Benefiting Our Bacteria
This week we hosted a school group and revisited a familiar newsletter topic: eating dirt. Judging by the look on the students faces, they are now wondering, “Does eating dirt actually improve our health?”
Spaghetti Squash
Broccoli
Melon
Carrots
Bell Peppers
Sauce Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Radishes
Lemon Cucumbers
Garlic Bulb
Onions
Lettuce (larges)
A quick search on the internet and you will discover that there is a movement called the “Eat Dirt Movement.” Yes it is real and apparently people are curing a whole host of health issues simply by eating dirt and the soil-borne organisms within. These organisms enter our bodies both from unclean food and unclean hands. They aid the body in absorption of specific nutrients and antioxidants and apparently it is changing people’s lives. Recent research has shown that exposing children to a diverse range of microbes early in life, particularly those found in the soil where they live, reduces their risk of allergies and asthma and strengthens their immune system. Admittedly, we already suspected this to be true but never read the reports.
When a school group was on the farm on Thursday, we discussed how most herbicides don’t just kill weeds, they also kill micro-organisms in the soil rendering it life-less and no longer able to breakdown nutrients that plants need. Growing organically, our plants must be in prime condition to fight off diseases and pests, so our soil has to be in peak health. Even worse, chemical residue in our food deteriorates our own body’s microbiome inside the intestinal tract, which breaks down nutrients during digestion not unlike what happens in soil. When you realize how many illnesses are linked to inadequate gut bacteria, this should be a serious concern. Perhaps most importantly, our microbiome plays a role in our immune system. It is lesser known that it also influences gene expression. The scientific understanding of biological functions is becoming more and more complex every day!
So the take-away we are pondering is that the latest and greatest “superfood” is in fact dirt. The five-second rule was writen to make sure we are allowed to consume that pound of dirt annually. And your dirty vegetables are providing more than meets the eye.
Believing in the power of dirt,
