Amid our holiday bustle, let us pause to consider the
wonders of soap and its personal hygiene cousins.
Public health documentation indicates that the introduction
of bathing, and bathing with soap, was the turning point to send disease rates
downward in a number of infectious disease events from the mid-1800s through
the late 20th century. The disease downturns often came years, if not
decades, ahead of vaccine development. [i]
(Parents of the civilized world, now you can show your
children the written evidence that bathing with soap is truly a benefit to
individual and public health. “And use soap!” should not be limited to the
speech of June Cleaver, after all.)
So when our neighbors in need at the Mission show up with a
need for hygiene items, we pay attention. You see, the study also shows what
our practical experience affirms: without effective and ongoing personal
hygiene, the possibility of suffering infections and infectious disease goes up
substantially. Simply put, their health suffers without soap, shampoo,
deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes and
the other commodities that figure into staying clean.
Homelessness and poverty often make staying clean a
challenge. You can imagine sleeping outdoors, having to walk some distance to
secure a shower, and then trying to launder your clothing (or find new) in an
effort to keep rashes and sores to a minimum. Can you imagine how difficult it
is to maintain the positive effects of that shower without soap and shampoo,
much less laundry detergent?
For many of our homeless and impoverished neighbors,
it’s an everyday challenge that can actually be worse in Colorado winters than
summers.
The increase in families and individuals stopping by to
secure the basics of life has drained our shelves of health and hygiene items
of late. We need the simple stuff—soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes,
feminine care products, diapers, deodorant—to help hundreds of families and
individuals avoid skin and wound infections as well as communicable disease in
the next few weeks. Can you help? Any size of any hygiene product is welcome.
A little soap (and it hygienic cousins) will work wonders
today, just as it has for centuries before.
[i] The Soap and Detergent
Association, “Against Disease: The impact of hygiene and cleanliness on health.”
November 2008. Accessed at http://www.againstdisease.com/documents/SDA_Against_Disease_final_cover_11808.pdf.
Face it, you always knew Mom was right.
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