It’s been a month since we planted our trees. They say April showers bring May flowers. As I mentioned earlier, we planted a few trees in the middle of a rainstorm! So, four weeks later and guess what, it rained a total of .30 inches. Yes, that’s right April showers did not happen! Luckily, I have a great second in command that watered every other day for the first three weeks. We have lost a few trees, but we still have many beautiful evergreens continuing to grow.
May flowers aren’t the only thing this month is known for. May is mental health awareness month. With this platform I would like to shine some light on this topic. We all need to be talking about this more and remove the stigma of mental illness. I noticed this picture on a social media post:
Shout out to Sara V. for posting this! I thought to myself, is this true? Dirt and mental health…really? As most of us know, sunlight provides many things that we need to be healthy. Morning sun provides us with a daily dose of vitamin D. According to GoodRx vitamin D is only one of six possible health advantages of getting some morning sun. It also kills bacteria, reduces high blood pressure, strengthens bones, improves sleep quality, and boosts one’s mood. What I didn’t know before I started the tree farm is that dirt also has the potential to help with stress, depression, and anxiety.
Depression and anxiety have become an epidemic not only in the U.S. but across the globe. Most of the time prescription drugs are used to help with the symptoms. What we are learning now, though, is the answer might be under our feet. I was reading article in Forbes about this idea that digging in the dirt helps with depression. Forbes cited a study published in the journal Preventative Medicine Reports that there is a bacterium in soil that, if inhaled, helps release serotonin. Serotonin plays an important role in one’s mood. When released it provides us with help against depression and anxiety. Other articles, I found like the one in Permaculture, also mention the positive affects of getting dirty by increasing the levels of serotonin. This article went on to mention that digging in the dirt as a child can reduce the rates of asthma and allergies. Article after article I read, including one from Medical News Today, discuss how research has found the bacteria in dirt can help increase the levels of serotonin which in turn helps improve our immune system imbalance that helps our mental health! So, if you are feeling out of sorts maybe it’s time to go out and play in the dirt!
Come grow with us!
Susan Whitney
Note, mental health issues can be very serious. If you or someone you know is suffering, find a mental health provider and/or call the new suicide hotline at 988.
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