June 4, 2018
Here is a review of an article that is hot off the presses. My friends at Allergy Choices dropped this in my inbox last week.
Dr. Smit and colleagues found that people that live close to a farm with animals had a 20% reduction in allergy symptoms.
"From the study participants' blood samples, the research team measured allergy antibodies to house dust mites, grass, cats, and dogs.
They used geographic and weather data to determine the distance of each person's home from neighboring farms, the number and types of animals on those farms, and to estimate fine dust emissions from each farm."
"The apparent protection tied to living close to a farm was strongest for those who lived near pig or cattle farms, as well as those who grew up on a farm, the study team reports in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 30."
This data set goes along with many other biome depletion theory studies such as the Hutterite/Amish analysis and William Parker's work. The likely etiology of the protective effect is that wind blown animal based endotoxin dust is inhaled by local humans. This dust starts a process of retraining the immune system to be more pathogen centric and not self abusive.
Farms are great,
Dr. M
Allergy ArticleAllergy Article
Amish Review
NEJM Amish Article
Parker Article
