Go ahead and embrace a little dirtiness! It's actually healthy for your body to tackle its own battles. Kick off your shoes and experience the benefits of being in earth. Our modern lifestyle takes a toll on our gut microbiome with antibiotic overuse, consumption of gut-flora-disrupting foods, and excessive use of antibacterial products. Surprisingly, these same factors can wreak havoc on the bacterial balance of our skin, which may be even more detrimental.

By now we’ve all heard about the importance of the gut microbiome but have you heard of the skin microbiome? The skin constantly faces challenges from environmental agents, harsh cleansers, disinfectants, soaps, deodorants, and even medications and cosmetics. We’ve become obsessed with cleanliness and this ultimately may be more harmful than good when it comes to maintaining a balanced skin microbiota.

Similar to our gut, our skin plays host to over a trillion organisms at any given time, ranging from bacteria to viruses and fungi. All of them have their purposes and are crucial for maintaining a healthy equilibrium. Just like the gut, when this balance is disrupted, problems can arise.

So pick up gardening and get your hands and feet in the dirt. You’ll be alright and you can wash up after. Avoid harsh chemicals in cleaners, soaps, and cosmetics and don’t be afraid to get a little dirty. Experience the grounding or earthing technique by connecting your body directly with the earth. This fascinating concept recognizes that we, as electrical beings, depend on electricity to power our hearts and trigger numerous chemical reactions within. The earth holds an abundant reservoir of free electrons that we can freely absorb when we make physical contact with the ground through our skin which leads to the reduction of inflammation and improvement of your mood.