Gardening Makes You Smart

I'm not making this up!  Apparently, there are certain bacteria in soil that have been shown to have antidepressant qualities, and new research suggests it can improve learning abilities, too.  Long story short, Mycobacterium vaccae is a naturally-occurring bacteria found in soil that we breathe in or ingest when we engage in outdoor activities like gardening, hiking, or simply playing outdoors.  Previous research has already shown that this bacteria increases serotonin levels and decreases anxiety.  And last week Researchers Dorothy Matthews and Susan Jenks presented their latest research about Mycobacterium vaccae at the American Society for Microbiology meeting:  mice fed this bacteria -- in a tasty snack of peanut butter -- performed tasks twice as fast and had less anxiety than the control group.  What's more, the effect lasted for a few weeks. (You can watch the full interview here, if you're interested.)   Now I have a scientific reason to give my husband when I make him spend his few free hours on the weekends digging holes in our solid clay yard so I can plant a new shrub or veggie plant.   (It's good for you, Tim!)  So, get out in the yard, get gardening, and get smart!

A few fruits and veggies from one of my gardens...

   

One of  our delicious blueberry shrubs.




 




Purple Passion Asparagus
against a  backdrop of Strawberries.