The mindbodygreen Podcast

Episode: What the Amish can teach us about health
Host: Jason Wachob
Date: February 18, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores what modern society can learn about health and immunity from the traditional lifestyles of Amish communities, particularly focusing on childhood exposure to farm environments and its profound impact on allergic diseases like asthma. Host Jason Wachob draws on scientific studies, real-life anecdotes, and cutting-edge research to delve into why “dirty” farm kids may actually be some of the healthiest in America—and what that means for the rest of us.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Amish Life and Modern Anxieties

• Jason paints a vivid picture of Amish farm life: barefoot children helping on the farm, eating fresh eggs and bread, all without modern hygiene products or processed foods.
  • “You pass a farmhouse where an Amish family is already deep into their morning routine... Barefoot kids chasing chickens, climbing into haylofts, helping milk cows by hand into metal pails.” (01:10)
• Contrast is drawn between the perceived risks of such a “dirty” environment and modern parental anxieties: “Where are the baby gates, the hand sanitizer, the organic, triple-washed, individually packaged produce?” (02:10)

2. The Amish Health Mystery: Astoundingly Low Allergy & Asthma Rates

• Jason highlights a striking paradox: these “dirty” farm kids have dramatically lower rates of allergies and asthma.
  • “Those, quote unquote, dirty farm kids actually may be the healthiest children in America when it comes to allergies and asthma.” (03:30)
• He shares research findings:
  • In infants raised in farm environments, “Asthma rates dropped from 11% to just 1%. Hay fever plummeted from 13% to 3%. And sensitivity to Allergens ... fell from 29% to only 12%.” (04:30)
  • “We’re talking about kids being 10 times less likely to develop asthma just because they grew up around cows and hay.” (05:00)

3. Microbial Diversity: The Secret Weapon

• Researchers found the answer in Amish farm dust: it’s loaded with diverse bacteria and fungi, unlike the “sterile dust” of modern homes.
  • “Farm dust was teeming with diverse bacteria and fungi. A whole invisible ecosystem ... even the homemade bread rising in the kitchen.” (07:00)
• The presence of these microbes, not the farm work itself, seems most critical:
  • “If a child’s indoor dust somehow resembled farm dust microbiologically, their asthma risk dropped dramatically.” (08:00)

4. Nature-Inspired Innovation: Bacterial Lysates

• Science seeks to mimic this effect—leading to the use of “bacterial lysates,” especially OM85, derived from 21 bacteria strains found in our airways.
  • “OM85 has been used by over 100 million people worldwide to prevent respiratory infections in children... clinical studies show it can decrease wheezing episodes and delay serious respiratory illnesses in at-risk kids.” (09:10)
  • Remarkably, its protective effect is transferrable (demonstrated in mouse models), suggesting that beneficial microbial exposures strengthen immunity at a biological level. (10:00)

5. Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science

• Jason connects Amish practices to evolutionary biology:
  • “For thousands of years, this was normal human childhood. Our immune systems evolved expecting that exposure, expecting to encounter diverse microbes, to learn from them...” (12:00)
• He notes the downside of over-sanitization:
  • “But in just a few generations, we’ve sanitized ourselves into a corner... maybe, just maybe, we’ve swung too far in the other direction.” (12:30)
• The takeaway is that some bacteria are not just safe but essential for immune training:
  • “Without them, our bodies become like overprotective parents, panicking at every little thing that enters our airway.” (13:10)

6. Unresolved Questions and the Larger Implications

• The research invites further questions:
  • Which exact microbes are most protective?
  • Could their benefits extend to food allergies and eczema?
  • Might pregnant mothers pass protection to babies?
  • “With childhood allergies on the rise globally, finding answers could transform millions of lives.” (14:15)

7. Practical Takeaways for Modern Listeners

• Jason suggests practical, balanced steps:
  • Don’t rush to sterilize every surface or ban dirt from children’s lives.
  • Embrace outdoor play, diverse foods (like fermented kefir), and connecting with nature’s microbial diversity.
  • “We may never recreate the exact conditions of an Amish farm in modern life, but we can learn from what those environments teach us—that health isn’t just about what we avoid, it’s also about what we embrace.” (16:00)
• The closing insight:
  • “We spend billions trying to optimize our health, but sometimes the most profound medicine has been right under our noses. Or in this case, right under our feet this whole time.” (16:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Those, quote unquote, dirty farm kids actually may be the healthiest children in America when it comes to allergies and asthma.” (03:30)
• “We’re talking about kids being 10 times less likely to develop asthma just because they grew up around cows and hay.” (05:00)
• “Farm dust was teeming with diverse bacteria and fungi. A whole invisible ecosystem.” (07:00)
• “If a child’s indoor dust somehow resembled farm dust microbiologically, their asthma risk dropped dramatically.” (08:00)
• “OM85 has been used by over 100 million people worldwide to prevent respiratory infections in children.” (09:10)
• “Our immune systems evolved expecting that exposure, expecting to encounter diverse microbes, to learn from them, to develop alongside them.” (12:00)
• “Without them, our bodies become like overprotective parents, panicking at every little thing that enters our airway.” (13:10)
• “Health isn’t just about what we avoid. It’s also about what we embrace.” (16:00)
• “Sometimes the most profound medicine has been right under our noses. Or in this case, right under our feet this whole time.” (16:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–02:30 — Introduction & Amish morning routine vignette
• 03:30–06:30 — Allergy mystery & statistical evidence
• 07:00–08:30 — Farm dust and microbial diversity discoveries
• 09:10–11:00 — Bacterial lysates and OM85
• 12:00–13:30 — Evolution, over-sanitization, and immune training
• 14:15–15:30 — Open research questions and implications
• 16:00–17:00 — Takeaways for daily life & closing reflections

Summary

This episode artfully merges poignant storytelling with cutting-edge science to challenge modern stances on childhood hygiene and microbial exposure. Through the lens of Amish farm life and the latest immunological research, Jason Wachob invites listeners to rethink the role of “dirt,” suggesting that contact with the natural world’s microbes is not only harmless but essential for preventing allergies and asthma. While suggesting balance—not abandoning hygiene—he encourages listeners to embrace the complexity and wisdom of ancient environment and immunity partnerships, summarizing: “Health isn’t just about what we avoid. It’s also about what we embrace.” (16:00)