boost your physical and mental health, a number ofstudies suggest.
One such change may take place as a result of the simple act of
putting your hands into the soil. A studyconducted by researchers from
the University of Bristol in London found that contact with a
naturally occurring species of soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae,
causes the body to release vital immune chemicals called cytokines.
These, in turn, spur the brain to produce the neurotransmitter
serotonin.
"We know that some of these cytokines can activate the nerves that
relay signals from the bodyto the brain," researcher Chris Lowry said.
This effect may explain, in part, why people who are not exposed to
dirt in childhood have higher rates of allergies, asthma and even
mental health issues as adults.
In spite of what the drug companies would have youbelieve, there is no
real evidence that serotonin affects mood directly. However, it is
certainly an essential neurotransmitter that appears related to immune
function, and the study's results are highly suggestive.
"These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the
brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining
mental health," Lowry said."They also leave us wondering if we
shouldn't all be spending more time playing in the dirt."
Get Addicted to Gardening In unconnected research, scientists have
found that the simple act of picking fruit or vegetables, whether from
a garden or in the wild, causes the brain to release the"pleasure
chemical" dopamine, which activates the brain's reward centers.
Dopamine is also released from seeing, smelling or eating a
pleasurable food.
Indeed, dopamine plays a role in all pleasurable experiences and is
thoughtto be responsible for much of the physical component of
addictive behaviors, including compulsive shopping. Researchers
believe that our brains evolved to reward us for important behaviors
such as finding foods, and that our modern environment of abundance
has allowed these psychological mechanisms to be co-opted into
unhealthy patterns.
"I have often remarked on the great joy I feel when I forage in the
garden, especially when I discover and harvest the 'first of
theseason', the first luscious strawberry to ripen or emergence of the
first tender asparagus shoot," commented writer Robyn Francis on
permaculture.com. "I have also often wondered why Ihad a degree of
inherent immunity to the retail-therapy urges that afflict some of my
friends and acquaintances. Maybe as a long-term gardener I've been
getting a constant base-load dopamine high which has reduced the need
to seek other ways toappease this primal instinct."
"I suppose the trick is to rewire our brains to crave the dopamine hit
from the garden and other more sustainable pursuits and activities,"
she added
For those interested in garden therapy, it's worth noting a 2008 study
that suggested gardening with herbicides may not supply the same
benefits. As a matter of fact, it seems even eating non-organic food
may place your moodat risk. Researchers found that glyphosate, the
active ingredient in the popular herbicide Roundup, actually lowers
your body'slevels of both serotonin and dopamine.
Because Roundup and its ingredients build up in the environment and
may even be absorbed through the skin, it is also best to avoid
non-organic foods, particularly those likely to be engineered for
Roundupresistance, such as corn andsoy.
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