Washing your hands may be the best way to keep from getting sick, but in some ways,
DIRT does a body good.
We’ve all been taught that dirt is bad for us.
In my Grandmother’s house “Cleanliness was next to Godliness” and everything was
scrubbed clean and disinfected, but now with new research on the superpowers of the microbiome
it may be time to rethink our relationship with filth.
You may think dirt and soil are interchangeable, (they are both a grainy collection of minerals,
oils, water, and organic matter.)
BUT soil stays in your backyard while dirt is what follows you back into your house.
BOTH have microbes.
Germ theory tells us that these microbes can infect our bodies and make us sick, but we
are starting to understand that in our haste to eliminate and defend against disease we
may have unintentionally “protected” ourselves against the collaborative relationships we
need most.
Yes, over exposure to some microorganisms will make us sick, but of the thousands of
species and up to 6lbs (yes POUNDS of bacteria that are living in and on our bodies RIGHT
NOW some are critical for our health and happiness.
The bacteria that live in our bodies, sometimes called our microbiome, help us digest food,
respond to pathogens, and may even influence our moods.
Getting dirty once in a while can help repopulate “friendly” bacteria that have been killed
off or washed away by our hygiene practices.
Commonly, we’re taught to clean ourselves thoroughly to prevent illness *but* we could
be killing off too much good bacteria.
Studies show that we need exposure to both friendly and unfriendly bacteria to maintain
health and a strong immune system.
Some exposure to disease causing pathogens early in life, helps to build our body’s
defences keeping us healthy as adults.
When our body “fights” a disease, it is activating immune cells in response to a remembered
disease agent.
The Hygiene Hypothesis suggests that the right amount of exposure to germs and dirt builds
our body’s library of known diseases, and teaches our immune system to remember which
microbes, proteins, and viruses are dangerous.
Without this training, our immune system may become hyperactive, looking for diseases to
fight and it may find innocuous aspects of our own biology instead.
When the body attacks itself, it can cause autoimmune disorders such as asthma and Inflammatory
Bowel Disorder.
An example of this was seen in a study of germ-free mice that had been raised in a sterile
environment.
The mice were compared to normal mice living in a microbe rich environment.
The germ-free mice were found to have several immune disorders such as inflammation of the
lungs and colon which resemble human asthma and colitis.
These conditions were caused by hyperactivity of a type of immune cell that had been previously
linked to these diseases in both mice and humans.
Most importantly, the researchers discovered that exposing the germ-free mice to microbes
when they were babies, led to development of a regular immune response and proper defense
against disease.
So, playing in the dirt as a kid is good for you and adults it’s not too late!
Put that hand sanitizer away, go hiking, pet that dog, explore different environments and
all that good bacteria.
GET MESSY!
Remember, in our haste to make our living conditions more sterile, we may be making
ourselves sick.
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Hey all, love science in your day?
Make sure you subscribe and check out some of these microbes living in the driest place
on earth on our sister show, Science in the Extremes
Fun fact: If you’re craving dirt, you might be pregnant!
The desire to eat dirt is called geophagy, and it is commonly observed in children and
pregnant women.
Weird!
Thanks for watching Seeker.