__ 5 reasons dirt is our friend __
Ut oh little one... you got a some immune booster on your face! Aaah, dirt. Does dirt scare you? How do you feel when you see your little one making a big mud meatball? Yum. I will admit, I have had to retrain my brain over this very thing many, many times but it has gotten easier over the last fews years as I have learned the benefits of getting your hands... and face, dirty. Yes, there are many benefits to interacting with dirt! The thing is, over the last several decades, our society has gotten less and less connected with earth while at the same time wanting clean hands, clean clothes, clean faces...at all times. Something that is not only impossible but is giving our children the wrong message. It's no coincidence that while our world seems to be focusing on being cleaner.. our bodies seem to be getting sicker.
Let's 'dig' a little more shall we. (See what I did there...)
There was a time we were one with Earth. Outside all day, planting, walking... soaking in the sun. The ground full of minerals and something we never really understood...microbes. Sounds fancy right?! Well it is! It's a fancy way to say...germs. Aahh, oh no! Germs?! Deeeeep breathe friend, germs can be our friends. Let them sit with us!
Dirt is filled with microbes and when we touch dirt our incredibly smart bodies work to protect us. When bacteria come into the body through the skin or digestive system, our microbiome goes into action producing antibodies to fight of the germs and white blood cells go into action, The more often our bodies work to fight off these fancy little bugs, the stronger our immune system gets. Practice makes perfect! Use it..or lose it. Literally. The more sterile our environment is, the weaker our immune system will be and that makes fighting off the germs we do come in contact with pretty difficult because we now have an immune system that doesn't know what to do.
LET'S GET DIRTY! Here are 5 reasons you want to become one with dirt:
- Reduces stress. Studies have shown that being around plants and nature showed changes in brain activity, lowering the stress hormone while also reducing fear and anger (1).
- Boosts the immune system. Dirt filled with small bacteria help to build a strong functioning immune system. We need to live in a much less sterile environment for our own good!
- Increases Vitamin D intake. Go ahead and plant all the things. When outside taking care of your garden, you are increasing a very important immune booster...Vitamin D. Along with being great for bones, and mood boosting Vitamin D, according to a study in 2010, also reduces the risk of developing the flu (2).
- Respiratory support. While walking around outside, gardening or sitting in the grass, you are outside taking in lots of fresh air! Fresh air cleanses your lungs, improves your circulatory system and increases energy and mental focus
- Helps with gut function. Now that you know germs are all around us, the germs and bacteria in the dirt that also come in contact with our fruits and vegetables, help to establish a healthy gut microbiome A healthier gut leads to a healthier immune system and better brain function! There is more and more research coming to light about the gut brain connection, a healthy gut means a healthy brain!
So when my little ones are playing outside and getting dirt on there clothes and some on their face, I take a few deep breathes of fresh air, get out my Thieves Laundry Soap and smile because I know just how incredible it is that while they were busy making messes and memories on the outside, they were just as busy on the inside!
Stay healthy friends... go plant and play in the dirt!
Xo, Rachael
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