The discussion revolves around the relationship between childhood environments and the development of allergies, particularly focusing on the concept of the "Farm-Effect" and its implications for health. Participants explore the impact of exposure to microbes and the cleanliness of environments on immune system development, drawing on personal anecdotes and research references.
Participants express a range of views on the relationship between cleanliness, microbial exposure, and allergy development. While some support the idea of the "Farm-Effect," others raise questions about its applicability in different environments, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.
Participants reference various studies and anecdotal evidence, but the discussion does not resolve the complexities of how different environments influence immune system development and allergy prevalence.
+1 on that.Hornbein said:Kids who grow up in too-clean environments get allergies. The immune system demands something to fight.
The Helmhotz Institute Munich even invented a nice name for it: Farm-Effect.phinds said:+1 on that.
My son tries to maintain as sterile an environment as possible for his son. Drives me nuts. Kid's only three and he's already gotten sick several times.
My niece, on the other hand, is raising her 7 (or it may be 8 now) kids out in the country where they play in the dirt and help clean up after the cows and chickens and goats and pigs. They all very healthy.
https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/en/...ve shown,hay fever and allergic sensitization.Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that children who grow up on traditional farms are protected from asthma, hay fever and allergic sensitization.
Farm-Effect or Send-the-Kids-Outside-to-Play-Effect?fresh_42 said:The Helmhotz Institute Munich even invented a nice name for it: Farm-Effect.
I think Farm-Effect. Sending the kids outside in NYC probably hasn't the same effect. AFAIK hay, pollen, and contact with animals are crucial.jrmichler said:Farm-Effect or Send-the-Kids-Outside-to-Play-Effect?
Early-life contact with livestock, especially contact to cow sheds as well as the consumption of unprocessed cow’s milk have been identified as the most effective protective exposures. Studies of the immunobiology of farm living point to activation and modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses especially by intense microbial exposures. Farms are environments that afford a wide range of microbial exposures.
Wikipedia said:Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), also known as Helmholtz Munich, is one of Germany’s leading non-university centers for biomedical research. It operates as part of Helmholtz Health, the health research division within the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest scientific organization. Helmholtz Munich primarily focuses on interdisciplinary research in the fields of environmental and metabolic diseases, spanning the full research spectrum from basic science to applied research. The center employs approximately 2,500 staff members (as of 2024) and is headquartered on a campus in northern Munich, covering an area of over 50 hectares.