Put away the Purell and send your kids outside to play in the dirt. New research suggests bacteria on the surface of the skin helps fight inflammation when you get cuts and bruises. Why is it important? The UC San Diego research is being hailed by some as evidence for the “hygiene hypothesis” — the idea that exposure to bugs and germs makes you healthier by strengthening your immune system.
An elementary school would be an ideal setting to test the idea.
