The "Hygiene Hypothesis" Blows Lent Wide Open

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Driving to work yesterday, I heard a story on NPR about scientists studying the "hygiene hypothesis." The thinking behind the hypothesis goes like this:
  • Developed countries have detergents, sanitizers, and machines to clean things in ways humans have never cleaned things before.
  • We also don't hang out around livestock like our ancestors did Back In The Day.
  • Children who grow up in these super-clean environments lose contact with good old-fashioned GERMS, tricking their bodies into thinking every microbe in town is hazardous.
  • Thus, their adorable little immune systems go berserk: #eczema #allergies # asthma

Are we too clean?

Please join me at Praying with Grace to reflect and comment on how our faith might be too sterile, as well. Do children need to suffer?

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