contact with the chicken.

Washing everything except the chicken.

And to Caller X, the FDA also warns against washing raw meat of all kinds before cooking due to the increased possibility of cross contamination.

And how exactly does washing your meat in the sink or wherever you choose to do it cause cross contamination? Are you chopping broccoli in your sink? By this logic, fish, which come from water, should not be eaten, and no meat of any sort should be brined or marinated. I will drink your milkshake.
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written by Otara, August 08, 2010
"What I read was an attempt by Jeff to get us thinking about re-evaluating things that we “know” using newer information.
He was also pointing out that most “purveyors of ancient arts” refuse to re-evaluate what they “know” for fear of discovering contradictions. "

I guess my point is if we're not careful with the examples we use, we can end up looking not much better. Science is about looking at new things, but also about being cautious about what we consider solid findings.
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Maybe it depends on HOW you make your bed
written by turquoiseeyes13579, August 09, 2010
The thing is, it may depend on how you make your bed. Yeah, if you do it "Military-style", your bed linens will be all covered up. But that's not how I make my bed. I simply make sure my flat sheet is tucked in, straighten out my comforter so that it's square, and then fold over the comforter and sheet. I have my four pillows and half of the fitted sheet open to the air. I can easily climb right into bed at night, but it still lookd neat and clean. And it gets to "air out". With regular vacuuming, changing the sheets, washing your additional bed linens at least quarterly and vacuuming the bed a few times a year, dust mites shouldn't be a problem. Come on, the dust mites have been around for the same amount of time we have, maybe longer. They are unlikely to harm you as long as you keep a moderately clean home. Get rid of the old-school shams, the dust ruffle and the decorative pillows- that'll help cut the dust on your bed!
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X-contamination
written by tmac57, August 09, 2010
@ CallerX. If you are very scrupulous about cleaning your sink and all surfaces around it including the faucet and handles and back-splashes where water could have splashed on to during washing the chicken,then yeah,you will probably be OK.Problem is, most people aren't that careful,or fail to realize just how far contaminated water can travel during the washing process.I have watched naive home cooks prepare chicken, and most of them make a big mess when they wash the meat,and often fail to clean up properly afterward.The bottom line is that if you throughly cook the meat,washing is an unnecessary and messy step that is more likely to spread bacteria than not washing it.But go ahead,by all means if it makes you feel like you are accomplishing something..wash away! I will refer anyone else who has doubts to check out the USDA info on this and other food handling safety questions.
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Ah Yes...
written by Caller X, August 10, 2010
If you are very scrupulous about cleaning your sink and all surfaces around it including the faucet and handles and back-splashes where water could have splashed on to during washing the chicken


Ah yes, because those are surfaces which I constantly rub my food over, so of course there is cross-contamination. Now where will I chop my broccoli if not in the sink?

Ever used a faucet in a public (or restaurant) restroom? Where do you suppose the last hand to touch the faucet was just before? NOW we're chopping broccoli.
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Probably just bad examples.
written by Clintsc9, August 10, 2010
I understand the point Jeff is attempting to make with this article, but he may have picked bad examples.

In it he refers us to an article about mites, in which there is no mention of not making a bed to combat mites. In fact, it suggests covering a bed with plastic to prevent dust (and presumably mites) falling on to the bed during the day. An unmade bed is an open invitation. A made bed at least has a cover of sorts to keep them out during the day. We bring them to bed with us, so bathing last thing before bed might be good.
According tot he article, mites are best kept in check by regularly changing sheets and washing them in hot water. Also a suggestion to freeze bed components that cannot be hot-washed. A bit extreme for those of us who live in the sub tropics.

Wash or don't wash your chicken, really makes little difference. There are plenty of germs gather around your sink and workbench to make regular cleaning a must.

Mayonnaise - I don't use it so cannot comment except to say if I didn't know either way, then "everyone" does not know the preservative effects of using mayonnaise.

I'm guessing there are better examples of 'traditional' methods of doing things needing to change with better knowledge, but Jeff just doesn't want to make his bed.
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Too much worry about "germs".
written by stashgal, August 11, 2010
Gosh, you folks worry so much about germs!!
A little exposure to germs is good for you!
It keeps the immune system on it's toes and up to date.
Keeping yourself too clean is probably why so many people have allergies and asthma.

I wash my cutting board off first so the blood can't embed itself in the cracks then take that bloody, gooey game hen from it's tight opaque plastic bag and rinse it off.

Doesn't everyone rinse that yucky stuff OFF??

I sort of make the bed because it's a heated water-bed and I don't want to waste that energy so I cover it with sheets, comforter, bed spread, thermal blanket then another two sheets then a blanket, all to reduce heat loss and avoid that damp, plastic feel.
Too dry for mites to enjoy.

I don't worry about "germs", I worry about GOPHERS!!
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What me worry?
written by tmac57, August 14, 2010
@stashgal "Gosh, you folks worry so much about germs!!
A little exposure to germs is good for you! "
Let's put it this way,I have respect for what certain germs can do.Salmonella and certain strains of E coli can be deadly to particular segments of the population:young children,pregnant women,elderly and immune compromised people such as cancer patients.Exposing them recklessly to a preventable pathogen to quote "keep the immune system on it's toes and up to date", is both wrong headed and dangerous.How do you feel about "updating" your immune system with a little botulism toxin? Just go looking for a can of food that has 'ballooned' out on top,and help yourself.On second thought don't do that,because it might,oh I don't know, uh kill you?
I don't go around trying to sterilize my environment.I understand about the hygiene hypothesis, but a little common sense is also in order. It is not OK to expose yourself and others to known dangerous bacteria and viruses,just as it is not OK to expose vulnerable people to polio,pertussis,or measles.
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written by stashgal, August 14, 2010
>>>How do you feel about "updating" your immune system with a little botulism toxin? Just go looking for a can of food that has 'ballooned' out on top,and help yourself.On second thought don't do that,because it might,oh I don't know, uh kill you?
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@tmac57 and stashgal
written by Caller X, August 16, 2010
tmac57:
How do you feel about "updating" your immune system with a little botulism toxin?


I have no problem with it since the immune system fights organisms, not toxins. Besides, people pay good money to be injected "with a little botulism toxin." Happens all the time. Doesn't hurt you.

@stashgal:
I wash my cutting board off first so the blood can't embed itself in the cracks then take that bloody, gooey game hen from it's tight opaque plastic bag and rinse it off.


A) How does washing your cutting board FIRST accomplish anything?
B) Why, in the twenty-first century are you using a cutting board with cracks in it?
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Caller X
written by tmac57, August 16, 2010
From Wikipedia:
"Botulism (Latin, botulus, "sausage") also known as botulinus intoxication is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by botulinum toxin, which is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum under anaerobic conditions.

The toxin enters the body in one of four ways: by colonization of the digestive tract by the bacterium in children (infant botulism) or adults (adult intestinal toxemia), by ingestion of toxin from foods (foodborne botulism) or by contamination of a wound by the bacterium (wound botulism)."
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written by stashgal, August 16, 2010

"A) How does washing your cutting board FIRST accomplish anything?
B) Why, in the twenty-first century are you using a cutting board with cracks in it? "

Washing it first fills any spaces with clean water instead of probably contaminated watery blood and body fluids and thins down the bacteria that are already on it.

Why a wooden cutting board? Because that's what I have and it's easier on my knives.
I've been using it for decades and I haven't gotten sick from it so why change?
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Remedial tmac57
written by Caller X, August 16, 2010
tmac57:

Thank you for going to Wikipedia for me. Again, the human immune system DOES NOT FIGHT TOXINS.

@stashgal:

"A) How does washing your cutting board FIRST accomplish anything?
B) Why, in the twenty-first century are you using a cutting board with cracks in it? "

Washing it first fills any spaces with clean water instead of probably contaminated watery blood and body fluids and thins down the bacteria that are already on it.

Why a wooden cutting board? Because that's what I have and it's easier on my knives.
I've been using it for decades and I haven't gotten sick from it so why change?


Why don't you reread that and get back to me rather than me spelling out everything that's wrong with it?

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@tmac57 yet again
written by Caller X, August 16, 2010
Ass often happens, Wikipedia is wrong.

The toxin enters the body in one of four ways: by colonization of the digestive tract by the bacterium in children (infant botulism) or adults (adult intestinal toxemia), by ingestion of toxin from foods (foodborne botulism) or by contamination of a wound by the bacterium (wound botulism)."


There is of course a fifth way; when a plastic surgeon injects the toxin into you. I'm disappointed you didn't pick up on that. Ass I said.
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Salmonella
written by JeffWagg, August 17, 2010
Salmonella is an infectious agent. The risk isn't from toxins it produces while residing on say, chicken, but from live bacteria being ingested and taking resident in a host, namely you. The recommendations for not washing chicken before cooking are to prevent the spread of this very common bacteria.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/index.asp
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Rebut X
written by tmac57, August 17, 2010
I never asserted that the immune system fights toxins. Reading comprehension failure. I was making an ironic statement re stashgal's comment about worrying about germs too much,of which the bacterium Clostridium botulinum is a member (germ that is),and was pointing out that it is worth being concerned about if you suspect that you might be ingesting it. But I suspect that you probably knew this,and are just trying to get under my skin. smilies/shocked.gif
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written by stashgal, August 17, 2010
I suppose to get the wooden cutting board cleaner, I would need to soak it in bleach.

When you wash your hands, no matter how thorough you are, there will still be germs left on or under your skin.It's almost impossible to get rid of germs.
That's why even after all that scrubbing, a surgeon dons gloves.

They can survive boiling water, the vacuum of space, radiation etc.Not all germs can survive all of this but some tough buggers can.

After I rinse off my chicken, I hang it on a upright roaster in a glass dish to drain and dry before adding extra flavorings like liquid smoke.
I don't splash water all over the place while rinsing off the bird and the water goes down the drain.
Certainly we have more things to worry about these days other than worrying how to wash or not a chicken, make or not our beds.

How about overpopulation, peak oil and resource depletion?
Now THAT'S something to worry about!

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Ah, Another Thing
written by Caller X, August 17, 2010
How about overpopulation, peak oil and resource depletion?
Now THAT'S something to worry about!


Interestingly, perhaps some more things everyone knows. Peak oil would be a good thing. Mo' oil be mo' better. Still waiting for someone to demonstrate how you transform reptiles into petroleum.

Germs under my skin? Well, they're probably not getting out while I do the operation or cook the chicken anyway. But really, NOW I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GERMS UNDER MY SKIN???? Sounds like a bit of hippie-think to me (yes I know we all have all kinds of passengers on board.) Just like peak oil.
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I worry about Jeff's Links
written by Clintsc9, August 18, 2010
In the OP Jeff gave us a link about mites that, although it had recommendations of what to do, said nothing about not making the bed.
Later, talking about not washing chickens, he gave us a link about salmonella that also gave many recommendations about avoiding the problem, but did not mention not washing in those recommendations.
The links:
about mites - http://ezinearticles.com/?All-...id=1653435
about salmonella - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/facts.../index.asp

Do you actually read the information on the links you supply Jeff? Do you think we don't and will just agree because there is a link there?
If you could point out the passages where they recommend not making a bed or not washing a chicken, I'll withdraw.
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@Clintsc9
written by JeffWagg, August 18, 2010
I purposely chose links that didn't back up my claims, because my overarching point is that our "best practices" should change with new information. I asked readers who didn't believe me to Google to find the information.

Here's a link for making the bed: http://www.healthyhouseinstitu...Dust_Mites

Here's a link for washing chicken: http://www.healblog.net/health...r-chicken/
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Remedial Caller X
written by tmac57, August 18, 2010
Caller X asserted:
"Again, the human immune system DOES NOT FIGHT TOXINS. "
and also
"I have no problem with it since the immune system fights organisms, not toxins."

Caller X might be interested in Toxoid Vaccines such as the ones for Diphtheria and Tetanus. Here is and excerpt from a PBS NOVA show on Bioterror about the Tetanus vaccine:
" With a toxoid vaccine, the goal is to condition the immune system to combat not an invading virus or bacteria but rather a toxin produced by that invading virus or bacteria. The tetanus shot is such a vaccine. Tetanus is a disease caused by toxins created by the bacteria Clostridium tetani. The vaccine conditions the body's immune system to eliminate these toxins."
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Oh Well...
written by Caller X, August 18, 2010
Not for the first time, I was wrong.
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@ X
written by tmac57, August 19, 2010
Well, it was news to me also. I just stumbled on to it reading another article yesterday.But we are all wrong about something at times.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 August 2010 17:10