Let them eat dirt!

[Guest guest]

[Excessive] Cleanliness is not necessarily next to godliness.

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Dirty rats healthier than clean ones: Study

Flee-ridden wild animals had fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases

Backs theory over-sanitation is to blame for some Western health issues

Jun. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM

JOSEPH HALL

STAFF REPORTER

Dirty rats have fewer allergies and fewer instances of diabetes than

their lily-white cousins, a new study sponsored by the U.S. National

Institutes of Health says.

And what's true in rodents — with gutter rats and field mice

exhibiting far fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases than their

super-hygienic laboratory counterparts — is likely true for humans as

well, the study says.

Supporting the " let them eat dirt " theory of child rearing, the

research suggests that an overemphasis on cleanliness can actually

open rodent — and human — populations up to endemic, immune-based

ailments, says Duke University scientist Bill .

" In humans, we know that if you are very clean, or live in a very

clean country, then you have a tendency to get both allergies and

autoimmune diseases, " says , an assistant professor of

experimental surgery at the North Carolina school.

But among Third World human populations, which can face daily

onslaughts of parasites and infectious agents, the incidence of

allergies and autoimmune diseases is negligible, says.

" And that's exactly what's going on with these rats, " he says.

's research, conducted at Duke, provides a probable mechanism to

explain the long-observed phenomenon that connects hygienic societies

with increased allergies and autoimmune diseases.

In autoimmune diseases, like insulin-dependent diabetes, arthritis and

lupus, the body attacks its own tissues.

Comparing his flee-ridden wild rats with their clean and medicated

laboratory counterparts, discovered that the former had far

higher levels of the antibodies associated with allergies and

autoimmune diseases.

And while these elevated levels might have been expected to increase

the incidents of both ailments amongst the wild rodents, says

the antibodies were actually busy fighting off real-life parasites and

germs.

" In the wild rats, something in the environment was preoccupying the

allergic-type responses and the autoimmune-type response of the

rodents, " says.

While the lab rats had far lower levels of the relevant antibodies,

they also had few germs or parasites to preoccupy them. With no real

dangers to fight off, the antibodies targeted inert substances, like

pollen or the body's own tissues, for attack.

In other words, says, the lab rats' immune systems become

hypersensitive to environmental or bodily substances that would not

bother their wild counterparts in the least.

" A good analogy might be the little old person who lives alone in

their house, that has nothing else to worry about, will get upset by

the least little thing, " says.

" But if you look at somebody who's really, really had a rough life,

it's going to be like water off a duck's back when it comes to

agitating them. "

But does not argue that Third World conditions are healthier

than the relatively sanitary environments typical in the developed world.

" We don't want to substitute typhoid for the sniffles, there's no

question about that, " he says.

Nor, he says, is it likely a good idea to keep your kids dirty, or to

let them eat mud.

" Then, of course, you take a chance that they'll get some kind of

infection that causes (more) harm (than allergies), " says.

does say, however, that researchers are now working on

medicinal products that could introduce benign parasites into the body

to try and manipulate the immune system into its natural working

condition.

" The long-term goal would be to give somebody a pill, maybe at birth, "

says. " It wouldn't cause a disease, but it would stimulate the

immune system enough to prevent allergies and autoimmune disease. "

Such a technique is currently being tested with inflammatory bowel

disease patients, where porcine pinworm eggs are introduced into the

lining of the gut to fine-tune their faulty immune systems.

Between 30 and 40 per cent of Canadians suffer from hay fever — the

country's most common allergy — a two- to three-fold increase in the

last few decades.

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

I believe (have read) polio is another disease also directly related

to excessive cleanliness. Perhaps because of the failure to being

exposed to it while still protected by the mother's antibodies.

Rodney.

>

> [Excessive] Cleanliness is not necessarily next to godliness.

>

>

> http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?

pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly & c=Article & cid=1150494610

404 & call_pageid=968332188774

>

>

>

> Dirty rats healthier than clean ones: Study

> Flee-ridden wild animals had fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases

>

> Backs theory over-sanitation is to blame for some Western health

issues

> Jun. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM

> JOSEPH HALL

> STAFF REPORTER

>

> Dirty rats have fewer allergies and fewer instances of diabetes than

> their lily-white cousins, a new study sponsored by the U.S. National

> Institutes of Health says.

>

> And what's true in rodents — with gutter rats and field mice

> exhibiting far fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases than their

> super-hygienic laboratory counterparts — is likely true for humans

as

> well, the study says.

>

> Supporting the " let them eat dirt " theory of child rearing, the

> research suggests that an overemphasis on cleanliness can actually

> open rodent — and human — populations up to endemic, immune-based

> ailments, says Duke University scientist Bill .

>

> " In humans, we know that if you are very clean, or live in a very

> clean country, then you have a tendency to get both allergies and

> autoimmune diseases, " says , an assistant professor of

> experimental surgery at the North Carolina school.

>

> But among Third World human populations, which can face daily

> onslaughts of parasites and infectious agents, the incidence of

> allergies and autoimmune diseases is negligible, says.

>

> " And that's exactly what's going on with these rats, " he says.

>

> 's research, conducted at Duke, provides a probable mechanism

to

> explain the long-observed phenomenon that connects hygienic

societies

> with increased allergies and autoimmune diseases.

>

> In autoimmune diseases, like insulin-dependent diabetes, arthritis

and

> lupus, the body attacks its own tissues.

>

> Comparing his flee-ridden wild rats with their clean and medicated

> laboratory counterparts, discovered that the former had far

> higher levels of the antibodies associated with allergies and

> autoimmune diseases.

>

> And while these elevated levels might have been expected to increase

> the incidents of both ailments amongst the wild rodents, says

> the antibodies were actually busy fighting off real-life parasites

and

> germs.

>

> " In the wild rats, something in the environment was preoccupying the

> allergic-type responses and the autoimmune-type response of the

> rodents, " says.

>

> While the lab rats had far lower levels of the relevant antibodies,

> they also had few germs or parasites to preoccupy them. With no real

> dangers to fight off, the antibodies targeted inert substances, like

> pollen or the body's own tissues, for attack.

>

> In other words, says, the lab rats' immune systems become

> hypersensitive to environmental or bodily substances that would not

> bother their wild counterparts in the least.

>

> " A good analogy might be the little old person who lives alone in

> their house, that has nothing else to worry about, will get upset by

> the least little thing, " says.

>

> " But if you look at somebody who's really, really had a rough life,

> it's going to be like water off a duck's back when it comes to

> agitating them. "

>

> But does not argue that Third World conditions are healthier

> than the relatively sanitary environments typical in the developed

world.

>

> " We don't want to substitute typhoid for the sniffles, there's no

> question about that, " he says.

>

> Nor, he says, is it likely a good idea to keep your kids dirty, or

to

> let them eat mud.

>

> " Then, of course, you take a chance that they'll get some kind of

> infection that causes (more) harm (than allergies), " says.

>

> does say, however, that researchers are now working on

> medicinal products that could introduce benign parasites into the

body

> to try and manipulate the immune system into its natural working

> condition.

>

> " The long-term goal would be to give somebody a pill, maybe at

birth, "

> says. " It wouldn't cause a disease, but it would stimulate

the

> immune system enough to prevent allergies and autoimmune disease. "

>

> Such a technique is currently being tested with inflammatory bowel

> disease patients, where porcine pinworm eggs are introduced into the

> lining of the gut to fine-tune their faulty immune systems.

>

> Between 30 and 40 per cent of Canadians suffer from hay fever — the

> country's most common allergy — a two- to three-fold increase in the

> last few decades.

>

[Guest guest]

As I waded thru the bay in Wilmington, NC area, I was thinking of the 1 cc of viruses per cubic meter of seawater (I read somewhere). Maybe I'm prepped now.

Regards.