Why Dirt Is Good: 5 Ways to Make Germs Your Friends. This item is unavailable.Why Dirt Is Good: 5 Ways to Make Germs Your Friends

""The archetypal link between dirt and guilt, and cleanliness and innocence is built into our language,"" says journalist Katherine Ashenburg. But Dr. Mary Ruebush counters that with the fact that Western civilization's obsession with antibacterial soaps and our quest to be clean all the time is actually making us sick.

Why Dirt is Good is a fun look at the plus side of dirt and germs. Complete with cartoons, the book features irreverant yet medically sound advice that illustrates how we can become healthier by exposing ourselves to a bit of dirt and germs. Divided into four parts, the book will explore through text and cartoons:

Part 1

• Dirt = good, antibiotics = bad

Part 2

• How your immune system really works
• How the immune system develops in children

Part 3

• What a germ or bug is trying to do to prolong its life in the presence of antibacterials and antibiotics

Part 4

• What you can do to make your immune system healthier

To boost your immune system and stay healthy, make friends with dirt! Do you believe the best way to protect yourself and your family from germs is to clean everything with antibacterial soap? If so, get ready to be surprised, informed, and entertained! In "Why Dirt Is Good", immunologist Dr. Mary Ruebush shows you why our obsession with cleanliness may be making us more vulnerable to disease and creating a new generation of superbugs! In these pages, you'll discover: why everyone needs a little dirt in their lives; the downside of antibacterial cleansers and hand sanitizers; the 5 Rules to boost your immune system - and make your kids stronger and healthier (Rule #1: Let them eat dirt!); why sometimes the best way to treat an illness is to do nothing (especially with kids' ear infections!); how a little dirt may help protect your child from allergies and asthma; what you can do to prevent so-called superbugs - by avoiding the unnecessary use of antibiotics and antibacterials; and, entertaining cartoons, irreverent (yet medically sound) advice, and expert tips on vaccinations, medicines, staying healthy, and much more.

Mary Ruebush, PhD, is a microbiology and immunology instructor for Kaplan Medical. She has taught immunology, infectious disease, and pathology in medical school settings for over 30 years. Her studies on viruses, parasites, and bacteria have been published in scholarly journals. She is the mother of two children and lives in Bozeman, Montana.