Scientists have long known that a little dirt can be good for you. Research has suggested that people who grow up on farms, for instance, have lower rates of Crohn’sMore recently, there’s been an explosion of interest in the human microbiome, with people taking probiotics, seeking food with live cultures and “rewilding” their microflora.
“Spend some time looking at it and inhaling the aromas,” says Amos Clifford, the founder of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and the author of. “Sift it through your fingers, then bring your hands to your face.” If Clifford comes across a stream as he’s guiding a walk, he invites people to take off their shoes and step into the “mushy, muddy bottom,” feeling the textures.
Or create a habitat garden, which uses native plants to attract and feed wildlife, says Mary Phillips, who leads gardening habitat programs for the US National Wildlife Federation.Jill Dreves, the founder of Wild Bear Nature Centre in Nederland, Colorado, has a simple recipe for getting dirty: make a mud pie.