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Is Your House Too Clean?

Catchy title – but can your house ever be too clean? Although this might not usually be the case, especially if you have young children running you ragged all day, those who are “germophobic” might well fit in the “too clean” category!

It’s hard to believe, but your house actually can be too clean! And there are plenty of homemakers who scrub and scrub to kill every possible germ. But…your children need to be exposed to germs – and within reason, the more of them the better!

What?? Yes…it’s true. In fact there’s even a philosophy known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” a theory that the rise in asthma and allergies among children may be the result of modern day culture’s obsession with cleanliness!

In order for your child’s immune system to develop properly, your child needs exposure to dust and other allergens, viruses, germs and bacteria. The immune system is the body’s defender; it protects your child from harmful organisms. But this defender can’t ever get strong enough to identify and fend off more serious risks if it’s not adequately exposed to everyday allergens and even some minor infections. Extreme cleanliness just doesn’t get this job done!

Studies have shown that children raised on farms are healthier than those raised in suburban communities. A 1990 study determined that children raised in West Germany, considered to be much cleaner than the less affluent East Germany, had a far greater higher incidence of allergies and asthma. Exposure to pet dander, early enrollment in day care and membership in  a large family also seem to bolster healthy immune system functioning.

So…lighten up on house cleaning, chronic disinfecting and antibacterial soaps and remember, children need to eat that “pound of dirt” to guard against the more serious offenders they will encounter.

And…while you’re at it, have your child checked for spinal problems. Childhood falls, accidents and even the birth process itself can produce nerve interference that can compromise the immune system. A diminished immune system can’t defend against harmful viruses and bacteria. So, make an appointment for a chiropractic checkup for your child today. After all, kids need chiropractic too!