Let go back to dirt and grime

I recently read an article which propagated dirt and grime for improving immunity in children. This does not mean that we do not clean the children J , the article however highlights the importance of giving exposure to germ to children at a young age. As this helps increase the immunity of the tots in the long term. You can read the entire article here. It also reminds me of a similar concept used by acclaimed American movie director Steven Spielberg in his movie ‘War of the World’s’ where the extraordinarily strong and intelligent Alien clan is beaten by the relatively puny human race due to the latter’s immunity from the microbial organisms present in this hospitable planet.

This medical news piece has also made me realize how children spend so much less time nowadays in playgrounds or what we can in actual terms do any sort of physical activity. Today’s generation children are more involved in everything virtual, right from video games, computer games, mobiles and my favorite of the lot watching television J. The previous generations especially till (I presume) the turn of the century used to get down and out in physical activity. This would be playing cricket, football, chor police, hide and seek, etc. (I still do the first activity from time to time). While I can’t confirm if it has improved the immunity, it however did provide a regime of physical activity into us, which I feel is very important. This physical activity could be anything, right from playing a sport, to going for a jog, or just a brisk walk, etc. It not only provides the much needed exercise to the human body, but also provides a change from the monotonous mental strain (at work or while playing virtual games).

Hence I would advise the young and the old to inculcate some disciplined physical activity in their daily life, to provide enrichment to their body as they do for their mind. Additionally for all those doting or wannabe doting parents, keeping in mind the health article, do not worry of your children’s hygiene so much, let your children out in the open, let them play and get dirty. Copying from a slogan of a leading detergent ‘dhool mithi mein khelna acha hota hain!!!’