Collectively these studies, which have included green sea turtles, polar bears and monkeys, bring weight to the «hygiene hypothesis,» which theorizes that reduced exposure to microbes is contributing to the increase in autoimmune and
allergic disease occurrence in Westernized nations.
According to UCLA Health System, «The
occurrence of
allergic disease is skyrocketing, and some estimates are that as many as one - in - five Americans have an
allergic condition.»