Antibacterial Soaps

Germs, germs, we are all afraid of germs. There are basically two theories regarding germs: host resistance and the germ theory. I am a fan of host resistance myself, which basically means, that if a person does what they can to remain healthy, they will be healthy. I do not believe that germs are out to get us, as the germ theory would have us believe. We are and always have been surrounded by various bacteria and viruses throughout time. The determining factor of whether or not we succumb to the "germ" is how healthy our bodily resistance is. Many people have turned to antibacterial soaps as the end all solution to those nasty germs, which in fact, has made us more susceptible to getting sick. The main reason for this is the fact that almost all antibacterial soaps contain the active ingredient called Triclosan. Triclosan is also in ointments, toothpaste, clothing, etc. In fact, it is hard to find a single product in a mainstream supermarket which does not contain Triclosan. You may be saying to yourself, "big deal, what is so bad about this chemical?" There is growing evidence that Triclosan can cause allergies in children, as well as contribute to the development of MRSA, which is a very nasty antibiotic resistant superbug. What strikes me as very odd about Triclosan is that it has been used in various products for thirty or so years. It was first introduced in the health care setting in the early 70's. The use of Triclosan in many products has escalated over the past decade. This is very concerning because there is growing evidence that this chemical can cause anything from allergies to MRSA, as already mentioned, yet, it continues to be manufactured into more and more products.
To add insult to injury, Triclosan is not removed from water at treatment plants! It has been shown to slow down the transformation of tadpoles into adult frogs, thus, could be classified as what is called a hormone disrupter, meaning quite obviously, that it does just that. The hormone system in humans is very complex and involves minute amounts of hormones to activate certain functions in the body. Any chemical able to disrupt this system to any degree, should be banned. This chemical can also accumulate in tissues and contaminate breast milk.
In knowing this, I would be vigilant in choosing personal care products. There are many healthy options to choose instead of antimicrobial soaps which perform better and do not have ill effects, such as essential oils, as well as products sold in natural food stores and food cooperatives. I would do my research and find a viable alternative free from Triclosan. The environment and your body will be grateful you did!