The Germ Files: Health-Conscious, Nutritious, Life-Changing Facts about the Microbes that Share Our Bodies and Our World

Description

Does for microbiology what Dr Joe Schwarcz's Brain Fuel (Anchor, 2010) did for chemistry: informs and entertains with accessible mini-essays. Jason Tetro, author of The Germ Code (Doubleday, 2013, also available), is back with a very different book but the same message: microbes are amazing, they deserve our respect and we should learn to live with them in harmony.The Germ Files is a series of brief, brilliant essays, arranged into themes such as health, child care, sex and the environment.

JASON TETRO is a microbiologist who has spent the last 25 years learning about the effect germs have on our lives. In 2007, he ventured out of the lab and into the TV studio for a Q&A news segment on CTV Ottawa as "The Germ Guy." He has since broadcast and written for a wide range of media, including the Toronto Star, Scientific American, The Huffington Post, the CBC and his own blog. In 2011, he was awarded an honourary PhD in Social Media from Social Media University Global in recognition of his work to improve hand hygiene through social media using the hashtag #handhygiene, which has now been adopted by the World Health Organization. He lives in Toronto.

National Bestseller "Jason Tetro has provided an owner's manual for the trillions of personal organisms that we cannot live without. It's an easy read guide to how they participate in health, food, beauty and even sex. It will change the way you look at your entire being." -Bob McDonald, host, CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks "Reading this book is like going on safari with a smart and experienced adventure guide. Sit back as Tetro brings into focus a world of magnificent microscopic creatures, and reveals what their fascination behaviour means for human well-being." -Ziya Tong, Host, Daily Planet, Discovery Channel. "When you flush the toilet, keep the lid down. If you want fresh breath, chew a stick of gum for two minutes. The Germ File is filled with incredibly practical advice like that, backed by the latest scientific evidence. Jason Tetro curates a breezy take on the bacteria, viruses, fungi and other little beasties among us. But behind the easy read is an important message. Some germs are our best friends. Others are our worst enemies. Knowing which is which makes your life better and might one day even save it." -Brian Goldman, host, CBC Radio's White Coat, Black Art