Is the Farm Theory Still Accurate?

 

I'm old, so my car radio is set to NPR. As I am driving to the Allergist's office, I am listening to NPR's "Fresh Air" with Terry Goss. 

Today he is interviewing Theresa MacPhail (a Medical Anthropologist), who wrote a book titled, "Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing World"

Well, that's ironic, isn't it? I'm listening to an interview about allergies as I am driving to my Allergist's Office.......

As I was driving, Theresa MacPhail was talking about the "Farm Theory" (also called the Hygiene Hypothesis). Have you ever heard of that? 

The theory is that kids are less likely to develop allergies and asthma if they grow up in rural areas, around animals, and in big families. 

Why?

The idea behind this is that when kids are young, they are exposed to lots of germs and infections from older siblings, farm animals and pets, and that helps them build up their immune system. 

How?

The constant exposure to bacteria, viruses, and parasites teaches the body to tell the difference between things that will hurt the body, and things that won't. 

Well, I can tell you that it didn't work for me. I lived in a small town, but I am the youngest and was exposed to lots of germs from my older brothers. 

I also had bunnies, a duck, a frog, and many cats and dogs over the years. And I grew up in the 70's - before video games and TV shows kept us indoors. I rode my bike all around the neighborhood and played in the nearby fields, dug in the dirt, etc 

And....I have LOTS of allergies, and severe asthma. 

I also have an elderly neighbor who grew up on a farm, and she has a load of allergies and asthma. She can remember shoveling hay back in the 1940's and 1950's and wheezing and sneezing. 

 The Farm Theory or Hygiene Hypothesis didn't work for anyone in my family, as all of my siblings have allergies and asthma. And it didn't work for my elderly neighbor either.  

That's what Theresa MacPhail found in her research too. So I guess it's not just me.

Did anyone else grow up around animals, farms, and in big families? 

How are your allergies and asthma now?