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Facts About Germs
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.
- 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.
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.
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This 5 Ways to Avoid Germs During Holiday Travel post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.
VeriPur Hand Sanitizer Moisturizer – The Perfect Solution for Cold & Flu Season
My wife and I are diligent when it comes to trying to avoid germs. From public restrooms, to hotel rooms, you just never know. It’s no fun if you or anyone in your family gets sick on vacation.
Being sick on vacation would be so boring, especially for kids. These are good tips. I do try to wash my hands thoroughly whenever I am going to touch something for food prep, etc. I need to remember to keep those germy hands off my face.
I wish we did a better job at avoiding all the germs that infected us! I have the plague over here.
I am big on washing my hands a lot during the sickie season. These are all great and easy tips to try to avoid germs during holiday travel. Glad you shared them!
These are all good tips on how to avoid getting sick not only when on vacation but everyday. Hand washing is very important and we must teach the kids this habit.
I’m a fan of all of these products. As a mom of small kids it’s not an option for me not to have all of them on hand. My kids already know the drill.
These are really important things that you should do when you travel. I make sure that we take extra measures because my youngest tends to come home sick after a vacation.
These are great tips for avoiding getting sick this cold and flu season. You can never be too careful or wash your hands too many times.
Great tips! I need to stock up on these pediatric meds. I have a 3 year old, and a 2 month old so we are desperately trying to avoid illness this winter.
No fun to be sick at home but especially on vacation. We make sure to have a ton of citrus this time of year. Trying to fight off illness.
Germs are relentless this time of year. I wash my hands constantly.
I hate getting sick with all my being. These are some helpful ideas.
Yes on all your tips. If you ever saw me in a public restroom you may pee yourself. I also never touch public door handles and even sanitize the heck out of my house handles. These products should be kept on hand – At the beginning of fall I would do my stock up to make sure I had everything the kids needed.
Germs are terrible and can definitely make a flu last for days when you don’t prevent it! I think these are all awesome ways to follow so you can prevent getting anything during the season!
We just went on a trip to Mexico and I was so worried we would pick up germs on the way there or back! It helps to keep up with washing hands and not touching eyes/face/etc. That is definitely something the kids have to work on!
Excellent advice! It is crazy how often we touch our face! When we challenge ourselves not to do it we realize how often it occurs!
I always use my arms or butt to open and close doors. Too many germs on those doorways for my liking!
Earlier this year, we took our dream trip to Florida and did Disney World. First time the kids were on a plane and gone on vacation that far away from home. Problem is as soon as we landed my middle son was sick. It didn’t ruin our trip but it wasn’t the best for him! The first thing we bought in US was ADVIL.
I sometimes go as far as wearing a face mask to protect myself. I get so sick of getting grossness for the holidays that I don’t care how I look, haha!
We always have them on emergency kit! And it is very effective to prevent germs from my kids.
Everyone hates germs and it’s totally important that you get rid or avoid them during the Holidays! I think these are great ways to avoid germs and sickness in general especially when you’re on vacation.
These tips are great. There are germs everywhere and if I really stop to think about it, I would be forced to stay home because of the fear of all of those germs. Instead, I will use these tips, thanks for sharing!
These are all such great tips. This time of year everyone seems to get sick too. My daughters have already gone through the stomach bug and it’s going around our area sadly. Hoping to not get anyone else sick before the holidays.
Awesome tips! It’s that time when germs are everywhere! We gotta do our best to keep our kids and ourselves healthy especially during this season!
These are such great tips! I always worry about germs when traveling, but more so during the holidays. I always keep sanitizer and wipes with me and wipe everything down!
These are really great tips. Last thing you want anytime but especially when travelling is to get sick.