Washing Your Clothes Before Wearing Before Them Is Not Just For The Compulsively Clean

In Ayurveda and in allopathic medicine, skin is considered the largest organ of the body.  It is an organ because it fulfills the definition of an organ, which is a group of related cells that combine together to perform one or more specific functions within the body. Skin performs several functions vital to the survival and health of the body, such as protecting most of the body's other vital organs (like heart, lungs and kidneys) and protecting the stronger body structures of bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves.  The skin shields those organs from biological, chemical and mechanical attacks by outside forces. For example, a cut in the skin can produce blood loss, but the healing properties of the skin limit the loss of blood.

Therefore, the skin itself should be cared for to promote its health and strength to accomplish its huge body responsibility.  Certain chemicals can harm the skin and even penetrate its barriers which would make the skin less able to shield the body from potential harm.

Most new clothing has chemicals that are used during the manufacturing process.  Many people are allergic to these chemicals.  Further, new clothing has been shown to contain respiratory secretions, skin flora, fecal flora and yeast.  Finally to really up the yuck factor, some people have become sick from trying on new clothing from things like lice and scabies. Unfortunately, the process of clothing manufacturing involves many steps and many places, so it is easy for clothing to get contaminated.

Most people are healthy and hopefully have a strong immunity not to get sick from the potential contaminates, but today as the toxic load from many chemicals increase and weaken our body, we need to limit our exposure as much as possible.  Washing new clothes is a relatively easy way to avoid the contaminates. Alternatively, running them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes can disinfect clothing too.  It is also a good idea to keep on some clothes while trying on new clothing at a store (and wash those clothes when you get home).  Be sure to wash your hands after shopping and handling clothes.  

New clothing makes us feel beautiful and happy.  Washing the clothing will make us beautiful inside and out.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa