The immune system - What to do and how to live?

bobcat

bobcat

Well-known Member
Location
Northern Calif
Apparently, the immune system is an "adaptive" and complex network of bodily responses to foreign intruders. It also has a memory that can recognize and react to previously encountered, unwelcomed visitors. When this occurs, it mobilizes the immune army for combat, and it can be a very formidable force.

Childhood environments can be very unsanitary situations, playing in the dirt, drinking from garden hoses, sharing playground equipment, and playing with pets. But is that really unhealthy? Reports even show that kids who grow up on farms have more robust immune systems than those who grow up in more sheltered surroundings. Even allergies seem to be more common with city dwellers.

In today's world, we have dishwashers that supposedly sterilize everything, but in years past, that wasn't the case. The Brits even used to do "washing up", where they wash dishes by hand with soap and just put them in the drying rack without even rinsing. Cowboys and frequent campers tend to just give plates and pots a quick rinse, and let it go at that.

It seems that there must be a delicate balance to challenge the immune system just enough to keep it strong but not overwhelm it. But how do you know where that line is? We have trillions of bacteria inside of us that came from food and the environment, but they seem to be content to live in a more symbiotic way with our bodies.

The old saying goes: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Should we sanitize, or how much?
 

I am very aware of this. I have to be, because of illness I am struggling with. I searched if autoimmune disease is increasing?

Immune Disorders on the Rise​

Based on the provided search results, here’s a comprehensive answer:

Have immune disorders increased?​

Yes, immune disorders have increased. The search results indicate a growing prevalence of autoimmune diseases, with estimates suggesting that:
  • Autoimmune diseases affect 23.5 million Americans (according to a 2024 publication).
  • Primary immunodeficiency disorders, a type of immune disorder, affect about 1 in 100 people worldwide (according to a 2022 publication).
  • Celiac disease, a specific autoimmune disorder, affects around 1% of the global population, with an estimated 3 million people affected in the United States (according to a 2023 publication).

Why have immune disorders increased?​

The search results do not provide a single definitive answer, as the causes of autoimmune diseases are complex and multifactorial. However, several factors are mentioned as potential contributors to the increasing prevalence of immune disorders:
  1. Genetic predisposition: Having a family history of autoimmune diseases increases the risk of developing one (according to a 2015 publication).
  2. Environmental triggers: Exposure to certain substances, such as:
    • Viral infections (including COVID-19 and Epstein-Barr virus) (according to a 2023 publication).
    • Chemicals (solvents, pesticides, etc.) (according to a 2022 publication).
    • Hormonal changes (according to a 2019 publication).
  3. Lifestyle factors: Obesity, lack of exercise, and poor diet may contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases (according to a 2019 publication).
  4. Sex: Women are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases than men, particularly between the ages of 15 and 44 (according to a 2015 publication).
  5. Ethnicity: Certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, are more common in specific ethnic groups (African American, Hispanic, or Latino) (according to a 2023 publication).
It is essential to note that the exact causes of autoimmune diseases are still being researched, and the relationship between these factors and the increasing prevalence of immune disorders is likely to be complex and multifactorial.
In summary, while there is no single answer to why immune disorders have increased, a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, lifestyle factors, sex, and ethnicity may all contribute to the growing prevalence of autoimmune diseases.
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hopkinsmedicine.org
Disorders of the Immune System | Johns Hopkins Medicine
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verywellhealth.com
Immune System Disorders: Types and Triggers
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hopkinsmedicine.org
What Are Common Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease? | Johns Hopkins Medicine
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bobcat said:
Apparently, the immune system is an "adaptive" and complex network of bodily responses to foreign intruders. It also has a memory that can recognize and react to previously encountered, unwelcomed visitors. When this occurs, it mobilizes the immune army for combat, and it can be a very formidable force.

Childhood environments can be very unsanitary situations, playing in the dirt, drinking from garden hoses, sharing playground equipment, and playing with pets. But is that really unhealthy? Reports even show that kids who grow up on farms have more robust immune systems than those who grow up in more sheltered surroundings. Even allergies seem to be more common with city dwellers.

In today's world, we have dishwashers that supposedly sterilize everything, but in years past, that wasn't the case. The Brits even used to do "washing up", where they wash dishes by hand with soap and just put them in the drying rack without even rinsing. Cowboys and frequent campers tend to just give plates and pots a quick rinse, and let it go at that.

It seems that there must be a delicate balance to challenge the immune system just enough to keep it strong but not overwhelm it. But how do you know where that line is? We have trillions of bacteria inside of us that came from food and the environment, but they seem to be content to live in a more symbiotic way with our bodies.

The old saying goes: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Should we sanitize, or how much?
Click to expand...
The Brits...^^^^^^^....are you saying we're the only nation where some people washed dishes without rinsing ?..OMG..how terrible...call the dishwasher police !
 

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bobcat said:
Apparently, the immune system is an "adaptive" and complex network of bodily responses to foreign intruders. It also has a memory that can recognize and react to previously encountered, unwelcomed visitors. When this occurs, it mobilizes the immune army for combat, and it can be a very formidable force.

Childhood environments can be very unsanitary situations, playing in the dirt, drinking from garden hoses, sharing playground equipment, and playing with pets. But is that really unhealthy? Reports even show that kids who grow up on farms have more robust immune systems than those who grow up in more sheltered surroundings. Even allergies seem to be more common with city dwellers.

In today's world, we have dishwashers that supposedly sterilize everything, but in years past, that wasn't the case. The Brits even used to do "washing up", where they wash dishes by hand with soap and just put them in the drying rack without even rinsing. Cowboys and frequent campers tend to just give plates and pots a quick rinse, and let it go at that.

It seems that there must be a delicate balance to challenge the immune system just enough to keep it strong but not overwhelm it. But how do you know where that line is? We have trillions of bacteria inside of us that came from food and the environment, but they seem to be content to live in a more symbiotic way with our bodies.

The old saying goes: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Should we sanitize, or how much?
Click to expand...
Great question. I think it all depends on how compromised ones immune system is.

Living on ranches most of my life, with weeks spend on the range, I still do my non stick skillets like I do cast iron. Treat it with olive oil before using and then just wipe out. Since skillets are reheated, no chance of bacteria. If hand washing, I always rinse off the soap because soap residue may stop bacteria, but it can cause the trots.

The "cowboy" quick rinse wouldn't work for everyone since ranch hands, the real cowboys, are tough or they seek another life style. I have seen the real cowboys after performing all the disciplines of roundup, eat cornbread and a bowl of chili with unwashed hands and snot from their nose running down into their bowl.

Ranch hands putting food in their mouths with filthy hands is fairly common.

During the Covid biowarfare, one life long very remote living rancher I knew, that was never sick a day in his life, got Covid. No one knows how, unless someone in his family that had been to town had it, but they all tested negative. He had mild symptoms and after being bullied for days by his concerned family, he went to the doctor that immediately hospitalized him. His spirits were good and he was joking online saying he would be home tomorrow.

He died that night to the surprise of his doctor. I still think he would have overcome it if he had stayed on the ranch. All that sterilization and change of environment, weakened his immune system in my opinion plus the ventilator (he didn't need) was probably full of bacteria.
 
hollydolly said:
The Brits...^^^^^^^....are you saying we're the only nation where some people washed dishes without rinsing ?..OMG..how terrible...call the dishasher police !
Click to expand...
Ha ha .... no, not at all. It was just in an article that I read, and I wasn't familiar with doing that. I have no idea if other nations do it or not. I am far from a germophobe, I could eat a sandwich and chips while working outside digging a ditch. I've been that way all my life, and I'm still healthy, so something about it must be OK. I kinda' think over sanitization might be a bad thing, but not everything I think is true.
 
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