As a society, we place a high value on cleanliness. We like to have control over dirt, germs, and nature. Most of us now live in urban or suburban settings with minimal intrusion from the natural world. We clean and sterilize our hands, homes, and children, and our outdoor surroundings are dominated by concrete, pavement, and lawn.
But is this sterile lifestyle actually making us sick? Research suggests that our increasing distance from nature and the lack of bacteria to which we are exposed may be related to skyrocketing rates of allergies and chronic inflammatory conditions.
This idea dates back to the 1980’s, with epidemiologist David Strachan’s hygiene hypothesis. He posited that exposure to more bacteria may explain why children raised on farms had fewer allergies than those raised in cities. Over the years, other studies have supported his hypothesis.
Last year, a team of scientists at the University of Helsinki expanded on that idea by studying whether the loss of biodiversity could be linked to an increase in allergies. They drew blood and took skin swabs of 118 Finnish adolescents, some of whom lived on farms and others in cities. They then identified and counted every single plant in each of the participants’ yards.
They found that adolescents who lived among a diverse array of native plants had different microbes on their skin and a lower incidence of allergies than those who didn’t.
More research is needed to uncover the complexities of this phenomenon. But it looks like preserving biodiversity where we live may be critical not only for the health of the planet – but for our own health as well.
**********
.
Web Links
Letting Biodiversity Get under Our Skin
http://conservationmagazine.org/2012/09/biodiversity-under-our-skin-2/#comments
Photo, taken on August 2, 2005, courtesy of Marcel van Schooten via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.