A growing body of research shows that spending time in nature could be good for your gut microbiome, which has profound effects on your overall health, as explained in this book excerpt published by Wired.
The information comes from "Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing and Touching Plants is Good for Our Health." Author Kathy Willis detailed a series of recent studies examining the connection between the microbiomes around us and the ones inside us.
Your gut microbiome, the population of beneficial microbes living in your digestive tract, is essential to your health. These microbes help your immune system and aid in digestion. They're responsible for providing you with 11 amino acids and 13 vitamins that you need and can't get without their help.
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Several hours a week 🧑🌾 When your gut microbiome is disrupted, it can make you sick in a number of ways, possibly even contributing to autoimmune conditions, Willis said, although more research remains to be done in this area.
Prior research has shown that your microbiome has more to do with your environment than your genetics, per Willis. It has also shown that natural, biodiverse areas have more varied, beneficial microbes than human-made areas with few or no plants.
That led researchers in Finland to test whether spending time in contact with nature could change a person's gut microbiome. They studied children at three preschools: one with synthetic materials on its playground, one with a typical yard outside, and one with dirt and plants from a forest space.
After four weeks, the children in contact with forest materials had more diverse good microbes in their gut microbiomes. Their immune system markers were also healthier.
"The importance of this study cannot be overstated," said Willis. "It implies that even short-term exposure to nature's microbial diversity has the potential to radically alter the diversity of microbiota on our skin and in our gut. In addition, it suggests that the altered gut microbiota can modulate the function of our immune system."
She also detailed another experiment that built on these findings, this time a double-blind test with a control group. This area of research is still new but suggests there are profound health benefits to spending time outside in nature.
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