immunity from the out doors

**owl_girl** · 04-06-2009, 02:00 AM

This is funny to me. since I've been in Hawaii so many people have told me if I get a cut here not to get it wet and keep it out of the dirt and put antibiotic on it and cover it with something or it will get infected. They say it takes forever for cuts to heal and if you get one on you foot your doomed cause there no way you could keep it clean enough. Many have said they have had so many infections that landed them at the doctors this way but I have had many cuts on my feet and elsewhere and never had a problem. They heal fine every time even though I get them dirty and wet. But I wonder what exactly is makes some more immune then others. I've met others that like me seem to not have a problem with it. I'd think its just that I'm so exposed to dirt that i developed a strong immunity but some of thees people that get thees infections seem like they would have many of the same environmental exposure I do but Im not sure. I know there are many different things that could cause it but it still seems odd to be able to get so many infections so easily.

Also Ive noticed the more Im out side the less Im sick. I havnt been sick for awhile now, maybe around a year or so. Has any one ells felt this?

**crashdive123** · 04-06-2009, 05:58 AM

Owl Girl - good to see you back. As far as the cut thing goes - having lived there for four years - I found no difference with healing from a cut there or anyplace else I've lived. There is one exception though, and it is not unique to Hawaii. Coral cuts. Walking in the water, snorkeling, or scuba diving - if I received a coral cut and I didn't clean and treat it rather quickly, an infection would set in fast. As far as being outside - must be all of the vitamin D your body makes when exposed to UV.

Have you been to Slippery Slide or Twin Falls yet?

**nell67** · 04-06-2009, 06:41 AM

Maybe you are not getting sick because you are out in the fresh air,not cooped up in an artificial environment where viruses and bacteria are trapped.
My kids were always healthy over the summer months,but as soon as school started,would end up with colds and flu because they are stuck "in close quarters" with someone carrying the viruses.

**Rick** · 04-06-2009, 07:22 AM

A lot has to do with your personal immunity. Part of that is genetics part is what you eat and how well you take care of yourself.

Nell is correct in her assessment. If you spend a lot of time outdoors and/or isolated you are not around other folks to become infected with any communicable diseases.

Add them together and you will generally have a stronger immune system because your of your lifestyle and it hasn't been busy fighting off communicable diseases so if you get a cut you are well armed to subdue any little curmudgeons that try to find their way in.

**snakeman** · 04-06-2009, 07:50 AM

I agree. I have gotten lots of cuts and scrapes all over and I never have done anything about them. Now they hurt for 5 seconds and are forgotten.

**grundle** · 04-06-2009, 10:47 AM

I have a friend that would follow an old wives tale. He travelled extensively, all over the world. Upon arriving at his destination he would take some of the local soil, mix it with some water and drink it down.

According to him he had never been sick during his travels. This represents years on the road in many third-world countries. It may be nothing more than a placebo, but it could also be a slight kick for his immune system.

**Alpine_Sapper** · 04-06-2009, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by grundle

I It may be nothing more than a placebo, but it could also be a slight kick for his immune system.

sure. and ingesting all those foreign germs at once can be like an ICBM to his immune system to. with a viral payload.

**grundle** · 04-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Yes, exactly. But for some reason he hasn't been sick at all. Maybe it should be thought of more like a vaccination. A small amount is introduced into the system so that the body will build up antibodies and will be prepared when the real thing tries to invade in full force...

**Alpine_Sapper** · 04-06-2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by grundle

Yes, exactly. But for some reason he hasn't been sick at all. Maybe it should be thought of more like a vaccination. A small amount is introduced into the system so that the body will build up antibodies and will be prepared when the real thing tries to invade in full force...

I can see it. But if you have a weakened immune system from jetlag or exhaustion that's a dangerous tactic since you may fall victim to the small amount. Not saying it's not valid, I'm just thinking it should come with a "Caution; Use at own risk" label.

**grundle** · 04-06-2009, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Alpine_Sapper

I can see it. But if you have a weakened immune system from jetlag or exhaustion that's a dangerous tactic since you may fall victim to the small amount. Not saying it's not valid, I'm just thinking it should come with a "Caution; Use at own risk" label.

I am in complete agreement with the disclaimer. Mainly that is why I said it is a "wives-tale". It works for him, but I would be hesitant to try it myself.

**trax** · 04-06-2009, 05:21 PM

1. Hi owl_girl! Long time, good to hear from you!

2. Definitely staying away from the population at large is going to keep you healthier. I admit it happily, most people make me sick! (wilderness_survival.netters definitely excluded from that statement)

3. This thing you other guys mentioned, mixing the local soil etc? I'll give that a pass. Even if the "old wives tale" is true....yeccchhhh

**bulrush** · 04-08-2009, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by grundle

I have a friend that would follow an old wives tale. He travelled extensively, all over the world. Upon arriving at his destination he would take some of the local soil, mix it with some water and drink it down.

According to him he had never been sick during his travels. This represents years on the road in many third-world countries. It may be nothing more than a placebo, but it could also be a slight kick for his immune system.

It sounds like your friend has great attention to detail, and an analytical mind. And so I would think he simply ate plenty of veggies every day. And that would probably help his immune system more than eating dirt.

OTOH, I've known people who travel to Mexico. More people get the runs from Mexico than from other countries in the western hemisphere. The people who went to Mexico more often and drank the tap water, got sick less.

Since we are all adults here I can say that while in Mexico I had "loose stools" for 24 hours, but not the full runs. After that I was fine, but most people say to stay away from the tap water and ice cubes, which are made from tap water.

**bulrush** · 04-08-2009, 09:44 AM

Owl Girl,
Certain places, like warm humid areas, are more likely to help bacteria live on your skin. If the weather in Hawaii AT THE TIME was warm and humid, it is probable that bacteria will be stronger then, and you might have a tougher infection to fight off.

**RBB** · 04-08-2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by owl_girl

This is funny to me. since I've been in Hawaii so many people have told me if I get a cut here not to get it wet and keep it out of the dirt and put antibiotic on it and cover it with something or it will get infected. They say it takes forever for cuts to heal and if you get one on you foot your doomed cause there no way you could keep it clean enough. Many have said they have had so many infections that landed them at the doctors this way but I have had many cuts on my feet and elsewhere and never had a problem. They heal fine every time even though I get them dirty and wet. But I wonder what exactly is makes some more immune then others. I've met others that like me seem to not have a problem with it. I'd think its just that I'm so exposed to dirt that i developed a strong immunity but some of thees people that get thees infections seem like they would have many of the same environmental exposure I do but Im not sure. I know there are many different things that could cause it but it still seems odd to be able to get so many infections so easily.

Also Ive noticed the more Im out side the less Im sick. I havnt been sick for awhile now, maybe around a year or so. Has any one ells felt this?

I don't know the reasons for it, but my mother used to say that being raised wild, the kids in my family were much healthier. We went barefoot from snow to snow, and were never the worse for it. We were never allowed band aids for cuts, we were told the injury would heal quicker if it was exposed. At one point I received a horrific injury to my leg (run over by a power lawn mower). I was supposed to loose the leg, but my folks wouldn't let the hospital amputate, and the leg sloughed off the infection, and the injury healed fine.