Facts About Germs

posted by Stacie on December 12, 2017 // 26 Comments »

Facts About Germs

Germs: those tiny invisible things we're constantly battling with soap, sanitizer, and bleach. Germs are pretty fascinating. Sure, they can make us sick, but they also play essential roles in our health and the environment. I am fairly certain that my kids are the biggest germ spreaders I know so I found these facts interesting. We hope that this Facts About Germs post inspires you.

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Facts About Germs

There are more germs on your body than there are people on Earth. Trillions of bacteria call you home, mostly living happily on your skin and gut. Many of these good bacteria help digest food, fight off bad bacteria, and even produce vitamins.
Our bodies are teeming with germs. We may think of germs as invaders, but the truth is, that we share our bodies with trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes. These tiny organisms outnumber our human cells by 10 to 1! And most of them are beneficial, helping us digest food, fight off pathogens, and even produce vitamins.
Germs are everywhere. Germs are on every surface we touch, in the air we breathe, and even in the food we eat. But don't panic! Most germs are harmless, and our bodies have built-in defenses to keep them in check.
Germs are outnumbering us. There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people on Earth. That's right, trillions of tiny bacteria call your mouth home, and most of them are good for you! They help break down food and keep your mouth healthy.
Some germs are super strong. Some germs, like the Tardigrade, also known as the water bear, are extremophiles. They can survive in extreme conditions that would kill most other life forms, such as boiling temperatures, cold, and even the vacuum of space!
The average person sheds millions of skin flakes every hour. Those flakes become food for dust mites, another microscopic resident sharing your space. But don't worry, most dust mites are harmless.
Your belly button is a haven for germs. With its warm, moist folds, it's the perfect place for bacteria to thrive. But unless you're experiencing any irritation, there's no need to scrub it raw.
Kissing transfers fewer germs than shaking hands. A smooch involves a quick saliva exchange, while a handshake can linger, transferring germs from multiple surfaces.
The human mouth is home to hundreds of different types of bacteria. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just weird. But they all play a role in keeping your mouth healthy.

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Some bacteria can glow in the dark. These bioluminescent bacteria live in the ocean and create an eerie, beautiful light show.
Germs can be our friends. Not all germs are bad. Some, like the bacteria in our gut, are essential for our health. They help us digest food, absorb nutrients, and even produce some vitamins. And some bacteria are being used to develop new medicines and treatments for diseases.
Germs are surprisingly smart. Some bacteria can communicate with each other, sending out chemical signals to coordinate their behavior. And some viruses have even been shown to be able to evolve and adapt to new conditions.
A single housefly can carry up to a million bacteria on its body. So be careful swatting them!
The world's largest organism is a fungus that covers 2,384 acres in Oregon. That's bigger than Central Park!
Penicillin, the world's first antibiotic, was discovered thanks to a moldy Petri dish. Alexander Fleming noticed that the mold was killing the bacteria he was studying, leading to the development of life-saving antibiotics.
Germs have been around for billions of years. They were some of the first life forms on Earth and have played a crucial role in its evolution.

The next time you think about germs remember that they're not all bad. They're an essential part of our world and play a vital role in our health and well-being. When you wash your hands or reach for the sanitizer, remember that germs are a complex and fascinating part of our world.

I just love Christmas and indeed the entire holiday season. You could say that the last three months of the year are my favorite. The weather gets cooler and we plan a few family trips around to see some snow. This picture happens to be from a trip that we took earlier this year where our family had the opportunity to go snowmobiling. The kids are still talking about riding the snowmobiles. It was such a fun afternoon riding around Lake Tahoe. That picture above is how I want our family vacations to look. What you don't know about that picture of us snowmobiling is that just the day before our daughter wasn't feeling well at all. She had a little bit of fever and just wanted to stay in bed in the hotel room, and on vacation, that means that one parent always stays back. Sometimes this is the reality of what our vacations just end up looking like:

I completely understand when this happens, and I know that it can be frustrating for everyone, especially when traveling. Kids get bored lying in bed in a place they want to explore. As a result, we tend to take extra precautions when heading into vacation season and on every trip we take. There are many things that you can do to try to avoid the spread of germs during the most wonderful time of year. Here are our 5 Ways to Avoid Germs During Holiday Travel.

Avoid Spreading Germs

Wash your hands often and use soap.
Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Clean and disinfect surfaces.
Use your elbows or the backs of your hands to touch doorknobs and faucets.
Avoid close contact with someone who is sick.

Sick Just Got Real.™- Pfizer Pediatric Products

I never want my kids to get sick and I especially try to be hyperaware of germ spreading when we travel because we come across so many people. However, sometimes sick just happens on vacation and because of this, I routinely travel with all three of these Pfizer Pediatric Products. They are the only products we use and you could say they are our go-to products when germs strike. Specifically, Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, and Children’s Dimetapp® are always in our travel first aid kit.

Children’s Advil® Suspension helps reduce a child's fever fast while easing aches and pains. Kids 2 to 11 will find great-tasting flavors like Sugar-free Dye-free Berry, Bubble Gum, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit, and Dye-Free White Grape flavors. Infants’ Advil® White Grape provides unsurpassed fever relief (among OTC pain relievers) with a syringe for easy dosing for children 6-23 months.

How I Stay One Step Ahead When Sick Gets Real

Children's Robitussin® DM Day/Night Pack (Children’s Robitussin® Cough & Chest Congestion for ages 4+ and Children’s Robitussin® Nighttime Cough Long Acting for ages 6+)** non-drowsy daytime formula helps break up chest congestion, while the long-acting nighttime formula relieves coughs and runny noses to help kids get the rest they need. Please note, that certain Children's Robitussin® products are only suitable for children ages 6 and up.

Children’s Dimetapp® Cold & Cough comes in grape flavor for children 6 and up. It helps to ease those runny and stuffy noses plus that bothersome cough.

PLEASE NOTE: It is important to remember to always read the labels completely and keep the cartons for complete warnings and dosing information on Pfizer Pediatric products and to use them only as directed.