Is Eating Boogers Healthy? Canadian Prof Says Pick Your Nose

Picking your nose and eating your boogers may be good for you, according to Scott Napper of the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Napper said he wanted to turn his theory into an official study, but said getting volunteers would be difficult for such a grotesque quandary.

He proposed that by "consuming pathogens" in one's own mucus, the reintroduction of the germs "could be a way to teach your immune system what it's surrounded with." Napper told the CBC that the human element has always include unsanitary conditions, and that the societal norm of being clean may not be "working to our advantage" when it comes to warding off bacteria or allergens.

"You could look for immune responses against [a specific molecule placed in a participant's nose]" after the respondent ingested their own mucus. Napper's theory is based on the basic definition of what makes an antibiotic work in most cases. Napper said he got the idea after seeing how often his daughter engaged in the unpleasant act.

Many Americans take "allergy shots" to deal with pollen or other allergies, the injection's serum is made partially of the substance they are allergic to. The body naturally builds up immunity against the allergen or toxin by recognizing it and likely quarantining it from interaction with normal bodily functions. Napper's case would state similarly that by ingesting something your body finds to be objectionable will have a chance of building up immunity against future encounters with it, such as the common cold or flu virus.

For now, in the United States, the FDA has not ruled on whether picking your nose should be used as a way of warding off illness, and for sure those that do may still be ostracized by their peers for years to come