One of the major stressors; in our society is; advertising spree on print and electronic media; of products detrimental to the individual and universal welfare.

Whether we create and telecast these ill conceived, ill informed, ill intentioned and ill informing advertisements; or are victims of them; in both cases; we unconsciously undergo pathological stress; and ruin ourselves and others.

Unknowingly; we undergo stress; as we create laws, policies, rules and administrative system; which promote manufacture, promotion, and use of harmful products; or we use and support them passively.

The case in point is; the advertisements of disinfectants, washing powders, washing bars, toilet soaps, tooth powders and water filters!

The illusory fear of germs; is conceived and spread by us; through the media systematically, followed by suitable policies, plans and programs; to benefit the manufacture, marketing and sale of germicides; in various forms!

We blatantly claim anywhere from 90 to 99 percent disinfection, when no one knows the number of organisms; before and after the use of a particular disinfectant!

But some of us; because of ignorance, indolence and non-receptivity to wisdom; believe and fall prey to these; and be party to spread the “stress of germs” and “germs of stress”!

Actually the medical science is in total agreement on the fact that the “germ theory”, which proposed that the germ is a singular cause of infective and infectious diseases, is far from being completely true. If it were to be true; then in the mass of germs, which include; viruses, bacteria, ricketssiae, fungi, protozoa and so on; constitutes; approximately 100 times the mass of us; we would have been extinct long back.

Moreover; the germs are not always harmful. There are symbiotic (beneficially dependent on each other), commensals (harmlessly coexisting together) and saprophytes (living on dead tissues), which are harmless and/or useful germs.

Even those germs, which can infect and harm us (referred to as virulent or pathogenic); do so; only when our immune system i.e. body resistance is relatively inefficient and/or their number is excessively increased, in very short time; and hence we cannot resist.

What is true about disinfectants, soap and germicides; is also true for tooth pastes and water filters and/or mineral water bottles.

If we rise above the considerations of monitory profit; and also rise above our foolishness and ignorance; and explore our conscience; then we would be able to live free of “germs of stress” and “stress of germs”! We would live far more healthily and happily, as; our hitherto neglected conscience; the door to swadharma, true self and God, would be open! This is possible through selfless practice of NAMASMARAN.

If we do this, then we would realize that the soaps, disinfectants, and germicides; destroy the natural oil (sebum) and useful organisms in our skin, dry it and make it lusterless and vulnerable to infections and render our sewage and sullage (the silt washed down); detrimental to the fertility of our soil; and the fact that; what we need urgently; is the adequate supply of safe drinking water.

Excellent information about natural alternatives (such as lemon, honey, ritha, gram flour, neem, cow urine) to soap, disinfectants, tooth pastes and water filters; can be found in several excellent books on stress management, yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy.