How Dirt Makes You Happy

07/12/2019

The closer one gets to the top, the more one finds there is no "top."
Nancy Barcus

Bonnie L. Grant, in her article on gardeningknowhow.com, writes: “Prozac may not be the only way to get rid of your serious blues. Soil microbes have been found to have similar effects on the brain and are without side effects and chemical dependency potentials.”

And the book Growing With Nature: Supporting Whole Child Learning in Outdoor Classrooms, describes more benefits for children of being able to spend time digging in soil:

“Outdoor classrooms designed with ample spaces that encourage sensory play help children make synaptic connections that support optimal brain development. Providing children with the freedom to dig, for example, allows them to experience the rich smells, textures and temperature variances of soil. This important sensory information will later serve as a link to new vocabulary words and science understandings. Digging also supports full-body muscle engagement, an important component of healthy physical development.”

Source: “Antidepressant Microbes in Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy,” by Bonnie L. Grant

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