My children were always playing outside in the dirt, climbing trees, or out in the backyard. It was good for them in so many ways- but one of the reasons was that John and I felt that exposure to a little dirt (bacteria) would be good for strengthening and building their immune system.
I’ve been rather amused yet also alarmed at all the anti bacterial washes, wipes and related products that are for home use! I mean, all those silly ads- always with mothers and their babies who go near a clean looking bin and the mother freaks out…but it’s okay, she’s got her handy dandy anti bacterial wipes. Doh!
My concern is that children don’t have the opportunity to build up their natural immune system by coming into contact with these regular bugs. I think the more we use these anti bacterial products, the more we assist those nasty super bugs to grow and evolve.
But it’s all okay- now it is *news*.
KEEPING the house sparkling clean may be making your children sick, research shows.
The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests exposing children to certain bacteria can help develop their immune systems, while a sterile environment can increase the risk of disease.
Research to be published in the journal Nature today gives a boost to this theory.
American scientists found specially modified mice raised in a germ-free environment developed “robust” type 1 diabetes.
When the mice were given the friendly bacteria found in the human gut, the incidence of diabetes fell.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, while the more common type 2 diabetes is more likely to be lifestyle-related.
The authors concluded that intestinal microbes, which travel from food and the surrounding environment into an infant’s gastrointestinal tract, have a critical effect on the immune system.
Melbourne autoimmune expert Professor Leonard Harrison said the study was “compelling evidence” that living conditions were linked to diabetes. “Clean conditions increase and dirty conditions decrease diabetes incidence,” he said.
Flinders Medical Centre Director of Endocrinology Professor Nikolai Petrovsky said the “exciting and seminal paper” showed the importance of breastfeeding for infants followed by a healthy diet that includes yoghurts and cheeses with “good” bacteria.
Cumberland Park father Dave Bastin said the important thing was to be sensible about hygiene. “My son (Daniel, 3) at the moment is up to his elbows in sand outside . . . he’s pretty healthy apart from the normal sorts of things,” he said.
So it’s safe to let your children outside to play outside again… 
Whew, thank goodness for modern day research. 
lol – we are never in danger of an antiseptically clean house here!
LOL, then my kids must be some of the healthiest kids in the world….they’ve sure ingested their fair share of dirt and muck….and that’s even before they step outside the back door of our house!!! 🙄
I knew housework was totally a waste of time! 😉
This reminds me of when I caught my youngest, then 2yrs old, sitting in the front yard eating……. bunny poop 😯 . I think he thought they were raisins. I agree with you on the ultra sanitized world, but you think maybe bunny poop was a little much? 😆
😆 Sharon, my daughter also ate bunny poo…and cat food right out of the cat bowl. 😳 But she’s a very healthy young lady nowadays. 🙄
Glad the news article justified you Lisa…all this time I thought I was just doing my future Daughter-In-Laws a favour by not raising the standard.lol
Leonie, when I visited you years ago in SA, I couldn’t believe your home was so clean and tidy, with all those boys!!! I was in awe… 😉
bunny poo….mmmm, one of mine has eaten human waste…..and she had fresh stitches in her mouth at the time!!!
😯 😯
Mum (me) was on the phone when another of our dc was using the potty…..and they had a curious observer who wanted to try what the other had left behind…no pun intended 😉
(No names will be released)
Top that if you can!!!…otoh please don’t!
No way! I cannot and will not even attempt to top that. You win, hands down. Ewww, grossed out totally.
Kids eh? 😀 Not that we were ever one??!!!!
Makes sense to me! Maybe that is why I craved eating dirt during one of my pregnancies 🙄
I also had a horrible incident where I was convinced that the brown scraps on the benchtop were leftover chocolate scrapings only to discover upon eating that they were infact dogfood……..my husband had just opened a new tin for our dog and was laughing hysterically at me from the other room. But……..I felt tremendously healthy for the rest of that day 😉