User:Dtpeck/Human Endoecology

Human Endoecology is the study of human beings as ecological systems, as opposed to as distinct organisms. The study of the endoecology of human beings suggests different approaches to treating certain medical problems by augmenting the types and relative proportions of different organisms in and on the human body, changing the ecological balance within the human ecosystem.

Human Endoecology is distinct from Human ecology, in that the former is focused on the interactions of multiple organisms within the framework of the human ecosystem, while the latter is focused on the interactions of the human organism with its external environment.

Examples
The Hygiene hypothesis, which posits that humans require the presence of healthy internal and external populations of bacteria and parasites to prevent the development of autoimmune diseases and to stave off infections. The body of the hypothesis follows the Darwinian medicine reasoning that humans co-evolved with a collection of organisms, and that removal of those organisms will lead to pathologies.