Pick Your Nose

According to Dr. Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist based in Innsbruck, Austria, picking your nose and eating it is one of the best ways to stay healthy.

He goes on to state that people who pick their noses are probably better in tune with their bodies and happier people in general. Society has frowned on the habit of nose picking and mothers are frequently heard telling their kids to get their fingers out of their noses, pushing their hands away and wiping their fingers with a tissue before they can pop that little treasure into their mouths.

The Austrian doctor believes that society should change their views about nose picking and encourage children to do so, rather than making it taboo.

A cleaner nose

Dr. Bischinger's reasoning behind his support of nose picking is that you can get your finger into places you just can't reach with a tissue, which keeps your nose much cleaner. When you eat the dried remains of what you pick out, you are actually strengthening your immune system.

A healthier body

Understanding your body and how it works is the key to accepting nose picking as a perfectly natural thing to do. Your nose is a filter which collects large amounts of bacteria. When that crusty little tidbit arrives in the intestines, it works just like medicine. Researchers have proven that lack of exposure to infectious agents are linked to an increase in how susceptible a person is to allergic diseases. Scientists are trying to achieve the same results using far more complicated methods. People who pick their noses and eat it are getting a free natural boost to their immune system.

Encouraging new attitudes

Children are quite happy to pick their noses, but by the time they're adults, most have given up this habit that society has labeled disgusting and antisocial. The Austrian lung specialist recommends a change in attitude where children are allowed and encouraged to pick their nose. He strongly advocates nose picking as a completely natural response and medically a good idea, too. Of course, if you're worried about what others think of your change in attitude toward nose picking, you could do it in the privacy of your own home and still enjoy the benefits it offers.

To read more on how avoiding germs may not be the best policy for a healthy life, read Over-Sanitizing Our Environment: Why Germs Are Good for Us, by Rebecca Caroll.

Sources:
Personal experience
New Scientist:10 Mysteries of you: Nose-picking
Ananova