Have you washed your hands lately?

Soap, and a little help from nature, can keep germs at bay

When we were kids, we were often told to wash our hands and to avoid contact with what we would later know as our mucous membranes (such as those lining the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth). Without a vehicle providing a ride for the foreign matter into the body, no penetration of the bacteria Occurs.

This homespun caveat is, actually, an offshoot of the germ-theory of disease, introduced by Louis Pasteur in the 1800s. Pasteur believed that disease manifests itself through the complex interactions of the host (you), your environment, and the introduction of the germ.

Skin is one of the first lines of defense against the entry of pathogenic organisms. It, therefore, behooves us to keep our skin in a healthy, sanitized condition. Cleanliness benefits us far beyond avoiding a case of the sniffles, though. Hepatitis A, and other undesirable "nasties," can be transmitted by preparing food contaminated by residual fecal material appearing on hands.

Health-food stores offer a number of cleansing products that contain herbs with antibacterial properties. Look for preparations that feature such ingredients as aloe vera, goldenseal, St. John's wort, eucalyptus, tea tree oil, ginger, or grapefruit seed extract.

St. John's wort can do more than cheer you up

Various herbal ointments, creams, and poultice materials are available that may help heal wounds and skin ulcers. St. John's wort, the herb best known for its use as an antidepressive, is one of them. It has a long history of usage as a wound-healing substance.

Recently, further information regarding St. John's wort's lesser known capabilities has emerged from the journal Lancet. It reported that low concentrations of a substance found in St. John's wort--hyperforin--may kill certain strains of bacteria.

Another study published in the Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine has shown St. John's wort extract to be an effective bactericidal agent against a number of bacteria in test-tube studies, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (often likes to reside in a bathroom environment), Proteus vulgaris (bacteria found in feces, water, and soil), and Staphylococcus aureus (frequently responsible for abscesses, endocarditis, impetigo, pneumonia, and septicemia (infection in which the pathogen has invaded the bloodstream).

Other germ-fighting herbs

Another herb revered for its antibacterial activity is goldenseal. James Duke, Ph.D., states that goldenseal's antiseptic influence is due largely to its berberine and hydrastine content.

In their book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., say that aloe vera has excellent astringent, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, when applied externally, and that it can heal burns and wounds by stimulating cell regeneration. Tea tree oil has gained credibility for disinfecting wounds and healing virtually all skin conditions, including athlete's foot, fungal infections, and herpes outbreaks.

Louis Pasteur's primary objective was to establish the causative role of microbes as they relate to the host's terrain, meaning the organisms internal and external environment. Little question remains as to whether internal and external cleanliness is of advantage. Prompt healing of surface wounds to negate the easier entry of pathogens into the internal environment is obviously essential.

So, "Have you washed your hands?"

REFERENCES

Balch, James, M.D., and Balch, Phyllis A., C.N.C. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

Capra, Fritjof. The Turning Point. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, 1988.

Duke, James, A., Ph.D. The Green Pharmacy. Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 1996.

Edlin, Gordon, et al. Health and Wellness. 6th ed. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett, 1999.

Schempp, Christoph, et al. Antibacterial activity of hyperforin from St. John's wort, against multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus and gram-positive bacteria. The Lancet 353:2129, 1999.

Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine, Winter Issue. Seattle, Wash.: 297, 1997.

Patricia A. Young, Ph.D. is a licensed and certified nutritionist and received her Ph.D. from the Institute of Nutritional Science, San Diego, Calif. She serves on the International Nutrition Board.

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