Look At Sick People To Give Your Immune System a Boost

Scientists at the University of British Columbia have found that looking at someone who appears sick boosts your immune system. Subjects had blood taken before and after watching a 10-minute slide show that contained disturbing images including people who appeared sick. Results of the blood tests showed people who had seen the sick people had a stronger immune system. From the article: "In the study, young adults were asked to watch a 10-minute slide show containing a series of unpleasant photographs. Some pictures included people who looked obviously ill in some way. The subjects' blood samples were then tested for levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a substance produced by the immune system that indicates your immune system is ramping up to more aggressively fight infection. As a control, pictures of people brandishing guns were also used on some participants—and they barely resulted in a significant increase in IL-6 production, signifying that IL-6 production is not simply a reaction to stress."

Comments

Alternate interpretation

[Minwee]

As a control, pictures of people brandishing guns were also used on some participants--and they barely resulted in a significant increase in IL-6 production, signifying that IL-6 production is not simply a reaction to stress.

You could look at it that way. Or you could see that the data clearly shows that none of the subjects' had immune systems capable of protecting them from bullets.

Re:Alternate interpretation

[Thanshin]

Or you could see that the data clearly shows that none of the subjects' had immune systems capable of protecting them from bullets.

That's not completely true. The problem is with the visibility of the bullets. At the subjects weren't able to see the bullets in movement, their bullet resistance didn't raise.

To prove that theory we shot them with visible bullets and, as postulated, they were indeed immune.

You can check the results in our full analysis: [i]"Bullet resistance to bullets slowed down to improve their visibility"[/i].

Re:Alternate interpretation

[blair1q]

Security through obscurity. A bullet has to hit certain critical points in order to be fatal. Most of the body is a decoy. And it's covered by an opaque curtain. You have to have specific, inside information about anatomy, or have been clued by experienced hackers, to know where to aim your bullets. But, like all matters of security through obscurity, once the truth is out there it's like no security at all. Even swapping your heart for your brain won't make you more secure.

Re:Frist Prost

[Lunix Nutcase]

I'm sorry, but the answer was Naggers.

Does it work on other things...

[Anonymous Coward]

...like politics? If you show people the horrendous effects on people of the policies of heartless, greedhead Repugnicans, do people become more liberal?

Actually

[Monkeedude1212]

After watching a depressing 10 minute slide show of people who were feeling sick, all of the test subjects felt like getting drunk. Sadly, the only thing available was cough medicine.

Microsoft To Blame

[MyLongNickName]

Step #1: Fire up Linux box
Step #2: Hook up webcam
Step #3: Point webcam at co-worker's Windows box
Step #4: Linux more secure than ever.

Re:Microsoft To Blame

[Anonymous Coward]

Sure, all I had to do was recompile the kernel

and by that logic

[Anonymous Coward]

Looking at fat people will make you thin,
  and looking at poor people will make you rich.

I'll just swagger down to the local hospital ...

[PolygamousRanchKid]

... and ask, "Y'all got any folks here who look like real sick? I need to look at 'em to boost my im-ma-ume system, or sumptin' like that.

Maybe that's why Mother Theresa lived so long: "For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Theresa " She must have had one tough bad-ass immune system.

So if I watch more NASCAR, will I avoid traffic accidents, and get cheaper car insurance?

Maybe programmers should be forced to look at buggy programs . . . ?

Correlation is not causation, but causation is.

[neonleonb]

Why the dickens are people tagging this "correlationisnotcausation"? It was a controlled experiment, so there weren't any hidden causes to explain away the causation. It's like people don't actually understand what "correlation is not causation" means... but I'd hoped that at least here on Slashdot folks would be cleverer than that.

Works for me

[Low Ranked Craig]

All I know is that when I go visit my 87 year old grandma at the old folks home, I develop a burning desire to go to the gym and eat broccoli.

I see dead people

[srobert]

If looking at sick people boosts the immune system, then looking at dead people should make me immortal.

Re:Why do photos of guns cause stress?

[PopeRatzo]

When I see pictures of people with guns, I immediately try to discern the make and model, then go to the bathroom to jack off to pictures of burly men in paramilitary clothing

FTFY

If you own a gun, you are much more likely to hurt yourself or a loved one accidentally than you are to ever find yourself in a situation where the gun will provide you with any self-defense. I wish people who call themselves "2nd Amendment Advocates" would just admit that the reason they want guns is because it makes them feel less insignificant and powerless over their miserable lives. The notion that guns are bought for "self-defense" is just not holding up. And the assertion that by buying a handgun they are making sure the government doesn't become a tyranny is too ridiculous to comment on. If you don't believe that most gun ownership is driven by feelings of sexual inadequacy, just watch how differently a gun owner moves and walks before and after he puts on his holster.

If you really want to see a gun nut flinch, just tell them you want to start an organization that advocates for gun ownership for poor minorities, and will train minorities in the safe and effective use of guns and marksmanship. Ask them if they'd be interested in donating.

New excuse to play violent video games

[CODiNE]

finally some research supporting "the other side" eh?

"This ain't pointless violence, it's immune boosting!"

So...

[bobdotorg]

If I have the girlfriend watch a ten minute slide show of really pregnant women she can stop taking the pill?

Re:Why do photos of guns cause stress?

[maxwell demon]

I don't get it. When I see pictures of people with guns, I immediately try to discern the make and model, then go to the internet to get the specs to see if it's something I'd want to buy.

That's consumer stress. And it's obviously caused by the photo of the gun.

Re:Why do photos of guns cause stress?

[Eternauta3k]

My guns are not a deterrent to anyone but cardboard targets.

So, because carboard targets are deemed "acceptable targets", you're just gonna shoot them? 200 years ago, we might be having this conversation about black people.

Re:Correlation Is Not Causation

[Anonymous Coward]

Perhaps the tag caused the study?