The Soil-Gut Connection: Roots of Health for our Internal Garden
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Healthy soil grows healthy humans.
Where does gut health really come from? We have to go back to the source.
The soil is intricately intertwined with our digestive systems. In fact, microbiome researchers often refer to this intestinal ecosystem as an inner garden.
Naturally, as the external garden (ie. our agricultural systems) become evermore depleted and destroyed, the internal garden in suffering.
Dirt or Soil?
When most people think of soil, what comes to mind is dirt. Not only can this be insulting to any soil scientist or regenerative farmer, but it is also revealing of the state of our world.
People use the term “dirt” with a negative connotation: “the dirt beneath your feet”, “that’s dirty”, etc. Dirt is a dead, lifeless, brown dust that gets under your nails or in the carpets.
Ironically enough, thriving living soil around the world is being turned to dead, lifeless dirt at an astonishing rate. We lose an estimated 30 soccer fields of productive soil every minute due to degradation from agrichemicals, tillage, machinery, and erosion.
At the same time, our digestive health is being attacked from all angles.
Let’s dig in to understand:
- The internal garden (human gut microbiome)
- The external garden (soil microbiome)
- Why soil health determines human health
- How to cultivate biodiversity inside and out
- How healthy soil improves gut health
The Internal Garden
Microbes are the Digestive System of Humans
Our gastrointestinal tract includes the mouth, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, stomach, large intestine (colon), small intestine, and the trillions of microscopic organisms that call these digestive caverns their home.
