Saturday, March 24, 2012

Immunology 101

Early exposure to germs has lasting benefits

"Exposure to germs in childhood is thought to help strengthen the immune system and protect children from developing allergies and asthma, but the pathways by which this occurs have been unclear. Now, researchers have identified a mechanism in mice that may explain the role of exposure to microbes in the development of asthma and ulcerative colitis, a common form of inflammatory bowel disease."

I think it's imperative to understand that human immune systems are supremely powerful if kept healthy, and that these internal structures need exposure to all kinds of pathogens, while young kids, for the body to recognize and resist life threatening attacks later on.

I'm a child of the 50s and 60s. I roughhoused, built forts, got stung, got dirty, climbed trees and fell, did stupid things and needed to be stitched up on occasion. I also had infections, got the measles and chicken pox, earaches and various fevers. Rashes and ivy poisoning were the norm. Somehow I survived into adulthood, with skin scars and laughably crazy memories of dopey kid stuff.

But I think what I did as a kid enabled my immune system to work it's magic and recognize what it needed to do in later years. I have absolutely no chronic illnesses at 60 years old and can boast that I haven't had a cold or flu in over 15 years. I eat a healthy garden diet and chow raw garlic every day, which may account for the lack of communicable disease because of odorous social problems, but I'm strong as a Budweiser Clydesdale. What I'm trying to say is I look at children needing to be set free to play hard, fuck around and expose themselves to dirt, disease and dire straits because that's exactly what the human body has to have for longevity.

added - Scientists Confirm Bacteria is Essential to Proper Immunity

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