Re: allergies

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>Latest research done among school children in Germany revealed the

>following:

>

>Excessive hygienic regimes and social isolation as well as

>over-protectiveness in suburban one-child-families are high risk factors in

>the development of allergies, asthma and neuro dermitis.

Regarding Oliver's contribution from a German study:  I've read some similar press recently here - that we're over-doing the antisceptic routines and thereby not allowing our immune systems the opportunity to develop as fully.

I can also say from personal experience that, although my 2 sons experienced MANY and REPEATED colds as pre-schoolers from exposure at day-care, they now, at 8 and 10 years of age, very rarely get sick.  But they do have some allergies.  Some areas of the country just naturally have higher pollen counts than others.  Here is Columbus, Ohio, I know I'm not alone in developing pollen allergies after having lived here about 4 years.

Marianne

>The national magazine of pharmacies which is not exactly suspective of

>promoting radical health research published an article in its April issue of

>this year, that children exposed to nature experiences and dirt digging in

>their early childhood are much less affected by allergies in their later

>life. The same is true for children growing up in bigger families or

>attending day care centres as opposed to those from single child families

>and those with less social contacts.

>

>Instead of blaming trees it would be much more helpful to allow children a

>more natural, social and "dirty" way of growing up

>

>Oliver Ginsberg