Water purification, Hygene and the Imune system

[Lawn Sale]

As a fellow dirt eater, I agree, but lest we forget how we got to where we are today. Here is a brief history of drinking water (an easy read), and lest we forget the Broad Street incident? "There was a major epidemic of cholera in London in 1854; Dr John Snow demonstrated that many cases occurred among people who drank water from a pump in Broad Street; those who obtained water from other pumps did not contract the disease. The pump handle was removed and in that area there were no more cases of cholera. When adequate water supplies and sewage systems were installed and slums were cleared, the epidemics abated. " It's outlined in more detail here, and is also an interesting read.

"By the 1920s and 1930s, use of filtration and chlorination had virtually eliminated epidemics of major waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera from the American landscape. "

Here is another link to a good CDC article.

These items are relevant in that leaving the problems unchecked to simply rely on immune systems did nothing to alleviate them. Our immune systems have a life of their own, as do the infectious entities, whether they are virus, protozoa, or bacteria. Thus while we can make a conscious effort to not get sick, sometimes it is out of our hands to simply rely on our immune systems to be the firewall for the rest of our body.

This subject does not deal in absolutes though, each case is different, I'm just adding some food for thought.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

This is exactly what makes us stronger and of course the saying goes... "only the strong survive."

Society is changing that. Have you eaten peanuts on a plane lately?

 

[funkyfreddy]

Well, this has been something my friends and I discuss every time we are out in the woods. One of my friends has mild case of hypocondria and believs he has to have a sterile environment. He also believes in homeopathic remedy which seems to be contradictory to his sterile environment theory. My other camping friend and I are dirt eaters. Who do you think always gets sick and has to drop out all the time despite all the preventative herbs and cures?... the hypocondriac herbalist!

I've found that people who are obsessed with their diets tend to be less healthy as well.....I think obsessiveness with any kind of health regimen - diet, exercise, even hiking - can make one imbalanced, rigid, and brittle. A funny film about this is "The Road To Wellville" with Anthony Hopkins, who plays a great quack doctor and pseudo scientist.

Living more of a full life tends to keep one healthy in my opinion - challenging your mind, your body, your pallette, experiencing different cultures, climates, weather, etc. That being said it's always a good idea to wash your hands after playing with rats or pigeons.

One more note - if bad hygeine was good for your health then homeless people would be healthier than all of us........

 

[Rik]

....I think obsessiveness with any kind of health regimen - diet, exercise, even hiking - can make one imbalanced...

I'll testify to that.

 

[Puck]

I think Stan and Bkuethroatedone are both referring to homeopathic practices (In Hickey speak, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger") of which (thankfully) , I know nothing about other than the definition!!!

Have not seen a mention of homeopathy nor anything that comes close to its definition. I would agree, however, a homeopathic remedy popping hypochondriac is a sorry soul indeed.

Interesting note; one passes by a lot of plants that could be used as remedies for some of the ailments mentioned in this thread. Some I always have in my first aid kit.

 

[Stan]

One of my friends has mild case of hypocondria and believs he has to have a sterile environment. He also believes in homeopathic remedy which seems to be contradictory to his sterile environment theory. My other camping friend and I are dirt eaters. Who do you think always gets sick and has to drop out all the time despite all the preventative herbs and cures?... the hypocondriac herbalist!

So maybe he's not a hypochondriac after all, he's right, he gets sick easily.

Sorry to poke fun at a situation none of us would choose to be in. For a variety of reasons from genes to lifestyle, we all have different immune systems like we have other different characteristics. The better informed we are about our health the better off we all are. I thank those who try new things, including sterile herbal homeopathic remedies ... that's what helps us learn what works and what doesn't and for whom.

 

[DougPaul]

I've found that people who are obsessed with their diets tend to be less healthy as well.....I think obsessiveness with any kind of health regimen - diet, exercise, even hiking - can make one imbalanced, rigid, and brittle.

You might have cause and effect reversed--people who are less healthy may try harder to avoid exposure to "bad things".

Doug