November 2025 - Magazine - Page 94
Mi n i str i es
OUT of TIME
Touching soil can help your body adopt good bacteria
As well as soothing your mind, nature can also help boost your microbiome as soil
and plants are full of good bacteria.
"They're the same kinds of good bacteria we pay for in probiotics or drinks," Willis explains.
Prof Ming Kuo has studied the effect on factors such as infection susceptibility as
well as mental health and says breathing in certain ones have the potential to
boost your mood; and the antimicrobial chemicals released by plants 3 called phytoncides 3 could help fight disease.
Dr Chris van Tulleken says as an infection scientist he sees nature as a positively
challenging environment that "tickles your immune system".
He gets his children to play with dirt in the forest which then enters their system
through the nose or mouth.
Bring nature to you
Even having a nature screensaver on your laptop can help you relax.
Of course, not everyone can head into the woods on a whim but the good news is,
you don't have to.
Even small touches of nature at home can make a difference, according to Willis.
Visually, flowers such as white or yellow roses have been shown to create the greatest calming effect on brain activity.
When it comes to smell, use a diffuser with essential oils like lavender which can
help you relax.
And if all else fails, even a photo of a forest can help.
Research shows that looking at pictures of nature on your laptop or simply gazing
out at something green can trigger the same calming brainwave changes and reduce stress.
"Every bit seems to help," says Prof Ming Kuo.
