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08.07

Excessive Cleanliness Might Hurt You

by Terrance Malkinson

Can too much clean living make us sick? Is dirt a healthy thing? Scientific research suggests that hyper-cleanliness, particularly in the case of young children, could be detrimental to our health, making it difficult for us to develop our natural immunity to fight off disease. The so-called “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that growing up in cities insulated from nature, and our use of numerous cleaning products, is making us more susceptible to allergies, asthma and certain autoimmune diseases. Why? Excessive cleanliness leaves the body's immune system under-challenged. The immune system begins overreacting to pollen, animal dander and other ordinarily harmless substances.

A growing body of research supports this notion. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Eat Dirt — The Hygiene Hypothesis and Allergic Diseases” (347(12): 930-931, 2002; (http://content.nejm.org) showed that exposure to endotoxin, a component of the cell wall of bacteria, was related to a decreased frequency of hay fever, allergic asthma and allergic sensitization. Other research studies report similar conclusions.

Exposing very young children to dust, dirt and dander helps them develop normal immune systems that are able to fight off allergies, asthma and autoimmune diseases later in life. Researchers however caution against changing cleaning practices dramatically; rather, take a realistic approach to allowing children to get dirty, which will stimulate their natural immunity while maintaining socially necessary cleaning rituals. For more on the hygiene hypothesis, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's Web site (www.aaaai.org), as well as medical journals. As with all health issues, take the time to consult with your health care professional for further information.

Other Bytes

Here are some of the things going on in and around the engineering community:

• How busy is Generation Y? In a recent report from Statistics Canada (“The Busy Lives of Teens — Perspectives on Labour and Income," pp. 5-15, Summer 2007, www.statcan.ca), Katherine Marshall examines trends in the average number of daily hours teenagers spend on education, paid work and housework. Marshall's  comprehensive analysis provides useful insights into the teen lifestyle. For example, they averaged a 50-hour work week, and on any given day, 60 percent of this teenage cohort group spent 2.3 hours on homework. Involvement in paid work has increased over the past 20 years, and generally occurred on weekends and among teens aged 18 and 19.

• An organization’s success is dependent upon the skills and talents of its human resources. In “Make your Company a Talent Factory” (Harvard Business Review, 85(6), pp. 68-77, June 2007, www.hbr.com), Douglas Ready and Jay Conger discuss two companies' (Procter & Gamble and HSBC Group) approach to development and retention of key employees. Both companies focus on talent processes that support strategic and cultural objectives, and have managements whose emotional commitment is reflected in daily actions.

• How an employer treats an employee when they have chosen to leave an organization through resignation is an important component of an effective human resources policy. In “Smoother Separations” (HR Magazine, 52(6), pp. 94-97, June 2007, www.shrm.org/hrmagazine), Nancy Hatch Woodward discusses best practices for business, remaining employees, and for the departing employee. An interesting inset provides information on important elements in a company’s separation policy.

• Although we will likely never be able to understand exactly how the brain functions, we do have the power to enhance our minds through education, innovative computational techniques, and through the techniques of neurobiology. In “Expanding the Human Mind: The Future of the Brain” (The Futurist, 41(4), pp. 41-46, July-August 2007, www.wfs.org), William Holmes discusses how advances in neurology, electronics and other techniques may provide us with the ability to advance our mental powers. An interesting glimpse into the future of our mentality.

• What can you do to achieve an elite level of performance? In “The Making of An Expert” (Harvard Business Review, 85(7/8), pp. 115-121, July/August 2007, www.hbr.com), K. Anders Ericsson, Michael Prietula and Edward Cokely discuss new research that shows that outstanding performance is the product of years of focused practice and coaching, and not necessarily the result of any innate talent or skill. Insights are provided on expertise and what to look for when judging it, and how to enhance your skills so that you can become a real expert.

• China has been increasingly in the news as it approaches the hosting of the 2008 Olympic summer games. Stories of the country's success at mobilizing people and capital in one of the world’s fastest-growing industrial complexes have been offset by other stories describing environmental concerns and questionable business practices. In “Can China Be Fixed?” (BusinessWeek, #4043, pp. 39-45, 23 July 2007, www.businessweek.com), Pete Engardio, et al., discuss the steep price of growth at any cost in China. In an article in the subsequent issue of BusinessWeek (“Not Made in China,” #4044, pp. 41-43, 30 July 2007), John Carey discusses the origins of food ingredients as we become more aware of perils in our food supply. A Wired article looks at air pollution and China hosting the Olympics (“Smog and Mirrors,” 15(8), pp. 146-158, August 2007, www.wired.com).

• John Foley and John Soat debate Bill Gates' legacy in InformationWeek (“The Legacy of Bill Gates,” #1144, pp. 36-44, 25 June  2007, www.informationweek.com). On one hand, the story of Microsoft’s founder and chairman is one of unsurpassed technological leadership, and innovations and products that have affected everyone. On the other hand, some see the company as too competitive and heavy-handed.

Terrance Malkinson is a communications specialist, business analyst and futurist. He is an elected Senator of the University of Calgary, a Governor of the Engineering Management Society, international correspondent for IEEE-USA Today's Engineer Online, editor-in-chief of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer Digest, editor of IEEE Engineering Management, and associate editor for IEEE Canadian Review. He the author of over 300 publications and is also an accomplished triathlete. The author is grateful to the Haskayne School of Business Library at the University of Calgary. He can be reached at todaysengineer@ieee.org.