The Dirt Hypothesis, Allergies and Autoimmune Disease

By not being exposed to agents that stimulate our immune system in infancy, we are at greater risk of developing inflammatory responses and autoimmune diseases in later life. Some scientists vigorously reject the hypothesis, arguing that the term hygiene hypothesis was potentially dangerous. This is because it might lead people to believe that they were too clean and would neglect their cleanliness. The simple message is that neglecting personal hygiene will not reduce allergies or autoimmune diseases but could lead to an increase in infectious diseases. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)