When I was a kid, I remember getting sick quite a bit - colds, the flu, sore throats, throwing up, etc.

In high school, I took a health class where the teacher was talking about the importance of hand washing. She described in detail why one would want to wash their hands before eating, especially after handling money or touching things like door knobs that many other people have touched. I started washing my hands more often (before eating or after coming home from being out in public). Since then, I've rarely gotten sick.

What I've noticed is that very very few people wash their hands before they eat. It doesn't matter if it's a family gathering or a work gathering. For example, a co-worker will be touching his keyboard, other people's keyboard, his phone, etc. This goes on for hours. We'll go to lunch and he doesn't wash his hands before eating.

My own parents don't wash their hands that much. My dad will use the rest room, not wash his hands, and cook. He has a retainer in his mouth that bothers him so he removes it often to rinse it out (and of course usually doesn't wash or sanitize his hands before). He'll also floss in front of me often to remove stuff from his teeth. He'll then proceed to cook without washing his hands. Or reach into a bag of chips. One time he was about to reach into a bag of chips with some tarter or something that was on his teeth. I didn't say anything but was grossed out by it. We went to an event recently and he ended up getting sick and I did not. Maybe the hand washing had something to do with it.

Anyway.....I know I'm the weird one but it works as I very rarely get sick, Feel free to roast me now. :)