It's a proven fact asthma rates are on the rise in Western nations like the U.S. and U.K.  In the past pollution was blamed.  Yet with pollution on the decline and asthma rates still rising, many experts are looking at other theories.

Two theories gaining acceptance are the hygiene hypothesis and the microflora hypothesis.

The hygiene hypothesis pretty much proposes allergies and allergic are caused because we're too clean.  In the absence of bacteria our immune system gets bored and attacks things we consider normal -- like allergens.

I simplified the hygiene hypothesis in a previous post.  If you're not familiar with it I recommend you click here.  In this post I'd like to introduce you to the microflora hypothesis.

First a few definitions:

Normal Flora:  According to the Online Textbook of Bacteriology these are tiny little microbes that cover the surface areas of your body, including your skin and mucus membranes.  This consists of some fungi, but mostly bacteria.  Their main job is to prevent the growth of bad bacteria. 

Microflora:  According to thefreedictionary.com these are normal flora of a specific location, such as the intestines.

Probiotics:  This is simply a synonym for normal flora.

So what is the microflora hypothesis?

It's actually similar to the hygiene hypothesis only it goes a step further.  It states microbes in your intestinal tract (microflora) work together with your immune system to keep your immune system working right.

An imbalance of these microbes any time in your life can cause your immune system to develop an inappropriate response.  This may best explain why asthma can be developed at any time in your life. 

So what causes microflora to become imbalanced?

Two things in our modern, industrialized way of life are suspected to cause such an imbalance:

• 1. Antibiotics
• 2. Dietary changes

So, how might antibiotics cause an imbalance of microflora?

Antibiotics:  These were considered to be a godsend to the medical field when they hit the market in 1944, as they allowed doctors to treat and prevent infection. While these are good, there are consequences to antibiotic abuse:

• Some bacteria are smart: They catch on and develop resistance to antibiotics and this forces us to invent more powerful antibiotics.
• Some antibiotics kill too much: Instead of killing just the infecting bacteria we were also killing the good bacteria we need to maintain balance
• Antibiotics only kill bacteria: Actually we knew this all along, but I just thought I'd add it here to make a point.

While antibiotics are only able to treat bacterial infections, they were -- and often still are -- prescribed to treat any infection, even viral.  Often they are ordered just so you think the doctor is doing something.  You have asthma symptoms; you have a cold, so you expect antibiotics.