Coprophagia

O.k. I know this is totally gross. I am warning you now. Don't read on if you have a weak stomach. I took a serious soul search before writing this cause I believe the post could be written effectively without the following included, but I left it in because I believe it makes a strong, memorable point, and I want you to think outside the box. I encourage everyone to ask questions and think for themselves instead of just going along with the status quo. Basically to pull our heads out of our butts! (You'll see why this is relevant in a sec.!)

Coprophagia or coprophagy is the consumption of feces, from the Greek κόπρος copros ("feces") and φαγεῖν phagein ("to eat"). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia

Recently on the news I heard there was feces found on people's cell phones. This is gross yes, but I want to make a point that the real dangers of germs ect. lie elsewhere and I wanted to bring attention to those dangers, not to encourage consumption of DooDoo. In certain circumstances there are actually medical benefits to it. The risks listed in number 3 below are more easily contracted elsewhere and that's the point of this post. I can also think of better ways to heal than the below prescriptions,(Say, Probiotics...) but that's a whole seperate post!

Medical aspects of Coprophagia according to Wikipedia.
1. Centuries ago, physicians used to taste their patients' excretions, to better judge their state and condition.[6]
2. Fecal bacteriotherapy is when feces from a close relative or spouse are given to patients suffering from intractable diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile. The purpose is to repopulate the intestines with the normal gut flora (intestinal bacteria) to decimate the clostridium. The healthy stool is administered by nasogastric tube, enema, or in a capsule.
3. Consuming other people's feces carries the risk of contracting diseases and bacteria spread through fecal matter, such as E. coli, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, pneumonia, polio, and influenza. Coprophagia also carries a risk of contracting intestinal parasites.
4. Lewin (2001) reports that "... consumption of fresh, warm camel feces has been recommended by Bedouins as a remedy for bacterial dysentery; its efficacy (probably attributable to the antibiotic subtilisin from Bacillus subtilis) was confirmed by German soldiers in Africa during World War II."[7] The introduction of foreign bacteria into the human GI tract via infusion of fecal enemas is, moreover, an established medical practice in cases of ulcerative colitis, especially where the patient's own intestinal flora has been significantly depleted by antibiotic therapy applied for other maladies.[8]

Remember, germs are generally benign. In fact, according to Scientific American:"Most bacteria are well-behaved companions. Indeed, if you are ever feeling lonely, remember that the trillions of microbes living in and on the average human body outnumber the human cells by a ratio of 10 to one. Of all the tens of thousands of known bacterial species, only about 100 are renegades that break the rules of peaceful coexistence and make us sick."

A test done by NSF International for CBS news, swabbed 30 surfaces in 22 homes - that's 660 tests in all - to check for germs in the bathroom, the kitchen, and on everyday household objects.
The germiest spots in your home? According to NSF:
1. The kitchen sponge
2. The kitchen sink
3. Toothbrush holders
A particular families toothbrush holder tested had over a thousand times more coliform bacteria than their toilet seat! CBS Co-anchor Chris Wragge observed, "It's disgusting to think that you'd be safer to basically brush your teeth in the toilet bowl."

According to Germaphobes Beware: The Dirtiest and Germiest Places in America “Clean clothes” is a whopper of an oxymoron. Anytime you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, you’re going to get E. coli on your hands. Just one soiled undergarment can spread bacteria to the whole load and the machine. Wash underwear separately (there’s about a gram of feces—a quarter the size of a small peanut—in every pair of dirty underwear), and dry for at least 45 minutes.

So. First and foremost. WASH YOUR HANDS. Use soap and warm water. (Preferably not anti-bacterial soap - Post for next week.) Lather and scrub all surfaces for 20-30 seconds. (Sing the Happy Birthday Song Twice.) Rinse hands under running water. Dry throughly. Turn the water off with the paper towel if available.

Remember, germs are everywhere. Most of them won't harm you. The ones that can are in places other than your cell phone, just ask anyone who's been to a hospital lately.