[Katydid]

Did anyone happen to see "Body Wars" on the TLC channel last night?It dealt with the immune system and diseases related to it..Crohns, excema, asthma, etc.One of the trials that I believe the Univ. of Iowa ran was having Crohn patients taking a small amt. of liquid that contained "helmet?" worm eggs. Two weeks..no difference, but no ill affects. Within the third week, patients were noticing quite a bit of improvement. They take this to show that the more we try to separate ourselves from bacterias, it negatively affects our immune system. With the Crohn patients, the immune system then had to deal with the worm eggs, and was 'too busy' doing that to be attacking the host itself.An immunologist stated that 'bacteria educates the immune system'. When we take steps to 'protect' ourselves from 'common' bacteria, we most likely are doing more harm than good. It would explain the basis of probiotics helping some people, I would presume.I'm reiterating this in a very simplistic manner, I realize. Sorry for that. If they would re-air the program it might be of interest, though.