Kiss Me; But Don’t Shake My Hand!
A recent report warns that the risk of infection from the shake of a hand is far greater than that from a kiss. The report also noted that regular hand washing might be more effective than drugs in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS.
Germs that cause stomach infections such as salmonella, E. coli, staph bacteria, campylobacter and norovirus can circulate directly from person to person via hand contact.
Of course, they are a part of normal ecology so you shouldn’t be afraid of them.
Simply washing your hands well with soap and water will help you break the chain. Try to avoid antibacterial soaps. They kill both good and bad bacteria, which contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Furthermore, the active ingredient in most antibacterial products is triclosan, which doesn’t only kill bacteria and inhibit bacterial growth, but has also been shown to kill human cells.
So kiss and avoid shaking hands! Other benefits of kissing include the release of oxytocin (a hormone which has a calming effect on the body); and a doubling of calories burned for the duration of the kiss compared to your normal basal metabolic rate!