Why You Don't Need to Shower With Soap

Repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin may actually harm our immunity.

Most of us think of germs as ‘dirty’—and dangerous. But as you’ve probably heard, you’re crawling with bugs, and these microbes are crucial for digestion, skin health, and immunity. People now know to take it easy on antibiotics and eat lots of fermented foods, but our squeaky-clean lifestyle is still a big problem. 

Why? Regular contact with dirt and grime teaches your microbiome how to recognize friendly germs versus foes. Here are some tips for swapping out our super clean lifestyle for one that’s filled with more bugs.

First things first, what’s wrong with soap?

There’s a role for the occasional bar of soap when we’re particularly grubby, but a mild soap made from organic ingredients, rather than anti-bacterial soaps that are often full of harsh chemicals, is definitely the way to go. By scouring ourselves in the shower every day, we are actually stripping our skin of bacteria that keep us acne- and eczema-free. Unless you’ve just finished a Mud Run, the only places that need daily soaping are your armpits and groin. The rest of your body does fine with a rinse—even after a sweaty workout.

Dirt doesn’t cause disease—but repeatedly killing off the good bacteria on our skin may actually harm our immunity. Think about that the next time you swap a little bit of dirt for some body wash.

What is one thing that most people do in terms of cleanliness that is unnecessary?

Harsh hand sanitizers! Unless you’ve been hanging out on an Ebola ward, the vast majority of microbes on your skin and hands are not virulent germs that cause serious infection; they’re harmless bacteria that won’t hurt you.

Even during cold and flu season?

Yes, you should take a bit more precaution when your co-workers are coughing and sneezing non-stop. But you still don’t need anti-bacterial soaps and cleansers; those work against bacteria, and the common cold and flu is caused by a virus. All that’s necessary during cold and flu season is regularly washing hands with all-natural soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. This dislodges viruses and bacteria, so they wash down the drain, whereas antibacterial soaps expose you to antibiotics you don’t need in your life.

What are some other ways we can “live dirty” in our everyday lives?

Rinse with just water in the tub or shower, and skip the antibacterial soaps and shampoos. Also, spending just one day on a farm can better your microbiome. So volunteer at a community garden, or simply sit in the grass at the park. Even little things can do a lot over time. Open a window in your house or car to let some good microbes in. Buy food from the farmer’s market that you know is grown in real soil, rather than produced in a factory. Try to keep in mind that in general, soil-derived microbes are good!

You see, you don't usually need to shower with a soap. But you need a bath towel to dry your body. Come to snapmade.com to get your own custom towel.

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Unfortunately dogs can’t talk, Therefore is really difficult for them sometimes to show you their big love. Because they got big love for you. You are the most important thing they have in their whole life. So since dogs can’t talk, it is up to us to ready their body language and understand what they want to say. Here I will show you 6 signs that dogs use to show their big love towards you. After reading this post, pay more attention to your dog’s signs and see how can you relate the information here, with your puppy at home. If you think this helped a little, don’t hesitate to share with your friends.

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The Eldest Children Are Usually Smarter

The youngest child may be given the freedom to do what they want but it is the eldest child who gets the brains.

A study found that first-born in a family tends to be the smartest – and each successive sibling is slightly less bright.

What is more, younger children actually think of themselves as being less intelligent than their big brothers and sisters.

The actual difference is small – with IQ dropping about 1.5 IQ points per sibling. 

But it may help explain why eldest children often do so well in life.

The German researchers aren't sure why big brothers and sisters seem to be blessed with brains but say it could be because they benefit from their parents’ undivided attention – at least until a pesky little brother or sister comes along.

It is also possible that the eldest child’s brainpower gets a boost from teaching his or her siblings about the ways of the world.

The Leipzig University researchers analysed the results of three national studies, including one from the UK, involving more than 20,000 people in total. 

Data included results of IQ and personality tests. Families with more than four children were excluded because there were too few of them to provide meaningful input.

Analysis showed a clear drop in IQ, as well as in the person’s own perception of their intelligence, with each extra sibling.

However, no differences in personality were found, despite some previous studies claiming birth order affects character traits such as extraversion and reliability.

Researcher Julia Rohrer said the question of whether a person’s birth order affects their character has long fascinated the public and scientists alike.

She said that while she didn’t examine why eldest children tend to be brainier, the reason likely lies in upbringing.

Dr Rohrer said: ‘One theory is that following children “dilute” the resources of their parents.

‘While the firstborn gets full parental attention, at least for some months or years, late-borns will have to share from the beginning.

‘Another possible factor is described by the tutoring hypothesis: A firstborn can “tutor” their younger siblings, explaining to them how the world works and so on.

‘Teaching other people has high cognitive demands – the children need to recall their own knowledge, structure it and think of a good way to explain it to younger siblings, which could provide a boost to intelligence for some firstborns.’

However, eldest children shouldn’t gloat, because they won’t always be the cleverest.

According to Dr Rohrer’s calculations, in a two-child family, the eldest will have the higher IQ six times in ten, a statistic that still gives younger children opportunity to shine.

Finally, biology may also play a role, with younger children more prone to genetic problems because their parents are older when they are conceived. 

However, with previous work showing that second-born child is raised as the eldest, after the first-born died in infancy, their intelligence is a par with other first-borns, it is thought that biology is less important than upbringing.

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