According to a report in time.com http://tinyurl.com/mtfxa37 a new study in journal pediatrics http://tinyurl.com/m2fhj56 suggests it’s good for our immune systems to get dirty.
Something called “hygiene hypothesis” speculates that we set ourselves up for allergies because our environment is just too clean, and in order for our children to have a healthy immune system, we need to expose them to bacteria at a very early age.
Past studies have shown that families who have pets, or live on a farm, have less allergies than families that don’t. Now this new study performed by Dr. Bill Hesselmar of Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, says hand washing dishes might also lead to fewer allergies. So far what they have found is a reduced rate of eczema in either children who are old enough to wash dishes, or children who happen to live in homes where dishes are hand washed. The thinking behind this is that dishes not washed in a dishwasher, are just not cleaned as well, and therefore some bacteria could still remain.
However, there is still much to learn. For example, why are they only noticing a difference in eczema and not other things, such as asthma? This is one of the questions the team of researchers is asking.
So for now this is all we know-but even if a reduced risk of eczema is the only benefit, well that’s not so bad!
Let me know if you read the full article and if you found it helpful.
Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep they need and desire. To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website: babesinsleepland.com Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland.
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