Reassessing Our Approach To Spring Cleaning For Better Health

I have always been someone who looks forward to jumping into spring cleaning mode. There is just something about the fresh start that comes with tidying up and getting rid of the clutter. However, I stumbled upon some fascinating facts that might make me reconsider my cleaning approach to scrubbing every corner of the house.

According to Elizabeth McCormick, author of Inside OUT: Human Health and the Air-Conditioning Era, there is a reason we need to embrace a little bit of messiness in our homes.  Elizabeth McCormick is an assistant professor of architecture and building technology at the University of North Carolina. She suggests that our homes need a dose of what she calls "good bacteria."

This is a concept that seems to make sense to me.  In the article I found in Newsweek, McCormick's explanation about the importance of a "microbial network" in our living spaces makes perfect sense. Of course, it is not about living in filth, but recognizing that our obsession with sterilizing everything might be doing more harm than good. I have a steam cleaner that has attachments that I use after guests use my bathroom or shower.  I think the hot water sterilizes everything.  Maybe I need to reconsider sterilizing things so much.

The idea of the "hygiene hypothesis" got me thinking. To think that our obsessive cleanliness could be depriving our immune systems of the chance to adapt and protect us naturally is eye-opening. Our well-intentioned efforts to protect ourselves and our families from germs could in fact be contributing to allergies and other health issues.

Byram Bridle, an associate professor of viral immunology at the University of Guelph, explains that exposure to a range of molecules and microorganisms is extremely important for building immunological tolerance.  Being exposed to germs and bacteria is especially in childhood.  Well, that makes a good enough argument to me for easing up on the cleaning frenzy!

So, perhaps it's time to reevaluate our approach to spring cleaning. Instead of striving for clinical cleanliness, maybe we should find a healthy balance that allows for the presence of those beneficial germs.  This shift in mindset might just lead to a healthier, more resilient household in the long run.

With that in mind, I think I'll take McCormick and Bridle's advice and give the Swiffer a rest—for now, at least.

Apple announced that its smash hit series, Ted Lasso, is coming back for its third season this spring! Ted Lasso kicked off back in 2020 and immediately won the hearts of soccer fans, and really, anyone with a soul. The American coach, played by Jason Sudeikis, has a sweet disposition and became an immediate fan favorite.

Per Variety, during the Television Critics Association’s winter 2023 press tour, there was a panel that featured Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence and writer/star Brett Goldstein promoting their upcoming comedy series Shrinking. When asked about Ted Lasso during the panel, Lawrence was tight-lipped but said, “I’ve seen cuts, and it’s f---ing amazing.”

People reports that season 3 will introduce two new characters: Girls' Becky Ann Baker will portray Ted's mom, and Jodi Balfour, best known for her role in the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind, will play a venture capitalist. They also report that there will be "new blood" on the AFC Richmond team.

Here is what we know about this new season so far:

This intense standoff between Nate and Lasso gives us just a taste of what to expect coming up.

All we know is that it comes out in the spring. Fingers crossed that they mean early spring rather than late spring because we cannot wait!

This was QUITE the cliffhanger. We are excited to see how this pans out. An epic Nate and Ted showdown may occur. Would that be awesome? Or upsetting? We can't be sure.

Its' worth noting that Apple TV+'s season three announcement did not include the words "final season.” It's been widely reported that the series was intended to have just three seasons. Brett Goldstein has gone on record saying as much. So you're saying that there's a chance it might go on longer? Maybe not; in June, Brett Goldstein, who plays Roy Kent and serves as a writer on Ted Lasso, said that the show's third season would be its swan song. He told the public that Ted Lasso was always going to be “just three.” You never know, though. As we mentioned before, Ted Lasso is a smash hit. How can they take it away from us like this? Perhaps their time isn’t up just yet.

Regardless, grab the biscuits, because more Ted Lasso is on the horizon.