My Mamma Always Said...

...That the reason I didn't get sick was because i was exposed to lots of germs as a kid.  I think that this theory moves forward into my time in the classroom.  I was sick a couple times each year as a teacher.  My last year in the classroom was 2006, and, no exaggeration, I haven't been sick once.  Ok, so I have had The Cocktail Flu a few times, but not so much as a cold since then.  You know what I didn't do in that time?  Shy away from snot-layered Kindergarteners, douse my hands in sanitizer, or segregate the sick kids.  So here is my mom's lack of germophobia and all you dirty, dirty kids that have developed my super-immune system!From Slashdot.org:Young people who are overexposed to antibacterial soaps containing triclosan may suffer more allergies, and exposure to higher levels of Bisphenol A among adults may negatively influence the immune system, a new University of Michigan School of Public Health study suggests (abstract, full paper [PDF]). Triclosan is a chemical compound widely used in products such as antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, pens, diaper bags and medical devices. Bisphenol A is found in many plastics and, for example, as a protective lining in food cans. Both of these chemicals are in a class of environmental toxicants called endocrine-disrupting compounds, which are believed to negatively impact human health by mimicking or affecting hormones."