Every time I see parents hosing the family down with antibacterial wipes, I wince a little, because in their pursuit of a squeaky clean lifestyle, they're also stripping off the beneficial bacteria that can help keep our guts and brains healthy and happy! While it's unlikely that I'll be able to pry most people away from their antibacterial wipes anytime soon, one thing I do urge everyone to do is to go play in the dirt–as in, take up gardening! Be it a small box on a windowsill or a spacious garden patch, gardening is one of the simplest and most enjoyable ways I know to connect with those essential good bacteria to help improve the overall health of your body and brain. So, gather up a few basic tools, and let's get our hands dirty. Here are five reasons to encourage you to start digging: I like to think of myself as a student of the soil and another one of my favorite books is The Hidden Half of Nature by David Montgomery and Anne Bikle. It's a wonderful summer read that will inspire you to get in touch with all your microbial friends deep in the dirt. See you in the garden! Join Kathie Madonna Swift along with Mark Hyman, MD, James Gordon, MD, Robynne K. Chutkan, MD, Cindy Geyer, MD, Catherine McConkie, Aviva Romm, MD, and Donald I. Abrams, MD for their program, Food as Medicine for Women's Health from October 15-20, 2017 at 1440 Multiversity. (Physicians who would like to earn CMEs can register here.) Kathie Madonna Swift, MS, RDN, is the education director for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine's highly acclaimed Food As Medicine professional training program. She is also the cofounder of the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, a comprehensive, 100%-online nutrition program for health-care professionals. Kathie pioneered innovative nutrition programs at Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and Dr. Mark Hyman's UltraWellness Center, and she continues to consult at all three organizations today. She is the author of two books on digestive health, including The Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Great Digestive Health and The Swift Diet: 4 Weeks to Mend the Belly, Lose the Weight, and Get Rid of the Bloat. Connect with Kathie at www.kathieswift.com
Live Well
Get Your Hands Dirty: 5 Ways Gardening Can Improve Your Health
By: Kathie Madonna Swift / 04 May 2019