Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

[Guest guest]

>Personal Health http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em

>

>Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

>

>

>By JANE E. BRODY

>Published: January 26, 2009

>Ask mothers why babies are constantly picking things up from the

>floor or ground and putting them in their mouths, and chances are

>they'll say that it's instinctive - that that's how babies explore

>the world. But why the mouth, when sight, hearing, touch and even

>scent are far better at identifying things?

> When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I

>couldn't help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog

>droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were routinely

>rejected.

>Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or

>they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances are

>that this one too has helped us survive as a species. And, indeed,

>accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good for

>you.

>In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are

>concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and

>especially worms that enter the body along with " dirt " spur the

>development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies

>suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has

>gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.

>These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to

>explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1

>diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have

>risen significantly in the United States and other developed

>countries.

>Training the Immune System

> " What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing

>his immune response to explore his environment, " Mary Ruebush, a

>microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, " Why

>Dirt Is Good " (Kaplan). " Not only does this allow for 'practice' of

>immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it

>also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response

>what is best ignored. "

>One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of

>gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston,

>said in an interview that the immune system at birth " is like an

>unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction. "

>He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated

>water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they

> " also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good

>for us. "

> " Children raised in an ultraclean environment, " he added, " are not

>being exposed to organisms that help them develop appropriate immune

>regulatory circuits. "

>Studies he has conducted with Dr. David Elliott, a

>gastroenterologist and immunologist at the University of Iowa,

>indicate that intestinal worms, which have been all but eliminated

>in developed countries, are " likely to be the biggest player " in

>regulating the immune system to respond appropriately, Dr. Elliott

>said in an interview. He added that bacterial and viral infections

>seem to influence the immune system in the same way, but not as

>forcefully.

>Most worms are harmless, especially in well-nourished people, Dr.

>Weinstock said.

> " There are very few diseases that people get from worms, " he said.

> " Humans have adapted to the presence of most of them. "

>Worms for Health

>In studies in mice, Dr. Weinstock and Dr. Elliott have used worms to

>both prevent and reverse autoimmune disease. Dr. Elliott said that

>in Argentina, researchers found that patients with multiple

>sclerosis who were infected with the human whipworm had milder cases

>and fewer flare-ups of their disease over a period of four and a

>half years. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. John

>Fleming, a neurologist, is testing whether the pig whipworm can

>temper the effects of multiple sclerosis.

>In Gambia, the eradication of worms in some villages led to

>children's having increased skin reactions to allergens, Dr. Elliott

>said. And pig whipworms, which reside only briefly in the human

>intestinal tract, have had " good effects " in treating the

>inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis,

>he said.

>How may worms affect the immune system? Dr. Elliott explained that

>immune regulation is now known to be more complex than scientists

>thought when the hygiene hypothesis was first introduced by a

>British epidemiologist, David P. Strachan, in 1989. Dr. Strachan

>noted an association between large family size and reduced rates of

>asthma and allergies. Immunologists now recognize a four-point

>response system of helper T cells: Th 1, Th 2, Th 17 and regulatory

>T cells. Th 1 inhibits Th 2 and Th 17; Th 2 inhibits Th 1 and Th 17;

>and regulatory T cells inhibit all three, Dr. Elliott said.

> " A lot of inflammatory diseases - multiple sclerosis, Crohn's

>disease, ulcerative colitis and asthma - are due to the activity of

>Th 17, " he explained. " If you infect mice with worms, Th 17 drops

>dramatically, and the activity of regulatory T cells is augmented. "

>In answer to the question, " Are we too clean? " Dr. Elliott said:

> " Dirtiness comes with a price. But cleanliness comes with a price,

>too. We're not proposing a return to the germ-filled environment of

>the 1850s. But if we properly understand how organisms in the

>environment protect us, maybe we can give a vaccine or mimic their

>effects with some innocuous stimulus. "

>Wash in Moderation

>Dr. Ruebush, the " Why Dirt Is Good " author, does not suggest a

>return to filth, either. But she correctly points out that bacteria

>are everywhere: on us, in us and all around us. Most of these

>micro-organisms cause no problem, and many, like the ones that

>normally live in the digestive tract and produce life-sustaining

>nutrients, are essential to good health.

> " The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes, " she

>wrote. " The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many

>different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time. "

>Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of

>antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and may

>actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant,

>disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are

>needed to become clean, she noted.

> " I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the bathroom,

>before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling

>food, " and whenever they're visibly soiled, she wrote. When no

>running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she

>suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

>Dr. Weinstock goes even further. " Children should be allowed to go

>barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their

>hands when they come in to eat, " he said. He and Dr. Elliott pointed

>out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed to

>worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely to

>develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.

>Also helpful, he said, is to " let kids have two dogs and a cat, "

>which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a

>healthy immune system.

>

[Guest guest]

I think I'll give the worms a miss thanks!!!

 

I have given this some thought, and the theory doesn't seem to hold

true to my experience. I have seen many children grow up into

adults. There seems to be nothing to confirm that the ones who were

allowed to eat dirt are any healthier than the ones whose family

taught them not to. Two of my friends with MS have stated that they

used to put all sorts of 'matter' into their mouths as children.

 

There is also no mention of the fact that other factors have been

found by our scientists to play a significant part in all the

diseases mentioned in the article.

 

I also note that there are autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid

arthritis, left out of the list. Could this be because it is an

autoimmune disease which has been round a very long time, like

others, and therefore might disprove the theory being put forward.

 

Jo

 

, yarrow wrote:

>

>

> >Personal Health

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em

> >

> >Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

> >

> >

> >By JANE E. BRODY

> >Published: January 26, 2009

> >Ask mothers why babies are constantly picking things up from the

> >floor or ground and putting them in their mouths, and chances are

> >they'll say that it's instinctive - that that's how babies explore

> >the world. But why the mouth, when sight, hearing, touch and even

> >scent are far better at identifying things?

> > When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I

> >couldn't help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog

> >droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were

routinely

> >rejected.

> >Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or

> >they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances

are

> >that this one too has helped us survive as a species. And, indeed,

> >accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good

for

> >you.

> >In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers

are

> >concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses

and

> >especially worms that enter the body along with " dirt " spur the

> >development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies

> >suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has

> >gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and

asthma.

> >These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to

> >explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type

1

> >diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have

> >risen significantly in the United States and other developed

> >countries.

> >Training the Immune System

> > " What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is

allowing

> >his immune response to explore his environment, " Mary Ruebush, a

> >microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new

book, " Why

> >Dirt Is Good " (Kaplan). " Not only does this allow for 'practice'

of

> >immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it

> >also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune

response

> >what is best ignored. "

> >One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of

> >gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston,

> >said in an interview that the immune system at birth " is like an

> >unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction. "

> >He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated

> >water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but

they

> > " also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good

> >for us. "

> > " Children raised in an ultraclean environment, " he added, " are not

> >being exposed to organisms that help them develop appropriate

immune

> >regulatory circuits. "

> >Studies he has conducted with Dr. David Elliott, a

> >gastroenterologist and immunologist at the University of Iowa,

> >indicate that intestinal worms, which have been all but eliminated

> >in developed countries, are " likely to be the biggest player " in

> >regulating the immune system to respond appropriately, Dr. Elliott

> >said in an interview. He added that bacterial and viral infections

> >seem to influence the immune system in the same way, but not as

> >forcefully.

> >Most worms are harmless, especially in well-nourished people, Dr.

> >Weinstock said.

> > " There are very few diseases that people get from worms, " he said.

> > " Humans have adapted to the presence of most of them. "

> >Worms for Health

> >In studies in mice, Dr. Weinstock and Dr. Elliott have used worms

to

> >both prevent and reverse autoimmune disease. Dr. Elliott said that

> >in Argentina, researchers found that patients with multiple

> >sclerosis who were infected with the human whipworm had milder

cases

> >and fewer flare-ups of their disease over a period of four and a

> >half years. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. John

> >Fleming, a neurologist, is testing whether the pig whipworm can

> >temper the effects of multiple sclerosis.

> >In Gambia, the eradication of worms in some villages led to

> >children's having increased skin reactions to allergens, Dr.

Elliott

> >said. And pig whipworms, which reside only briefly in the human

> >intestinal tract, have had " good effects " in treating the

> >inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative

colitis,

> >he said.

> >How may worms affect the immune system? Dr. Elliott explained that

> >immune regulation is now known to be more complex than scientists

> >thought when the hygiene hypothesis was first introduced by a

> >British epidemiologist, David P. Strachan, in 1989. Dr. Strachan

> >noted an association between large family size and reduced rates

of

> >asthma and allergies. Immunologists now recognize a four-point

> >response system of helper T cells: Th 1, Th 2, Th 17 and

regulatory

> >T cells. Th 1 inhibits Th 2 and Th 17; Th 2 inhibits Th 1 and Th

17;

> >and regulatory T cells inhibit all three, Dr. Elliott said.

> > " A lot of inflammatory diseases - multiple sclerosis, Crohn's

> >disease, ulcerative colitis and asthma - are due to the activity

of

> >Th 17, " he explained. " If you infect mice with worms, Th 17 drops

> >dramatically, and the activity of regulatory T cells is augmented. "

> >In answer to the question, " Are we too clean? " Dr. Elliott said:

> > " Dirtiness comes with a price. But cleanliness comes with a price,

> >too. We're not proposing a return to the germ-filled environment

of

> >the 1850s. But if we properly understand how organisms in the

> >environment protect us, maybe we can give a vaccine or mimic their

> >effects with some innocuous stimulus. "

> >Wash in Moderation

> >Dr. Ruebush, the " Why Dirt Is Good " author, does not suggest a

> >return to filth, either. But she correctly points out that

bacteria

> >are everywhere: on us, in us and all around us. Most of these

> >micro-organisms cause no problem, and many, like the ones that

> >normally live in the digestive tract and produce life-sustaining

> >nutrients, are essential to good health.

> > " The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes, "

she

> >wrote. " The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many

> >different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time. "

> >Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of

> >antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and

may

> >actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant,

> >disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are

> >needed to become clean, she noted.

> > " I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the

bathroom,

> >before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling

> >food, " and whenever they're visibly soiled, she wrote. When no

> >running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she

> >suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

> >Dr. Weinstock goes even further. " Children should be allowed to go

> >barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their

> >hands when they come in to eat, " he said. He and Dr. Elliott

pointed

> >out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed

to

> >worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely

to

> >develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.

> >Also helpful, he said, is to " let kids have two dogs and a cat, "

> >which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a

> >healthy immune system.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

*skips outside to eat dirt*

actually, rebecca yells at me because of all the random things i happen t o chew on, especially when we are hiking...

yarrow Jan 27, 2009 7:11 PM Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

>Personal Health http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em>>Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You>>>By JANE E. BRODY>Published: January 26, 2009>Ask mothers why babies are constantly picking things up from the >floor or ground and putting them in their mouths, and chances are >they'll say that it's instinctive - that that's how babies explore >the world. But why the mouth, when sight, hearing, touch and even >scent are far better at identifying things?> When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I >couldn't help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog >droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were routinely >rejected.>Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or >they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances are >that this one too has helped us survive as a species. And, indeed, >accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good for >you.>In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are >concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and >especially worms that enter the body along with "dirt" spur the >development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies >suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has >gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.>These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to >explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 >diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have >risen significantly in the United States and other developed >countries.>Training the Immune System>"What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing >his immune response to explore his environment," Mary Ruebush, a >microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, "Why >Dirt Is Good" (Kaplan). "Not only does this allow for 'practice' of >immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it >also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response >what is best ignored.">One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of >gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, >said in an interview that the immune system at birth "is like an >unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.">He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated >water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they >"also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good >for us.">"Children raised in an ultraclean environment," he added, "are not >being exposed to organisms that help them develop appropriate immune >regulatory circuits.">Studies he has conducted with Dr. David Elliott, a >gastroenterologist and immunologist at the University of Iowa, >indicate that intestinal worms, which have been all but eliminated >in developed countries, are "likely to be the biggest player" in >regulating the immune system to respond appropriately, Dr. Elliott >said in an interview. He added that bacterial and viral infections >seem to influence the immune system in the same way, but not as >forcefully.>Most worms are harmless, especially in well-nourished people, Dr. >Weinstock said.>"There are very few diseases that people get from worms," he said. >"Humans have adapted to the presence of most of them.">Worms for Health>In studies in mice, Dr. Weinstock and Dr. Elliott have used worms to >both prevent and reverse autoimmune disease. Dr. Elliott said that >in Argentina, researchers found that patients with multiple >sclerosis who were infected with the human whipworm had milder cases >and fewer flare-ups of their disease over a period of four and a >half years. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. John >Fleming, a neurologist, is testing whether the pig whipworm can >temper the effects of multiple sclerosis.>In Gambia, the eradication of worms in some villages led to >children's having increased skin reactions to allergens, Dr. Elliott >said. And pig whipworms, which reside only briefly in the human >intestinal tract, have had "good effects" in treating the >inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, >he said.>How may worms affect the immune system? Dr. Elliott explained that >immune regulation is now known to be more complex than scientists >thought when the hygiene hypothesis was first introduced by a >British epidemiologist, David P. Strachan, in 1989. Dr. Strachan >noted an association between large family size and reduced rates of >asthma and allergies. Immunologists now recognize a four-point >response system of helper T cells: Th 1, Th 2, Th 17 and regulatory >T cells. Th 1 inhibits Th 2 and Th 17; Th 2 inhibits Th 1 and Th 17; >and regulatory T cells inhibit all three, Dr. Elliott said.>"A lot of inflammatory diseases - multiple sclerosis, Crohn's >disease, ulcerative colitis and asthma - are due to the activity of >Th 17," he explained. "If you infect mice with worms, Th 17 drops >dramatically, and the activity of regulatory T cells is augmented.">In answer to the question, "Are we too clean?" Dr. Elliott said: >"Dirtiness comes with a price. But cleanliness comes with a price, >too. We're not proposing a return to the germ-filled environment of >the 1850s. But if we properly understand how organisms in the >environment protect us, maybe we can give a vaccine or mimic their >effects with some innocuous stimulus.">Wash in Moderation>Dr. Ruebush, the "Why Dirt Is Good" author, does not suggest a >return to filth, either. But she correctly points out that bacteria >are everywhere: on us, in us and all around us. Most of these >micro-organisms cause no problem, and many, like the ones that >normally live in the digestive tract and produce life-sustaining >nutrients, are essential to good health.>"The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes," she >wrote. "The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many >different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time.">Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of >antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and may >actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant, >disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are >needed to become clean, she noted.>"I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the bathroom, >before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling >food," and whenever they're visibly soiled, she wrote. When no >running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she >suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.>Dr. Weinstock goes even further. "Children should be allowed to go >barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their >hands when they come in to eat," he said. He and Dr. Elliott pointed >out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed to >worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely to >develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.>Also helpful, he said, is to "let kids have two dogs and a cat," >which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a >healthy immune system.>

 

 

 

 

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.

They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

--George W. Bush

[Guest guest]



Nice to know she has some sense :-)

 

Jo

 

 

-

fraggle

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:02 PM

Re: Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

*skips outside to eat dirt*

actually, rebecca yells at me because of all the random things i happen t o chew on, especially when we are hiking...

yarrow Jan 27, 2009 7:11 PM Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

>Personal Health http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em>>Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You>>>By JANE E. BRODY>Published: January 26, 2009>Ask mothers why babies are constantly picking things up from the >floor or ground and putting them in their mouths, and chances are >they'll say that it's instinctive - that that's how babies explore >the world. But why the mouth, when sight, hearing, touch and even >scent are far better at identifying things?> When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I >couldn't help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog >droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were routinely >rejected.>Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or >they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances are >that this one too has helped us survive as a species. And, indeed, >accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good for >you.>In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are >concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and >especially worms that enter the body along with "dirt" spur the >development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies >suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has >gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.>These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to >explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 >diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have >risen significantly in the United States and other developed >countries.>Training the Immune System>"What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing >his immune response to explore his environment," Mary Ruebush, a >microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, "Why >Dirt Is Good" (Kaplan). "Not only does this allow for 'practice' of >immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it >also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response >what is best ignored.">One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of >gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, >said in an interview that the immune system at birth "is like an >unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.">He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated >water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they >"also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good >for us.">"Children raised in an ultraclean environment," he added, "are not >being exposed to organisms that help them develop appropriate immune >regulatory circuits.">Studies he has conducted with Dr. David Elliott, a >gastroenterologist and immunologist at the University of Iowa, >indicate that intestinal worms, which have been all but eliminated >in developed countries, are "likely to be the biggest player" in >regulating the immune system to respond appropriately, Dr. Elliott >said in an interview. He added that bacterial and viral infections >seem to influence the immune system in the same way, but not as >forcefully.>Most worms are harmless, especially in well-nourished people, Dr. >Weinstock said.>"There are very few diseases that people get from worms," he said. >"Humans have adapted to the presence of most of them.">Worms for Health>In studies in mice, Dr. Weinstock and Dr. Elliott have used worms to >both prevent and reverse autoimmune disease. Dr. Elliott said that >in Argentina, researchers found that patients with multiple >sclerosis who were infected with the human whipworm had milder cases >and fewer flare-ups of their disease over a period of four and a >half years. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. John >Fleming, a neurologist, is testing whether the pig whipworm can >temper the effects of multiple sclerosis.>In Gambia, the eradication of worms in some villages led to >children's having increased skin reactions to allergens, Dr. Elliott >said. And pig whipworms, which reside only briefly in the human >intestinal tract, have had "good effects" in treating the >inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, >he said.>How may worms affect the immune system? Dr. Elliott explained that >immune regulation is now known to be more complex than scientists >thought when the hygiene hypothesis was first introduced by a >British epidemiologist, David P. Strachan, in 1989. Dr. Strachan >noted an association between large family size and reduced rates of >asthma and allergies. Immunologists now recognize a four-point >response system of helper T cells: Th 1, Th 2, Th 17 and regulatory >T cells. Th 1 inhibits Th 2 and Th 17; Th 2 inhibits Th 1 and Th 17; >and regulatory T cells inhibit all three, Dr. Elliott said.>"A lot of inflammatory diseases - multiple sclerosis, Crohn's >disease, ulcerative colitis and asthma - are due to the activity of >Th 17," he explained. "If you infect mice with worms, Th 17 drops >dramatically, and the activity of regulatory T cells is augmented.">In answer to the question, "Are we too clean?" Dr. Elliott said: >"Dirtiness comes with a price. But cleanliness comes with a price, >too. We're not proposing a return to the germ-filled environment of >the 1850s. But if we properly understand how organisms in the >environment protect us, maybe we can give a vaccine or mimic their >effects with some innocuous stimulus.">Wash in Moderation>Dr. Ruebush, the "Why Dirt Is Good" author, does not suggest a >return to filth, either. But she correctly points out that bacteria >are everywhere: on us, in us and all around us. Most of these >micro-organisms cause no problem, and many, like the ones that >normally live in the digestive tract and produce life-sustaining >nutrients, are essential to good health.>"The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes," she >wrote. "The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many >different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time.">Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of >antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and may >actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant, >disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are >needed to become clean, she noted.>"I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the bathroom, >before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling >food," and whenever they're visibly soiled, she wrote. When no >running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she >suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.>Dr. Weinstock goes even further. "Children should be allowed to go >barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their >hands when they come in to eat," he said. He and Dr. Elliott pointed >out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed to >worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely to >develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.>Also helpful, he said, is to "let kids have two dogs and a cat," >which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a >healthy immune system.>

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

--George W. Bush

[Guest guest]

*secretly adds garden soil to jo's breakfast*

 

"jo.heartwork" Jan 28, 2009 9:58 AM Re: Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

 Nice to know she has some sense :-)

 

Jo

 

 

-

fraggle

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:02 PM

Re: Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

*skips outside to eat dirt*

actually, rebecca yells at me because of all the random things i happen t o chew on, especially when we are hiking...

yarrow Jan 27, 2009 7:11 PM Fwd: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

 

 

 

>Personal Health http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em>>Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You>>>By JANE E. BRODY>Published: January 26, 2009>Ask mothers why babies are constantly picking things up from the >floor or ground and putting them in their mouths, and chances are >they'll say that it's instinctive - that that's how babies explore >the world. But why the mouth, when sight, hearing, touch and even >scent are far better at identifying things?> When my young sons were exploring the streets of Brooklyn, I >couldn't help but wonder how good crushed rock or dried dog >droppings could taste when delicious mashed potatoes were routinely >rejected.>Since all instinctive behaviors have an evolutionary advantage or >they would not have been retained for millions of years, chances are >that this one too has helped us survive as a species. And, indeed, >accumulating evidence strongly suggests that eating dirt is good for >you.>In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are >concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and >especially worms that enter the body along with "dirt" spur the >development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies >suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has >gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.>These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to >explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 >diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have >risen significantly in the United States and other developed >countries.>Training the Immune System>"What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing >his immune response to explore his environment," Mary Ruebush, a >microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, "Why >Dirt Is Good" (Kaplan). "Not only does this allow for 'practice' of >immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it >also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response >what is best ignored.">One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of >gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, >said in an interview that the immune system at birth "is like an >unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.">He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated >water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they >"also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good >for us.">"Children raised in an ultraclean environment," he added, "are not >being exposed to organisms that help them develop appropriate immune >regulatory circuits.">Studies he has conducted with Dr. David Elliott, a >gastroenterologist and immunologist at the University of Iowa, >indicate that intestinal worms, which have been all but eliminated >in developed countries, are "likely to be the biggest player" in >regulating the immune system to respond appropriately, Dr. Elliott >said in an interview. He added that bacterial and viral infections >seem to influence the immune system in the same way, but not as >forcefully.>Most worms are harmless, especially in well-nourished people, Dr. >Weinstock said.>"There are very few diseases that people get from worms," he said. >"Humans have adapted to the presence of most of them.">Worms for Health>In studies in mice, Dr. Weinstock and Dr. Elliott have used worms to >both prevent and reverse autoimmune disease. Dr. Elliott said that >in Argentina, researchers found that patients with multiple >sclerosis who were infected with the human whipworm had milder cases >and fewer flare-ups of their disease over a period of four and a >half years. At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. John >Fleming, a neurologist, is testing whether the pig whipworm can >temper the effects of multiple sclerosis.>In Gambia, the eradication of worms in some villages led to >children's having increased skin reactions to allergens, Dr. Elliott >said. And pig whipworms, which reside only briefly in the human >intestinal tract, have had "good effects" in treating the >inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, >he said.>How may worms affect the immune system? Dr. Elliott explained that >immune regulation is now known to be more complex than scientists >thought when the hygiene hypothesis was first introduced by a >British epidemiologist, David P. Strachan, in 1989. Dr. Strachan >noted an association between large family size and reduced rates of >asthma and allergies. Immunologists now recognize a four-point >response system of helper T cells: Th 1, Th 2, Th 17 and regulatory >T cells. Th 1 inhibits Th 2 and Th 17; Th 2 inhibits Th 1 and Th 17; >and regulatory T cells inhibit all three, Dr. Elliott said.>"A lot of inflammatory diseases - multiple sclerosis, Crohn's >disease, ulcerative colitis and asthma - are due to the activity of >Th 17," he explained. "If you infect mice with worms, Th 17 drops >dramatically, and the activity of regulatory T cells is augmented.">In answer to the question, "Are we too clean?" Dr. Elliott said: >"Dirtiness comes with a price. But cleanliness comes with a price, >too. We're not proposing a return to the germ-filled environment of >the 1850s. But if we properly understand how organisms in the >environment protect us, maybe we can give a vaccine or mimic their >effects with some innocuous stimulus.">Wash in Moderation>Dr. Ruebush, the "Why Dirt Is Good" author, does not suggest a >return to filth, either. But she correctly points out that bacteria >are everywhere: on us, in us and all around us. Most of these >micro-organisms cause no problem, and many, like the ones that >normally live in the digestive tract and produce life-sustaining >nutrients, are essential to good health.>"The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes," she >wrote. "The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many >different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time.">Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of >antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and may >actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant, >disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are >needed to become clean, she noted.>"I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the bathroom, >before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling >food," and whenever they're visibly soiled, she wrote. When no >running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she >suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.>Dr. Weinstock goes even further. "Children should be allowed to go >barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their >hands when they come in to eat," he said. He and Dr. Elliott pointed >out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed to >worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely to >develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.>Also helpful, he said, is to "let kids have two dogs and a cat," >which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a >healthy immune system.>"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

--George W. Bush

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.

They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

--George W. Bush