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Gardening Can Be Good For Your Health
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We often hear about the increase in childhood allergies and illnesses. Allergies are one of the most common ailments that affect children, but there are ways you can help your child from having a pet to getting outside more often. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that children who spend more time outside build up a better immunity to allergens and other illnesses. Knowing this, it is incredibly important for you and your child to spend more time outside. It is a natural way to build up your immunity and improve your overall health.
Germs Can Help Your Immunity!
When you or your children spend time outside, you’re coming in contact with germs and bacteria — there is no way to avoid this — but you may not know that coming in contact with these germs can help boost your immune system. For children who have an immune system that is adapting and growing, this can be very important. Coming in contact with a variety of microbes allows the body to react to them properly. The body will essentially learn what germs are good and which ones are bad and react accordingly.
By introducing your children to a variety of germs and “good” microbes, their immune systems will be more adapted to handling common allergens in a normal way and without developing full-blown allergies over time. Being outside, playing in the dirt, or even having a pet are good ways to introduce common microbes to your child and build their immune system.
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Play in the Dirt, It’s OK!
We’ve all heard the “I ate dirt as a kid, I’m ok” defense before, in fact, for many parents this was a natural component of their childhood. However, in today’s world getting out and playing isn’t the norm. Children are much more sedentary than the generation before them and going outside to play isn’t the go-to form of entertainment — but according to the latest research, it should be. Gaining exposure to common allergens and germs is important to developing the immune system. Research has been supporting this idea since the late 1980’s when allergies were on the rise for children in the Western world.
As scientific studies have evolved, so too has the information coming out of them with regards to allergies and our children. The key seems to be exposure to a wide range of common microbes, germs, and allergens throughout childhood. We have to introduce bacteria and germs to the body while the immune system is developing in order for immunity to be effective.
Studies support that having a pet can also be important, and children who were raised in rural areas or with exposure to livestock also had stronger immune systems later in life. So get out and let your kids get dirty — you can’t protect them from every microbe and you shouldn’t, it will help their immune system as they grow.
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Get Out of the House
Developing your immune system can be as simple as getting out of the house. It is incredibly important to encourage your children to get out and play. If you like to do yard work or garden, have your kids help you. Playing in the dirt can be a great way to develop your child’s immune system. Taking a camping trip or spending time in the great outdoors has also been proven to improve immunity and reduce the chance that your child will have reactions to common allergens.
Scientific data has shown that being outside helps build immunity and maybe even reset our own grown-up immune systems as well. Going outside can be as simple as taking your dog for a walk or working in your garden. It can be easy to involve your children in these activities, and you both will reap the benefits.
Lifestyle Changes for Better Immune Health
Improving the immunity of your children is important, and it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your child develops in a healthy way. Developing your child’s immune system is a journey that lasts their entire life. Develop healthy lifestyle changes that include a healthy diet in order to build up healthy microbes and bacteria in your own body. Local foods are also important since you’ll gain exposure to the allergens native to your region.
READALSO: Gardening the Key to Cancer Patients Healing
So go ahead, get out and get dirty! Make a lifestyle change to benefit your child’s developing immunity and reset your own. Balance your indoor lifestyle with your outdoor one, and you’ll set up a healthy immune system for the rest of your life.
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