Parents, Let Your Kids Eat Dirt!

For years, parents have been trying to keep their kids squeaky clean, inside and out. We were told to keep them away from any and all germs.  

Now, it turns out we went too far. Parents need to do a bit of a reversal. It's now clear: bacteria, for the most part, is good for kids. Grown-ups, too.

Scientists are increasingly discovering the key to good health lies in our gut. That means bacteria in our intestinal system determines our overall health.  

Eighty-percent of our immune system is in our gut. So if our gut is healthy, we will be able to fight off diseases better, including brain diseases like Alzheimer's, according to neurologist David Perlmutter. 

What makes a healthy gut is healthy bacteria. Most of us don't have enough healthy bacteria in our gut.

Bacteria? Healthy?

For years, we've falsely believed bacteria are bad. The truth is, some bacteria are harmful, but scientists have recently learned that many, if not most, bacteria actually help us.

The problem is, we have been furiously killing bacteria in every way possible, to the point that we have deprived ourselves and our children of one of the most important ingredients to good health: good bacteria.

The main culprits are, of course, products designed to kill bacteria. Topping the list: antibiotics.  

Remember, antibiotics kill all bacteria, the bad and the good. Although antibiotics can save us from deadly bacterial infections, we should never take them unless we have one of those infections, which is rare.

Most of us do the opposite. In reality, many of us take antibiotics when we don't need them and give them to our kids when they don't need them. When that happens we're killing the good bacteria and getting nothing in return.

That's because antibiotics only work on bacterial infections. Most of the time when we and our kids are sick, it's with a viral infection. Antibiotics don't work on viruses.   

Aside from taking antibiotics, another reason we and our kids don't have enough good bacteria in our gut is because we're too clean!

In the new book, Let Them Eat Dirt doctors B. Brett Finlay and Marie-Claire Arrieta say we need to let our kids get those much-needed bacteria into their guts in order to pump-up their immune systems. They even say the lack of good bacteria can lead to asthma, diabetes, and obesity.

Too many parents make the mistake of using antibacterial soaps, antibacterial hand sanitizers, and other antibacterial cleansing products.

As the name suggests, these items kill all the bacteria, including the good bacteria, just like antibiotics. Therefore, when you want to wash-up, just use good old fashioned soap and water. 

Not only that, but the authors say after getting rid of the antibacterial cleansers, go a step further and let your kids get dirtier than you have in the past, by doing things like playing in the dirt and walking barefoot outside. Believe it or not, they even say when your child's pacifier falls out of her mouth and onto the floor, it's perfectly fine to pop it right back in her mouth without washing it.

Dr. Finlay told ABC News it's especially important for kids under age 5 to get these good microbes...within reason.

"We do have to think of it, let your kid lick the floor in your own house, but probably not in the subway station," he said.

Finlay says parents need to relax when the family dog licks your child's face.

"A dog will come and lick you and your kids. And that's a good thing. They're basically bringing the outdoors into the home," she said.

In fact, research shows children who live in homes with dogs have a lower incidence of asthma and allergies.

Unfortunately, there is not similar research showing similar health benefits associated with cats.