Science is starting to catch up with what gardeners already know – growing food and caring for a garden is hugely beneficial for the body, mind and spirit.
Research is still unravelling the mysteries of the human microbiome, but it’s certain that getting your hands dirty in the soil is really good for you. According to the Austrian Institute of Soil Research, soil and the human gut contain roughly the same amount of microorganisms. However human gut microbiome diversity is only 10 percent that of soil, and even that has decreased dramatically with the hygiene associated with today’s lifestyle. One 2019 study noted that soil ‘was essential in the evolution of the human gut microbiome and it is a major inoculant and provider of beneficial gut microorganisms.’