Why do many people say we cripple our immune system by using anti-bacterials?
The word immune is derived from the Latin immuno, meaning safe or free from. Naturally acquired active immunity begins after birth, as the body develops antibodies to protect it from invading pathogens. Throughout life, the immune system continues to sense and respond to such invasions. Immunity is the result of the immune systems ability to produce antibodies to pathogens that it has previously encountered, often following a past illness. People mistakenly believe that if they kill the germs that they come in contact with on a daily basis they will somehow weaken their immune system. There is no scientific data to support that claim. In fact, some diseases are so aggressive that the patient may die before their immune system can respond. Or, since pathogens are constantly changing, immunity based upon earlier infections may not respond to the new pathogen. Perhaps the question one should ask is, Why should I have to get sick to develop immunity for the next infection? By employing a h
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- Why do many people say we cripple our immune system by using anti-bacterials?
