Dogs Can Help Boost Your Immune System
Dogs Can Help Boost Your Immune System
Dogs give humans unconditional love and companionship, but did you know they could be keeping us healthy too?
Researchers in Finland studied the air around dogs, specifically the microbes they released. Every time a dog moves or scratches, it sends tiny bursts of pollen, fungi, bacteria, and plant debris into the air. Larger dogs can release up to four times more microbes than humans.
Here’s what one of the doctors behind the study said, “Exposure to a dog during childhood reduces the risk of developing allergic diseases.”
And then he said, “Making sure that a child is exposed to diverse environmental microbial stimuli seems to be a good idea, based on what we know, and a dog can help with that.”
So yes. Your dog might literally be helping train your immune system.
