WARNING: Antibacterial Soap Linked to Major Health Threats
Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey has called for strict limits on the use of triclosan. "Despite the fact that this chemical is found in everything from soaps to socks," said Markey, "There are many troubling questions about triclosan's effectiveness and potentially harmful effects, especially for children."
One study showed that the chemical can alter hormone regulation. A number of other studies have demonstrated that bacteria exposed to triclosan could potentially become resistant to antibiotics.
One of the most common antibacterials is triclosan, a chlorinated phenolic compound. Triclosan has been found to have both estrogenic and androgenic activity and has been linked to hormone disruption in animals.
One 2006 study found that triclosan induces changes in the thyroid hormone-mediated process of metamorphosis of the North American bullfrog, while a 2007 study demonstrated, for the first time, that triclosan decreases circulating concentrations of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), in rats.
This effect could be a potential health hazard for each individual that chooses to use triclosan products, but the widespread use of triclosan is also contributing to a much bigger problem that affects everyone.
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More recently, in 2006, the Emerging Contaminants Workgroup of the Santa Clara Basin Watershed Management Initiative (SCBWMI), issued a white paper on triclosan, where they explain, in layman’s terms, the mechanism by which triclosan may cause resistance:
“Unlike bleach and soap that destroy and dislodge bacteria microbes, triclosan works by interfering with a specific bacterial enzyme. Non-specific antiseptics, such as alcohol, merely break open the cell and, therefore, are not the type of chemical to which bacteria could develop resistance.
On the other hand, triclosan’s mode of action is different from alcohols and peroxide. Triclosan is fat-soluble and easily penetrates the bacterial cell wall. And once inside the cell it attacks an enzyme that is used to produce fatty acids that are vital to cell function.
This mode-of-action could ultimately lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Through continual use of triclosan, non-bacterial strains would be killed, leaving only the bacteria whose enzyme system has evolved to resist the presence of triclosan.
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Antibacterial Products Actually LESS EFFECTIVE than Plain Soap and Water…
As the AMA stated ten years ago, there was, and still is, little or no evidence that these antibacterial products outperform the good-old-fashioned techniques like washing with soap and water.
What there is, however, is evidence that the old anti-germ strategies are more effective than modern antibacterials!
In a recent press release, Dr. Sarah Janssen of the Natural Resources Defense Council is quoted as saying:
"It's about time FDA has finally stated its concerns about antibacterial chemicals like triclosan.
The public deserves to know that these so-called antibacterial products are no more effective in preventing infections than regular soap and water and may, in fact, be dangerous to their health in the long run."
he most effective hand-washing technique involves three steps:
Use warm water
Work up a good lather all the way up to your wrists for at least 10 or 15 seconds
Don't forget to get all surfaces including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and an area often overlooked, your fingernails
An all-purpose cleanser that works great for kitchen counters, cutting boards and bathrooms is 3% hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.
Simply put each liquid into a separate spray bottle, then spray the surface with one, followed by the other.
In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner.
The best results came from using one mist right after the other -- it is 10 times more effective than using either spray by itself and more effective than mixing the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one sprayer.
Sunlight is another powerful disinfectant, and drying your laundry in the sun is one of the best ways to save energy and wind up with fresh, clean linens and clothing.
There’s really no need to expose your family to dangerous chemical disinfectants. As an added bonus aside from the health benefits, using this type of natural homemade cleanser is much less expensive than commercial varieties.
and we wash our hands with soap and water. im a rebel. 
And do I need to wash the entire kitchen down with Clorox when I'm done? If I don't, will I get trichinosis?
. I take the ribs out of the plastic, throw some seasoning on it and onto the grill. Quick wipe of the counter and I'm done.
When buying meat at a grocery store, please bag it like you do produce. That prevents meat slime from getting on the carts and cashier's conveyor.