Parasites are good for you!

[drscott]

In line with other revisionist memes coming out of evolutionary biology, we have this, (via advicegoddess.com, which has lots of other good reading.) And don't read it while eating, since there's discussion of adding worms to the diet of victims of inflammatory bowel diseases. It seems the "progressive" elimination of parasites and bacteria in the environment of children actually does them some harm, since rates of asthma, allergies, and other disorders of the immune system rise dramatically among children who grow up in overly sanitized environments. Which backs up my contention that the 30 second rule for eating stuff that falls on the floor applies, and worrying about catching skin diseases from contact with gym surfaces is pointless (unless you're immune-deficient.) As I was telling our last visitor, I live as one with the community of microorganisms around me. Their tiny screams as you apply disinfectant haunt my psyche.

Comments

[markbuster.livejournal.com]

The tiny screams of microbiotica do not bother me (because I am a sociopath at heart), however it important to understand SOME micro 101 before capriciously eliminating an aspect of a homeostatic population. Somehow humans have survived with all the little microbes around and in them, why would someone think things would be better to remove them?
An excellent other example is that silly anti-microbe hand gel & soap that people use. The normal flora on our skin is harmless to us, and it serves as a physical and chemical barrier to more dangerous things, which we do not have a simbiotic relationship with.