These findings are very preliminary, but they support a decades-old
(and unfortunately named) idea called the hygiene hypothesis. In
order to develop properly, the hypothesis holds — to avoid the
hyper-reactive tendencies that underlie autoimmune and allergic
disease — the immune system needs a certain type of stimulation
early in life. It needs an education.
I think it's funny that we Western people get so quickly sick from street-food in Asian countries (e.g. Thailand), while most locals have no problem eating the food.
> I think it's funny that we Western people get so quickly sick from street-food in Asian countries (e.g. Thailand), while most locals have no problem eating the food.
I can eat food in Shanghai without suffering from traveler's diarrhea afterward. It took a while to get to that point.
With exposure, you'll develop tolerance for the local food. Hopefully, all of the locals have already had that exposure.
I think it's funny that we Western people get so quickly sick from street-food in Asian countries (e.g. Thailand), while most locals have no problem eating the food.