Erin O'Hara: naturopath and wellness expert on how 'healthy soils' can impact your physical and mental well-being

One wellness expert has opened up about the physical and mental benefits of getting your hands dirty.

Studies have shown that the amount of physical contact with the soil affects the diversity of your gut microbiome and health. 

Touching dirt, especially for extended periods like gardening or playing outdoors, can positively impact your microbiome by increasing the diversity and richness of beneficial bacteria on your skin and potentially in your gut.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained how we can 'embrace the dirt' in our lives.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b joining.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Us now to talk wellness. Erin O'Hara, Good morning, Good morning.

Speaker 3 (00:16):
Now.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
I think most gardeners will tell you that there are
a lot of benefits to getting outside in the garden.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Yeah, I think so many people get out in the
garden more for light, just that physical health benefit. But
actually there's so much good research around the effect on microbiome,
and I think over the last few years we've got
more and more and more interested in microbiam and gut
microbiome and probiotics, but I think not a lot of
people think about the things they could do just in

(00:44):
their lifestyle that could actually help with microbiome and their
physical health as well.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
So it's that contact with the soil that can affect
the diversity of your gut microbiome.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
But we're not.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Suggesting you start eating your soil.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
No, no, no, no, You're not going to be eating
the dirt. Instead, just getting out and touching the dirt
has amazing benefits for your health, and that might be
getting out gar and I think most of these most
of the time these days, even gardening people put on gloves,
but she need to touch the soil. And touching the soil
has an amazing benefit for your health because the gut microbiome,

(01:19):
so the microbiomes in the soil touch your skin and
that actually helps change your whole immune system as well.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
We absorbing them through the skin, yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
We do. We get all that bacteria on our skin
and actually that will help with improving your health. And
there's research that suggests that people who grow up on farms,
for instance, have lower rates of Crone's disease, asthma allergies
because of their exposure to a different array of microbiomes
that they're exposed to from living on a farm. And

(01:48):
that's where for all of us, if you live in
the city, just getting out and actually been in nature
is amazing for your health with getting more variety of
microbiomes in contact with you.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Have they worked out what these particular soil born microbomes
what their role is.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well they haven't. They haven't. They know that it will
help with anti inflammatory, lowering stress and immune improving immune function,
and there's actually research it dates back to nineteen seventies,
so this is not something new. I think it's more
just come up into the limelight as gut microbiomes become
more popular, and I think there's more studies underway, even

(02:26):
sort of children and daycarees when they are exposed to
more what they call forest floor, so instead of having
concrete floor, having grass floor and gardens, actually the effect
that it has on their health and those kids are
actually healthier. So things that we can do really embracing
getting in the dirt without you know, eating the dirt
is things like walking outside bare feet, maybe packing up

(02:50):
the soil, sort of rubbing it through your hands. Maybe
go back to sort of child late states, so things
like making mudcakes, which you might think, oh my goodness,
So do more things like you did as a child.
So actually getting out and touching the soil. Maybe guard
and don't put your gloves on instead just let it
get in your nails and you can always wash your

(03:11):
hands after. But also just you know, being out in
nature and maybe forest bathing is another big popular ad.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Forest bathing forest pay then you just strip off and
lie down on the forest.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
Oh you don't necessarily need to strip off, but just
saven laying on the ground, laying on the ground, breathing,
connecting to nature. But if you're laying on the ground,
you're actually connecting to the dirt as well.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
Oh used this I spit my childhood making mud pies
and cakes. Well they were kind of clay where we lived.
Setting up your immune system so much fun. Thank you
so much. Eron, that's given us something else to think
about that we you know, how we might spend our
Sunday afternoon. We'll talk next week.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudken, listen
live to News Talks. It'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.