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To: 38special; aft_lizard; abishai; A knight without armor; Alberta's Child; Allegra; Amityschild; ...
I'm feeling better but still not up to doing the graphics. My bonus questions may be a little more controversial. Let's try to play nice.

1. I've read articles talking about studies claiming that people in monogamous sexual relationships have better immune systems than those who are celibate. The idea is that the exchange of pheromones, germs, and anything else that passes between two people so close will serve to strengthen the immune systems of each. Apparently, multiple partners will offset the effect and may overwhelm the immune system. Even if true, this outcome wouldn't justify someone violating his or her religious beliefs, but do you believe that being in a monogamous relationship is good for the immune system? Does this finding make sense?

2. Do you think children tend to carry more colds than adults? I rarely spend time around children, and I was around a baby at Christmas. I wonder whether he gave me this flu/cold.

3. How much do you think traveling or moving contributes to being sick? Being in different settings means being exposed to different germs for which the body may not have immunity. In these days of more frequent travel, maybe the germs are going to be well mixed into every society. On the other hand, maybe we aren't mixing quite that much.

44 posted on 01/19/2008 7:59:46 PM PST by WFTR (Liberty isn't for cowards)
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To: WFTR
I don't have an opinion / answer on number one.

I do believe that children carry more colds than adults. They are constantly in contact with others -- in school -- and their immune systems are often being introduced to new germs for the first time and so have not yet developed immunity. As we grow to adulthood, we develop more and more immunities.

Travelling definitely puts one in contact with new organisms, with the likelihood that there are some we haven't yet developed immunities to. I addition, today's travel often involves being closed in (as in an airplane) with numbers of strangers, thus exposure to new organisms.

As it happens, I'll be getting on an airplane this week, with a compromised immune system due to chemotherapy. I'll be carrying surgical masks as a precaution.

70 posted on 01/20/2008 3:41:24 AM PST by LantzALot (Yes, it’s my opinion. No, it’s not humble.)
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