It's Earth month and a wonderful time to get outside and enjoy what the earth has to offer. If you plan to work in your garden, know that it's more than just beautifying the environment. You're also getting health benefits!
Gardening is a physical activity, something that is almost always associated with improving our mental health. The same is true for simply being outside in fresh air with plants and nature. But one of the most surprising benefits comes from the earth right beneath our feet:
Research has found that a certain soil bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae) has some amazing stress-relieving abilities when we naturally breathe it in or swallow it while outdoors. Studies have found improvement in mood and mental state.
Stress has been linked to causing inflammation in our bodies, which leads to a number of health problems like depression. Though the connection isn't totally understood, it does seem that the anti-inflammatory substance in this bacterium has the ability to counteract our natural stress responses.
(BHG) Photo: Getty/Zinkevych