01/22/08

[Billy's Little Trip]

Another day in pair of dice
Life's a pie, and I want a slice

Question Of The Day: Are we becoming too clean? Do you think that being too germ free can weaken your immune system? Antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, etc. Are future generations going to have weaker immune systems?


The album cover thing we've been doing over here introduced me to the wikipeedeeuh random thing. I saved the link for fun, and as I hit the link, a random article came up about IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). I thought, hmm, cool band name? But I read on, and it seems that IBD is on the rise in the US and other civilized parts of the world, but almost non existent in uncivilized parts of the world, as well as other chronic immune diseases like asthma, Crohn's disease, or multiple sclerosis.
I thought about this for a moment in my usual manner, like this >> , and I couldn't help but wonder if this is because our immune systems are becoming wimps. If you don't get some form of exercise, your muscles deteriorate. Does the same happen to our immune system?

[Hoblit]

qotd: who knows...but does it matter...won't we come up with new and improved ways to deal with these things that bug our immune system therefore making our immune systems weaker so we keep coming up with ways to thwart bacteria and viruses that make our immune systems weaker?



Anyways. Economics suck. Work slowed down today.

Only one of my jobs is public and the other one undercuts the local phone company rates so my job is fairly secure.

[HeuristicsInc]

Not sure about IBS/etc. but I believe the increase in asthma is tightly tied to pollution. The incidence in cities is much higher than in the country. I have often wondered a similar thing wrt allergies. Some of these things may be hidden by the longer life expectancy that people in the developed countries have.
-bill

[anti-m]

Another day in pair of dice
Life's a pie, and I want a slice

Question Of The Day: Are we becoming too clean? Do you think that being too germ free can weaken your immune system? Antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, etc. Are future generations going to have weaker immune systems?

I wont weigh in an the question of whether cleaner environments are leading to higher incidences of allergies -- although scientists are tackling that angle.

It is most certainly true that anti-bacterial everything does little in the way of good, and a good deal in the way of hastening the development (dare I say EVOLUTION?) of resistant strains of bacteria. Lay off the antibiotics and wash your hands with soap instead!

[Lunkhead]

RIP Heath Ledger.

[Hoblit]

RIP Heath Ledger.

HOLY CRAP, I was just at CNN reading other junk, came here...and they posted that in the time I was here.

Looks like too many sleeping pills. Isn't that usually a sign that its suicide? Read that as gossip... maybe he just wanted a good nights sleep and over did it.

[Niveous]

Gee, death's not taking a holiday this year. Bobby Fischer, Suzanne Pleshette, Sir Edmund Hillary, Brad Renfro, and Heath Ledger. And we're not even a month in yet.

[Hoblit]

Gee, death's not taking a holiday this year. Bobby Fischer, Suzanne Pleshette, Sir Edmund Hillary, Brad Renfro, and Heath Ledger. And we're not even a month in yet.

Most of which are relatively surprising. Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, and Amy Winehouse still alive and kicking.

[Billy's Little Trip]

He plays the Joker in the new Batman movie coming out in a couple months. What a shame, he was a good actor.
Thinking back, the interview that I saw him in talking about his role as the Joker, I thought that he looked like he was on heroin the way he was acting, but I didn't really think amything of it.
I'm going to see if I can find that interview.

[erik]

When I saw the trailer for the new Batman movie, I thought to myself "Hmmmm, the Joker looks like the Crow", and now this happens.

Sad.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I found the interview I was talking about. Does he seem tweaked or is that just how he is? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKa-aDga1fE

[Caravan Ray]

RIP Heath Ledger.

Oh great...another mediocre Australian celebrity is going to be endlessly eulogised on the local media

[blue]

Another day in pair of dice
Life's a pie, and I want a slice

Question Of The Day: Are we becoming too clean? Do you think that being too germ free can weaken your immune system? Antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, etc. Are future generations going to have weaker immune systems?

I wont weigh in an the question of whether cleaner environments are leading to higher incidences of allergies -- although scientists are tackling that angle.

It is most certainly true that anti-bacterial everything does little in the way of good, and a good deal in the way of hastening the development (dare I say EVOLUTION?) of resistant strains of bacteria. Lay off the antibiotics and wash your hands with soap instead!

"Don't Touch Your Face" would be a good songfight title.

[Lord of Oats]

Question Of The Day: Are we becoming too clean? Do you think that being too germ free can weaken your immune system? Antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, etc. Are future generations going to have weaker immune systems?
IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). I thought, hmm, cool band name? But I read on, and it seems that IBD is on the rise in the US and other civilized parts of the world, but almost non existent in uncivilized parts of the world, as well as other chronic immune diseases like asthma, Crohn's disease, or multiple sclerosis.
If you don't get some form of exercise, your muscles deteriorate. Does the same happen to our immune system?

Technology is undoubtedly having an impact on our health. Some positive, some negative. Our lifespans are much longer than they have been for most of human history, (unless you believe Genesis, then Methuselah and co. kick our asses,) but the argument could be made that while our standard of living is higher, our quality of life is lower. I wouldn't necessarily say that's true. I'd rather live today than at any time in the past, but maybe I'm just biased, being from the present. I don't know, really, who gives a shit? It's not like we have a choice in the matter, anyway.

What we should do now is use available technology to make our health the best that it can be. The bottom line is that the bottom line for corporations in the health industry is their bottom line. Not your health. Your health damn well better be your own priority, because it's not theirs. We know so much, yet we still don't know anything. Established medicine is controlled by greedy corporations, while alternative medicine is plagued by loony bins and...greedy entrepreneurs full of ass hat rhetoric. It can be hard to sort out. But I think I have an idea about a few things.

The short answer to the question is yes. Taking antibiotics at the first sign of illness is such a blockheaded action. First of all, you probably have a viral infection. You are doing nothing that will directly affect your illness. You are just slaughtering your intestinal flora. Good job. Of course, in theory, using antibiotics will create resistant strains of bacteria, just like pesticides create resistant bugs. SO MAYBE, if you take a bunch of antibiotics all the time and eat a bunch of yogurt and miso and stuff, you will create SUPER DRUG-RESISTANT FRIENDLY BACTERIA. YES! And there are plenty of legitimate uses for antibiotics. It's not like I'm opposed to their use. They can save your life.

The way we typically fight viral infections is with immunizations. They have saved lives, but not without side effects. There is some evidence that vaccinations are responsible for autism, food allergies, and Type I diabetes. Great. Of course, the supposed connection to autism and other neurological afflictions has to do strictly with the systemic action of ingredients used in preparations, and nothing to do with immune response. Though it seems that these other conditions occur due to immune misdirection. In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that make insulin. This could potentially be caused by immunizations. Experimental treatments involve "resetting" the immune system in one way or another, or at least suppressing it, and have been demonstrated to be effective, at least for measured periods of time. Meh. As for antibacterial stuff for your hands? Good idea for surgical staff, probably even those working in commercial kitchens. Most everybody else has no business with that stuff. Does 'use it or lose it' apply to the immune system. In some cases, yes, and in others, no. To simplify, biochemistry is complex and widely either misunderstood or unknown.

I thought IBD was Investor's Business Daily??? Most chronic disease has poor diet as a primary cause, for which the blame lies on the greedy/evil food industry and our own lack of education and/or self-discipline. Um what? I keep getting distracted by other things while I'm trying to write this. I'm done for now.

[Caravan Ray]

Our lifespans are much longer than they have been for most of human history.

No - our lifespans are pretty much the same as they have always been - about 90 years. You mean - our average life expectancy is much higher than it has been for most of human history. There is a difference.

[Lord of Oats]

Alright, Mr. Science Pants.

Good point, actually. My mistake.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Not sure about IBS/etc. but I believe the increase in asthma is tightly tied to pollution. The incidence in cities is much higher than in the country. I have often wondered a similar thing wrt allergies. Some of these things may be hidden by the longer life expectancy that people in the developed countries have.
-bill

True, there are many variables to consider. Also, even though undeveloped parts of the world may not have some chronic immune diseases that we have, probably for reasons like you mentioned. But they do have others that we don't have, or we have more control over.

I wanted to read more about this subject, and it is being studied. The first thing I Googled here is interesting.
This is from that article:
"Think about countries in Africa like Gambia, a country that has been studied very well," said Dr. Kugathasan. "Ninety to ninety-nine percent of people in Gambia have intestinal worms at some point in their lives. But the chronic immune diseases like asthma, Crohn's disease, or multiple sclerosis are not heard of, never even mentioned in their life. They don't know anything about such diseases in those countries. While one may argue that maybe their population is genetically not predisposed to these diseases, other factors appear to be in play."

The first wiki article I read must have pulled from this article, because the highlighted part reads exactly like I posted it in my first post where I was quoting from wki.

[HeuristicsInc]

so you're saying that to avoid asthma you should get intestinal worms?
-bill

[Hoblit]

so you're saying that to avoid asthma you should get intestinal worms?
-bill

Well, it WOULD help to lose weight as well.

[Billy's Little Trip]

so you're saying that to avoid asthma you should get intestinal worms?
-bill

Yes....yes I am.