Health Benefits of Getting Dirty

Soil microbes called Mycobacterium vaccae are proven to have a natural antidepressant effect on the brain. 

If getting dirty makes you happy, what else might it do? Well, it turns out dirt is good for you in more ways than one. Here are some reasons to get dirty: 

• It lowers your blood pressure and stress hormones. 
• It can improve cognitive function, as well as symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease and even rheumatoid arthritis.
• Bacteria on your skin can help manage inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and can even heal wounds. 
• Children who play outside become more adventurous and self-motivated and use their imagination more. They are also better able to understand and assess risk because playing in nature lets them explore in ways that they can ask questions, make observations and see outcomes.  

Dirt Has Been Called the New Prozac 

Soil microbes called Mycobacterium vaccae are proven to have a natural antidepressant effect on the brain. 

Lack of serotonin has been linked to disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar and more. Studies show that Mycobacterium vaccae actually mirror the effect that drugs, such as Prozac, have on the brain without the side effects or chemical dependency.

Mycobacterium vaccae works by stimulating serotonin production, which makes you feel relaxed and happy. 

Did you know that our brains actually release dopamine when we harvest food from a garden! This most likely evolved over 200,000 years ago when hunting and gathering was a means of survival. 

When our ancestors found food, dopamine would release in the reward center of their brains. This means our brains have originally wired to crave healthy foods from the soil. Your dopamine release can even be triggered simply by seeing or smelling fresh produce. 

Use good quality soil, Pesticides can make you depressed! 

Studies show that glyphosate (the active ingredient of Roundup,) depletes serotonin and dopamine levels in mammals. Glyphosate and other Roundup ingredients stay in the environment, including our soil and water, the plants we eat, and ultimately in our cells. Glyphosate residues have even been found in clothes made from Roundup-ready GM cotton.  This can absorb directly into your skin, nervous and circulatory systems!