YUCK! Want germs?

Here are two ways that colds and flu are spread quickly that you may not even think about.  In fact, you may be guilty of doing at least one of them.  The first is something that happens in many homes.  It is done by the hostess at a party or the man or woman serving dessert.

They get up to go and get the birthday cake.  Or valentine cake, anniversary cake, any cake...or pie for that matter.  They need to cut more than one slice, of course.  The cake knife gets full of frosting after the first cut, making it almost impossible to cut a second.  What do they do?

They run their fingers across the knife and then lick their fingers!  Then they proceed to cut other slices, using that saliva filled hand to handle the pieces of cake as they put them on plates.  YUCK!  Presto, instant germs from their mouth to yours.  Most people don't even think about how unsanitary that is.  They are licking away on their fingers in front of the family and guests and happily passing the germs...er, cake...to the others.  No one says anything.  It would be rude, right? Who wants to put the hostess on the spot?  Yikes.

The second way that I want to mention is so common that I bet hundreds of colds and stomach flu's get spread this way and most people don't even realize it is being done to them.  We all eat at restaurants.  Most of us drink coffee.  Well, watch what happens the next time your server refills your cup.

Invariably, she or he rests the lip of the pot up against your cup, right where you lips have been.  If you are carrying any cold or flu germs they now transfer to the pouring lip of the pot and move on to the next person getting a refill.  Not to mention that you inherited the saliva germs of the person before you.  See that guy that looks like he hasn't seen a toothbrush in about a week?  Yeah, he just got a refill right before you.  Yummy!

I have mentioned this to servers, in a kind way.  I try to tell them I am just giving them some friendly advice.  They look at me like I am from another galaxy.  Really, I blame the restaurant owners.  They should be smart enough to instruct the servers not to do that.  If you think about it, common sense should be at work here.

I am not unusually worried about germs.  I just notice how everyone wants all kinds of cleaners for all kinds of purposes that kill all kinds of germs...but they don't blink when either of these two thing occur.  Something to think about next time you go to coffee.  Or a birthday party.

Me?  I seldom get colds or flu.  I take oil of oregano every day.  One capsule, unless I am going to be around someone ill.  Then I increase to 3 a day for 3 or 4 days.  If I know in advance that I will be visiting where there is illness (or you could be working where people are ill) I start taking 3 a day right away and continue for a week.  We have done this for about 7 years.  I have had one cold in that time that lasted longer than about a day.  Same with my husband.

That one cold was this fall, and I had forgotten to take my oil of oregano a few times.  It you decide to try it, make sure you take it on a full stomach with a full glad of water or you will get the heartburn from hell.  It works for preventing illness better than anything I know of.  Medical doctors say studies have not been done so it can't be proven.  Fine.  I will just keep on being free of colds and flu while you harp about studies.

Even so, I hate seeing these two things happen.  There is something really gross about other peoples saliva touching my cake or coffee.  Kind of ruins the enjoyment I otherwise would have had. Bon Appetit!