Balanced Immune Health

I just returned from a two-day tour of dairy farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Besides observing more than 500 cows on 5 farms use new, state-of-the-art robotic milking systems, I also was able to reflect on a few thoughts about life on the farm and immune health. 

I’ve been an allergy sufferer since childhood. Mine is classic hay fever and everything that feeds that sneezing beast. Well, during these two days, there was every opportunity for me to go on a non-stop sneezing bender. I was exposed to more hay and straw–used for both feed and cow-stall bedding–in two days than I had been my whole life. Add to that the fact my exposure was in barns which all had ventilation fans running to spread the airborne particulates around.  

However, by virtue of my balanced immune system, I hardly experienced a sniffle during the tour and after. No needing to front load massive doses of antihistamine every morning. Bring on that barnyard any day!

Another interesting finding as I was snooping around for info about farms and allergies: A study showing exposure to cow manure–which I slopped through in droves–may reduce risk for lung cancer due to the body’s immune system recalibrating itself as a result of exposure. It’s the hygiene hypothesis coming through again.

Filed under Bacteria, Balanced Immune Health, Hygiene Hypothesis, Immune Balance, Immune System, antibodies