Get dirty!

There’s something soothing yet primal about getting your hands in the dirt and digging around.  I have to admit, I’m not the best flower gardener and I wing it, pulling this out and adding that in.  I don’t even know the names of half of the perennials in my garden (and I planted them when I moved in!).  I do better with herbs and vegetables.  

Growing up on a small farm we always had a vegetable garden.  It started out really big and got progressively smaller as my parents got older – which I totally understand now since when I say “older” they were like 35 when they started downsizing the garden.  I remember we used to have raspberry and maybe blackberry bushes and my dad decided to cut them down with the tractor.  If I remember correctly, my mom was pretty pissed off that he did that but she got over it quickly. We have wild raspberries suddenly growing all over at the cottage and I’m not cutting those suckers down; that’s now a precious commodity!

When I moved into my first house, I made sure I had a garden and have had one at every place I’ve lived ever since.  I have a rhubarb plant that has lived in 5 places and I keep digging it up and taking it with me. 

I’ve been spending time in my gardens lately, as most of us with gardens do in the spring.  I’ve been getting the vegetable gardens ready to plant and I’ve started some rotating crops already this year.  I’ve been pulling weeds and moving flower garden plants around to fill gaps. 

I don’t usually wear gloves because I like the feel of the dirt and I like the better grip I can get with my bare hands.  I take pride in my dirty fingernails and dry, cracked hands after a few hours of working my gardens.   Actually, I love, love, love the feel of the dirt on my hands. I love letting it fall between my fingers, digging in with my hands and feeling plants, alive in my hands, as I care for them and move them around. I always feel good after spending time working with the earth.

And there’s reason for that.  If you’ve been to any of my stress management classes you know a bit about this.  There are now lots of studies and research that show that spending time outside lowers blood pressure, decreases anxiety and depression, helps with insomnia and even PTSD symptoms.  Ever notice how you feel after a day being outside? You generally have a feeling of peace.  And you sleep like the dead!  According to Forbes magazine, doctors are now prescribing patients with “nature prescriptions” for anxiety disorders, depression and stress.     

In the book, “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv he cites a number of studies that show that we thrive with more time spent outside.  Studies of schools that teach classes outside show marked increases in test scores and attention as well as reduced anxiety and hyperactivity of children.  

If you think about it, it makes sense.  Our ancestors (think back to pre-industrialization) spent the majority of their time outdoors.  We were designed to live outside.  Back then it was for survival.  If we didn’t plant or forage for food, we’d starve.  It made us resilient and strong.  That’s part of why it’s being recommended by health professionals that we get back outside, especially during these pandemic times. Research shows that it does, in fact, build our resilience and is healing to us. 

In Japan, “forest bathing”, or shinrin-yoku, has been a self-care and wellness practice for many years.  In cities, they suggest that if you aren’t able to find green space then you can create your own by bringing plants into your house or having indoor gardens.  The act of planting a seed and watching it grow into something can bring us a sense of hope and optimism.  It also brings out our nurturing side.  

As you know, I love science, so I want to know why…why does being outside have such a positive effect on us?  With as much research that’s been done on the health benefits of being outside, they still really don’t know why; they just know that they are measuring positive health effects.  Forbes magazine says that Japanese research suggests that the phytoncides, organic compounds with antibacterial properties, released by trees could explain it.  

I have my own theories from my training, research and experience.  And I’m not saying they are right or proven but this is what makes sense to me. First, think of our ancestors who spent so much time outside.  When we are outside, we connect to our roots and the natural world.  Everything that is alive has energy and we are all connected.  Second, there’s this thing called Schumann’s Resonance.  It’s an extremely low frequency emitted by the Earth’s electromagnetic field.  Research has shown that it has an affect on our melatonin and serotonin levels, which helps us sleep and feel happy.  They discovered this when astronauts started going into space and started to get sick because they were outside of the Earth’s electromagnetic field.  Third, the sounds of nature are soothing to us.  Again, it’s a frequency and energy thing.  Think about how the sounds of birds chirping, water flowing, frogs “chirping”, and a gentle breeze blowing makes you feel. As I type this, I can hear the frogs outside and it soothes me.  And fourth, to me, being outside makes me more mindful.  I spend more time in stillness and paying attention to the beauty and wonder of nature.  

So, if you are feeling a little cooped up or down due to the pandemic or the winter or life in general, give yourself a “nature prescription”, get some fresh air and maybe get a little dirty!