Germs On The Treadmill

I have a rare cold. I'm not one to get sick, actually, so when it happens I'm very surprised.

It's not a comfortable feeling but it doesn't get me down. I'm really looking at it halfway pleasantly, because it just reminds me of how well I always am. But I'm wondering how I got it.

There's one thing that's been weighing on my mind. And that's the very unfortunate coincidence of reading last week that you're not supposed to blow your nose anymore. That it's bad for you. So I've been sniffling and snorting and sneezing. And, yes, I have broken down and blown it a few times. To be technical, I believe it said it was OK to blow one nostril at a time, which I've been doing occasionally. Once, though, I'm pretty sure I did both at the same time.

How did I get this? Someone at work suggested that maybe I got it from the exercise place. The thought already had crossed my mind. You have all these strangers -- 24 hours a day -- working out, sweating, wiping themselves, coughing (perhaps), holding on to the grips of the treadmill or the handles of the elliptical. It's a wonder I'm not always sick!

You're supposed to clean off the equipment with a disinfectant towel, which I always do, but I notice not everyone does. (It's like cleaning up poop after your dog goes in the yard. I'm very conscientious and regular about it. But there are neighbors who don't give it a thought.) So what happens to me, maybe I touch my face, whatever, now I have a cold.

I'm very wary about germs but not to the point of disabling me. Plus I know that disinfectant towels might miss some, and with the way that certain germs are not wiped out, whatever doesn't kill them only makes them stronger. The strong survive and repopulate the treadmill. Then their strong offspring are immune to the disinfectant towels. Pretty soon they're strong enough they're working out themselves on the equipment and we're standing in line till they're through.

Everything is germy. But most of us have developed some immunity. The catbox, the garbage, the dog's droppings, the sponge in the sink, the toilets, bacon packages, the list goes on and on.