Are you the kind of parent who is always trying to protect your children from any possible bugs or germs? Are you always paranoid that your kids will get a bacterial or viral infection from picking something up directly of the soil or from eating with unwashed hands? Do you use anti-microbial wipes and hand sanitisers every few minutes and think that you are doing the best for the health of your loved ones? I have to disappoint you! Actually, you are not helping your children this way at all, rather the other way around!
What we do not often realise is that this DIRT has a certain POWER and that it is actually HEALTHY to be less hygienic! Let me explain why.
With all the astonishing science about microbiome that has emerged in recent years we have learned fascinating facts. We know now that there is a direct correlation between our very clean environment and the increased number of chronic diseases, from autoimmune disorders to autism and dementia. In the last 20 years the number of children with different allergies and food intolerances has increased dramatically. Nowadays every second child has a chronic condition and every fifth has an allergy. It has been demonstrated that the microbiome of young children is established during the first five years of their life and they need to have exposure to different microbes, germs, viruses and parasites in order to get a well-balanced set of bacterial strains in their body. This is the ONLY way to educate and develop their immune system. We are observing a paradox – diseases that are directly related to the immune system, like autoimmune diseases and allergies, thrive in the developing world with our modern economics and life style. It looks like our human microbiome, which has a huge role in supporting our health, is not coping with our modern way of living. For example, when scientists compare the microbiome of children from Africa with that of children from US and Europe, a big difference can be seen. The “Western” microbiome is much less diverse, it has more bacteria of a certain strains, that common in people from urban areas and which are associated with a greater risk of obesity (Ref.1).
Another interesting study has been published very recently (Ref.2) and which looked at the prevalence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) as an example of one of many autoimmune diseases in “westernised” Finland and Russian Karelia –region of Russia that is the geographical neighbour of Finland, but in contrast with Finland has a very traditional, agrarian life style. Consistent with the hygiene – microbiome correlation, the prevalence of T1D in Finland is SIX TIMES higher than in Russia!
Another excellent research by Cambridge University (Ref.3) examined the diversity of gut bacteria in people from 192 different countries around the world and reviewed the rate of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The findings were absolutely amazing! Apparently, in less developed countries with lower levels of sanitation, the number of AD is much lower! Scientists conclude that hygiene is positively associated with AD’s risk factor! It is another huge argument for the idea that comfort is a huge problem of our civilised life style.
And we can find many other examples of this link between the modern way of existing and the number of chronic illnesses! It is obvious that a few important factors can play a role here:
- Exposure to toxic chemical substances that kill certain good bacteria, adverse the number and composition of our human microbiome. For example, chemicals in different personal care products (hand sanitisers, creams, shampoos), chemicals and certain ingredients in modern food (sugar, additives, preservatives), ecological toxins (pesticides, chlorine in water), drugs and antibiotics.
- Deficiency of nutrients in our modern processed food which ordinarily support the diversity of our gut flora.
- Lack of exercise, chronic stress, deficit of exposure to the fresh air and natural light have devastating effect on our microflora.
Understand my message correctly! I am not saying that you do not need to follow basic hygiene rules! However, at the same time, try not to create a sterile environment around yourself and your children! I want to share with you a few simple tips that will help you and your family to enrich your microbiome and boost your immune system:
- Use natural based cleaning agents in your house, especially in the kitchen, like bicarbonate soda, vinegar and lemon juice.
- Eat RAW products that are full of natural beneficial microbes, products like honey and dairy products.
- Use prebiotics, fermented food like kefir and sauerkraut that help to maintain the diversity of healthy bacteria in your body.
- Use prebiotic food that provides fibre and food for the bacteria in your gut (asparagus, shitake mushrooms, artichokes, leek, garlic).
- Let your children be exposed to some natural germs when they touch the soil, help you in the garden, play with pets, visit farms ect.
- Be as close to nature as possible, respect your natural circadian rhythm in sleeping and eating.
Let’s be not ANTI-bacterial but rather PRO-bacterial! And remember that ALL HEALTH BEGINS IN THE GUT!
As usual, I look forward to receiving your ever valuable questions, comments and feedback: irina@liveright.eu
References:
- Brown et al., “Diet-Induced Dysbiosis of the Intestinal Microbiota and the Effects on Immunity and Disease”, Nutrients 8, no.4, 1095-1119, 2012.
- Vatanen, et al. “Variation in Microbiome LPS Immunogenicity Contributes to Autoimmunity in Humans.” Cell. Online April 28, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.04.007
- Fox et al., “Hygiene and the World Distribution of Alzheimer’s Disease”, Evol. Med. Publ. Health, 2013, DOI:10.1093/emph/eot015.