Do monkeys take long showers?

Here at home, I usually take long showers. Because I can. We live in an area of abundance of water.  So rich in water that we know that it is only a matter of time before we get climate-change refugees 'streaming' into our state from the east and south.

But, when traveling, especially in India, it is always a quick "bath," as they say in the old country.  My father is always surprised at my quick turnaround.  This past trip too it happened.  "You are already done?," he asked me. I told him that Uncle RM, who was known for his "காக்கா குளியல்" (to mean that he had very, very quick baths) remarked that the less we bathe the better it is.

Bathing less is better.  Sounds contrarian, right?  But then he was a contrarian.

Anyway, I continued with my father my explanation of some ways in which RM was right.  Bathing, with or without soaping ourselves, dries up the skin.  I then quoted my doctor's advice, that most of the water and soap should be only for a few specific parts of the body.  You know well what they are, correct?

As it always happens, I didn't get no respect ;)

Think about it.  We humans are animals.  How often do you see other mammals taking leisurely baths?  Most would rather not go anywhere near water other than to drink it.

I don't mean to suggest that we stop showering.  Hell no.  But, if we start from that point of departure that the largest organ--the skin--needs to be treated with care, then we will think about showers also very differently.

There’s no hard and fast rule for this although dermatologists agree that as a society, we shower too often.
Many of us douche daily, however, if you’re not doing anything too strenuous, you can shower every other day, not smell offensive and ensure your skin retains those vital oils that too much washing depletes.

Perhaps I now have your attention.  How about washing clothes then?  Changing the linen?  How frequent should these activities be?

Aha, got you thinking, eh!

I tell ya, even the underwear you can rethink:

While the thought of reusing your undergarments for days on end might make some people shudder, an underwear line from Danish company, Organic Basics, has certainly grabbed our attention. The company claims that you don’t have to wash a pair for weeks as its products kill bacteria and odours, leaving you feeling fresh and clean.

For once, an ad that doesn't use female models but only objectifies men, eh ;)  What is with the tattoos though?

Yes, there is a reason for this post--it is getting hot here.

Source

We are under a heat advisory!

The heat makes me sweat. Don't worry--I will shower!