Have We Become Too Clean?

Have We Become Too Clean?

It seems the more advanced our society becomes and the

cleaner we get, the more prevalent food and other

allergies become.

The occurrences of common allergies are much higher in

more developed countries than in their lesser

developed counter parts. And the numbers are

increasing as industrialization spreads through out

the world.

According to the hygiene hypothesis, the modern

methods of cleaning and sanitizing get rid of too many

germs. The body’s natural immune system doesn’t have

enough to do.

In children, it doesn’t develop the way it should. And

since allergies are an incorrect response of the

immune system, childhood and adult allergies have

become more prevalent.

Studies also show that common allergic diseases like

hay fever, eczema and food allergies are found less

often in children from large families.

Apparently being exposed to infectious agents (germs)

by brothers and sisters is a good thing. It helps the

immune system learn what it’s supposed to protect our

bodies from.

Antibiotic usage during a baby’s first year and the

growing use of antibacterial cleaning products has

also been linked to an increase in asthma and other

allergies.

The hygiene hypothesis explains that the antibacterial

cleaning products and antibiotic drugs limit our

immune system’s exposure to infectious diseases,

parasites and other bacteria.

This limits the immune systems development. Because of

the lack of dirt and germs, the immune system doesn’t

learn what it’s supposed to be protecting the body

from and goes after the wrong things.