A Dirty Little Secret…to good health
an you be too clean?
There is actually such a thing as being too clean–especially if you are a child with a developing immune system. While the world around us is teaming with microbes, most of these organisms are either beneficial to our health or harmless. Long ago, before the scent of hand-sanitizer became everyone’s favorite fragrance, our bacterially fertile surroundings actually helped to teach our immune systems how to respond to invaders and other pathogens.
Most people don’t realize that our gut, with its billions of bacteria, is one of the most powerful parts of our immune system. Researchers are now investigating how changes in the gut’s population—aka the human microbiome—may contribute to the rise of lethal allergies and autoimmune diseases.
the bulk of evidence suggests that lack of exposure to ‘dirt’ (germs and bacteria) at a young age can result in devastating consequences to your health in later life
Current thinking suggests that society-wide shifts in our microbial communities, driven by changes in what we eat and in the quantity and type of microbes we’re exposed to in our daily lives, have increased our vulnerability. While the verdict may still be out, the bulk of evidence suggests that lack of exposure to ‘dirt’ (germs and bacteria) at a young age can result in devastating consequences to your health in later life (also known as the hygiene hypothesis).
At Murad, we talk about the benefits to mind and body that come from rediscovering the joy and freedom you knew as a child. Perhaps giving yourself permission to once again play in the mud will not only help you to cope with the stress of modern living, known as Cultural Stress – perhaps, it will actually help you cope with challenges to your immune system.
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