Dirt is GOOD: Know why getting exposed to sufficient microbes is more than just a good idea… [Fridays: Mindfulness by Miles]
Miles Everson’s Business Builder Daily speaks to the heart of what great marketers, business leaders, and other professionals need to succeed in advertising, communications, managing their investments, career strategy, and more.
A Note from Miles Everson:
Hello!
We’re excited to share with you another mindfulness- and health-related topic.
Every Friday, we talk about various tips, activities, or events that I find useful in my life. Our hope is you’ll also be interested and compelled to apply the lessons you learn from these articles in your personal life and career.
Today, we’ll discuss one of the factors that can help strengthen your body’s immune system.
Read on to know the importance of exposing yourself to a healthy biodynamic environment. We’re highlighting a few industry experts’ studies that explain why a little bit of dirt exposure is good for your body.
Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute
Mindfulness by Miles
Have you ever tried making mud pies as a kid?
What about rolling down a hill at full speed then falling flat on a big puddle at the end?
How about gardening without using gloves?
If you experienced any of these activities when you were young, looking back at these memories now will make you realize that as children, it was second nature for us to play in the dirt and touch things regardless of whether or not they were clean.
Well, what can we say? Doing these activities were so much fun back then!
Sadly, fewer children experience that kind of fun these days because the world now is different from how it was before, and some parents are afraid of the germs kids could get from such activities.
… but did you know several scientific studies contradict this parenting mindset?
In fact, research shows some of the most powerful health benefits come from our contact with “good” dirt and the natural environment.
Photo from 1440 Multiversity
Dr. Zach Bush is a triple board-certified physician who reminds people to “play in the dirt.” In a recent podcast where he was a guest speaker, he said humans have around 1.4 quadrillion bacteria and fungi, and 1.4 quadrillion mitochondria in their bodies.
Another interesting detail he mentioned in the podcast?
These good bacteria, fungi, and mitochondria—which help regulate emotions, keep skin clear, and fix autoimmune issues—thrive on “good” dirt!
That’s why Bush calls for a return to the natural world as a means to boost human bodies’ ability to care for themselves. He says:
“Re-engaging in that environment is what will heal you best. By exposing yourself to a healthy biodynamic environment—not one riddled with toxins—you give your immune system the chance to regulate itself with good bacteria and fungi, etc.”
Bush isn’t the only expert who advocates getting dirty for the sake of good health. Microbial scientists Jack Gilbert, Rob Knight, and Sandra Blakeslee also agree with Bush’s claims and even published the book, “Dirt Is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child’s Developing Immune System.”
In this book, the authors say keeping dirt and other bacteria out of one’s immediate environment leads to an overzealous, inflammatory immune system.
Photo from UCTV
Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners, personally finds this concept interesting and helpful. When he was a first-time parent, he said he also had reservations about letting his children play in the mud or in any outdoor setting because he was afraid something bad might happen to them.
However, he realized that letting them be kids, which included experiencing all sorts of activities, is beneficial in the long run. By allowing them to be exposed to some kind of “good” dirt, he was doing their immune system and overall well-being a favor.
Below are some of the benefits of getting occasionally exposed to “good” dirt:
- Better mental health
- A robust immune system
- Neurocognitive development
- Balanced mood and behavior
- Healthy hormonal functions
Everson also shares several activities you and your children or other loved ones can do to enhance your bodies’ immune system:
- Breathe “good” dirty air.
Everson says you can boost your body’s immunity by breathing in “good” dirty air—the kind you find in forests, nature, national parks, etc. He adds it’s good to visit these places every once in a while because they have a healthy and intact biodynamic environment.
So, seek out as many natural environments as you can! Broaden your nose’s horizons. You’ll see, this will have a positive effect on your body’s overall response to various stimuli and allergens.
- Play in the dirt.
Everson knows it’s unlikely for adults to receive this kind of advice. After all, adults are expected to do all sorts of grown up things given their ages.
However, he states by “playing in the dirt,” he doesn’t literally mean you should play like a child. What he means is for you to go to your backyard, take your shoes off, and run around in the grass with your dog or children for at least 5 minutes.
You may also do other activities like watering the plants, doing a few stretches, etc. The key is to get your daily dose of vitamin D, move your muscles, and enjoy.
- Try gardening.
According to several studies, gardening exposes people to good microbes, which get on their skin and into their respiratory tract as they dig the soil. These bacteria contribute to a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma in both children and adults.
Additionally, other researches point to gardening’s stress-relieving properties, which come from simply being in nature or touching Mother Earth. One study even showed hospital patients with views of trees healed more quickly and reported less pain than those who simply have views of brick walls.
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In the “Dirt is Good” book, authors Gilbert, Knight, and Blakeslee wrote that aside from the diverse gut bacteria and brain boosting benefits of “good” dirt exposure, a sufficient amount of microbes in the body decreases the risk of developing allergies.
Everson personally thinks this is an interesting connection given the prevalence of allergies that have risen among humans over the years.
He agrees many of our grandparents didn’t have to deal much with allergies before like some of us do now… and one of the factors that contributed to their well-being?
Exposure to “good” dirt!
Everson is not saying you should stop cleaning your house, taking a bath, using alcohol or hand sanitizers, etc. He’s simply saying you should drop the mindset of overly cleaning yourself and your environment because it also takes a toll on your immunity in the long run.
Just continue to practice proper hygiene while also challenging the overly hygienic system that has contributed to a significant drop in diversity of the average gut microbiome.
Everson says this will enable you to live longer, happier, and more meaningful lives.
We hope you find today’s topic useful and insightful!
If you’d like to know more about these kinds of topics, Everson says you may connect with him on his LinkedIn account.
Advance happy weekend!
(This article is from The Business Builder Daily, a newsletter by The I Institute in collaboration with MBO Partners.)
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Mindfulness by Miles”
High-performance businesses are run by people who think and act differently.
In other words, these are people who are high-performing individuals.
Companies and individuals of this kind have found ways to escape the grind of commoditization and competition by focusing on the RIGHT goals.
High-performing businesses and individuals are also “return driven” businesses and “career driven” individuals. They conscientiously develop unique capabilities and resources that allow them to deliver offerings in ways no other firm or individual can.
Every Friday, we’ll publish tips and insights from MBO Partners and The I Institute’s “The Business Builder Daily” newsletter.
These will help you gain knowledge on the things that Miles Everson, the CEO of MBO Partners, often talks about regarding the future of the workforce.
We’ll also highlight other mindfulness advice on how you can be a high-performing individual both in your career and personal life.
Hope you’ve found this week’s insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Mindfulness by Miles!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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