PLAYING IN THE DIRT AND GRASS IS GOOD FOR YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM!

This is a collection of research on the benefits of green spaces to our bodies - young and old.  Some highlights:

  1. We need to consider measures that not only preserve the natural environment but also reconnect us with nature. We need to preserve our connection to the soil and green spaces, we need to expose our children to natural environments.

  2. Exposure to a diversity of soil and plant microbes is critical to healthy immune system development in part because evolutionarily we evolved to deal with these "old neighbors".  Otherwise the immune system essentially becomes dysfunctional leading to autoimmune responses and allergies. 

  3. Infectious diseases are of relatively modern origin associated with living in densely populated communites. THESE we have not evolved yet a "friendly" relationship with and so still need to avoid as much as possible (eg handwashing around contact with people and the things they use). 

  4. "Urbanization can't be stopped, but perhaps we should take the planning of green spaces in cities more seriously."

SO - clean homes are still a good idea especially if filled with synthetic materials but keep a lot of plants around AND GET DIRTY in the natural world. Take any opportunity you get to develop appropriate immune responses by exposure to microbes in the natural world, especially soil and plants. 

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"RURAL MICROBES COULD BOOST CITY DWELLERS' HEALTH, STUDY FINDS"
"RURAL MICROBES COULD BOOST CITY DWELLERS' HEALTH, STUDY FINDS"

University of Colorado at Boulder, April 23, 2014

"The article, published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Immunology, argues that people living in urban centers who have less access to green spaces may be more apt to have chronic inflammation, a condition caused by immune system dysfunction."

"More opportunities to 'play in the dirt,' like visiting green spaces, could allow their immune systems to come into contact with more beneficial microbes."

"THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS GOOD FOR ALLERGIES"
"THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS GOOD FOR ALLERGIES"

Science Magazine, May 7, 2012

"A new study reveals that people who grow up in more rural environments are less likely to develop allergies. The reason maybe that environments rich with species harbor more friendly microbes, which colonize our bodies and protect against inflammatory disorders."

"GETTING THE DIRT ON IMMUNITY: SCIENTISTS SHOW EVIDENCE FOR HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS"
"GETTING THE DIRT ON IMMUNITY: SCIENTISTS SHOW EVIDENCE FOR HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS"

Science Daily, March 22, 2012

"Exposure to diverse microbes from natural systems early in life is important to development of the immune system."

"NATURAL IMMUNITY"
"NATURAL IMMUNITY"

US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health EMBO Reports, October 7, 2011

"Biodiversity loss and inflammatory diseases are two global megatrends that might be related."

"Chronic inflammatory disorders can be added to the long list of reasons of why we should care for the diversity of animal, plant and microbial life on Earth."

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