Eating with bare hands - risky or not?

One NYC hospital decided to do something about the high rate of nasty infections people get in hospitals .They re-educated doctors and nurses to WASH their hands .The infection rate dropped in HALF !!...You could carry packets of wipes. Even rinsing with water will help.
 
Are you saying they did not wash their hands normally Mete?
Even Pizza joints have signs everywhere reminding staff to wash regularly.
 
Danno4017 said:
Rich_S = BillyGoat :D
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I actually read an article a few weeks back that said a new research study indicated that all of these serious food allergies you hear about nowadays may be due to the fact that we're not exposing ourselves to enough germs any more (because of antibacterial hand soap and such). Basically you're immune system wants to kill stuff, if you don't give it enough stuff to kill, it'll start to set it sights on your own body when triggered by allergens.
 
I lost my eating irons on the trail last year and fashioned chopsticks out of some birtch sticks.Then I had to teach the others how to eat with them.That was the hardest part.(not to mention the funniest)
Unless you have been digging in some really funky stuff I don't see a problem with eating with your hands.
 
Rich_S said:
I actually read an article a few weeks back that said a new research study indicated that all of these serious food allergies you hear about nowadays may be due to the fact that we're not exposing ourselves to enough germs any more (because of antibacterial hand soap and such). Basically you're immune system wants to kill stuff, if you don't give it enough stuff to kill, it'll start to set it sights on your own body when triggered by allergens.
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Thats right Rich.
If we do not watch out we will all be bubble boys.
 
Danno, YES !!! Hospital staffs have forgotten the basics and must be retrained [as that study proved] !! As for fast food places the sign ,especially if only in English ,doesn't insure that it's followed .Don't even assume that typical "educated" people know anything about hygiene. That's why during summertime there is a large number of cases of food poisoning !!
 
I think most of the organisms that cause food-borne illness exist where there are people around. Kitchens are always some of the dirtiest places we have. The only time I've had "gastrointenstinal uneasiness" was from a restaurant, not from anything ol' mama nature provided directly...

And Rich, hit the nail right on the head....

Mete, diseases have been virtually eliminated that way in the past - surgical infection and bubonic plague for example. Should be common sense and yet.....just complacency, I guess.

That being said, I do keep one blade as a 'clean' blade for food...
 
mete said:
Danno, YES !!! Hospital staffs have forgotten the basics and must be retrained [as that study proved] !! As for fast food places the sign ,especially if only in English ,doesn't insure that it's followed .Don't even assume that typical "educated" people know anything about hygiene. That's why during summertime there is a large number of cases of food poisoning !!
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I hear what you are saying mate.
I am very particular where I eat because I have worked at so many food outlets over the years.

Dante's Inferno it seems is Hospital staff working in a Buffet all you can eat Restaurant.
 
Mete,
One of the problems I think is the same people that take a crap at the toilets in some Bar and do not wash their hands are the ones working in a Hospital doing major open surgery.
Its a cultural thing, I have 4 kids and Hygiene is a major teaching/learning point.
Punters nowadays have not been taught because their parents were substance abusing slobs in some cases or could not care less people in other cases.
Its taught at home.
 
Hands were invented first, lol. So long as you're not scratching someone elses arse...:eek: ...:D
 
Not having soap is more of an inconvenience than a show-stopper in terms of hand washing. Assuming you have adequate clean water, scrube your hands with just the water and you can do a good job. Even with the fanciest anti-bacterial soaps, the primary mode of eliminating pathogens from your hands is the mechanical removal by the rubbing/scrubbing and the rinsing water. The soap just makes it a little easier.

Lots of water, adequate time, and proper technique are more important than soap.
 
Danno, are you suggesting Rich_S might twist his head around to where he can pee on his beard because he's firmly convinced the ladies will like the aroma? :D

I'm sure many of you have never been around goats and don't have a clue what I'm talking about!
 
Pentlatch said:
Most evergreen trees make good hand cleaners just grab a handful of newer growth rub them between your hands and dig your fingernails into the soft branch ends . Many plants have anti-bacterial properties - learn the ones in your neighbourhood.

Get rid of the store bought anti-bacterial hand cleaners - they are bad for the environment and ultimately all of us leading to drug resistant super diseases.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa029&articleID=024FEAE8-E7F2-99DF-323D8E02C4E48BF6
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Really good point:thumbup:
Pine trees certainly do contain disinfecting agents, a good rub down in dry sand(when available)can clean up hands well .

My worries are decent water to drink and cook with.

That said, as many others have observed, restaurants are the biggest sources of food poisoning and suchlike. If you installed a camera in a toilet you'd be staggered by the numbers of people who never wash their hands then head off to touch every door handle, stair rail and other peoples hands in sight:barf:

My girl-friend tells the same story on her visits to public toilets...so gender,class,race,age,religion play NO role! Unhygenic slobs are all around us, so maybe the primitivism of the wilderness is a lot more wholesome:D and er, your own bacteria is preety benign, its other peoples' that is the danger!
 
Normark I just about scared the hell outta the office I was laughing so hard!


Rich_S, you couldn't be more right. Kids are also showing up CRAZY sick and allergic to just about everything because mum and dad won't let them get dirty and keep shovin hand sanitizer all over them. Speaking of which...

Check this out... http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp

Use your hands!
 
Hey Guys..

LOL

Good to see someone else has a Twisted sense of humor..:)

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
probably the thing that you should worry about the most is giardia. Unfortunately, humans have carried that into the most remote areas of north america, and the animals in the area keep it around as they are vectors. No water source in NA should be considered contamination free. As an aside, assuming that you are cooking only for yourself, you should be less worried about washing after wiping your own arse, then washing after wiping your buddies. For the most part, what you are already carrying wonn't make you sick(er), it is what your camping companions are carrying (and what is already in the environment) that you should worry about.

I carry the ethanol gel hand sanitizer for quick jobs and soap for general cleaning.
 
try to eat as much bacteria as possible this will build a natural resistance and keep you free from illnesses ;)


okay, i carry a fork and spoon with me and try to cook everything i eat :D
 
hlee said:
you should be less worried about washing after wiping your own arse, then washing after wiping your buddies.

I carry the ethanol gel hand sanitizer for quick jobs and soap for general cleaning.
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I think there may be a bigger problem here, than hand sanitizer. :rolleyes:

Doc
 
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