Human Health equals Soil Health

 There is a renewed interest in improving human health. About 95% of the food we eat, comes from the soil and human health is directly related to good soil health. Soil and plants also improve the air we breathe and the water we drink. Keeping soils healthy is an important goal. Unfortunately, worldwide; soil are degrading quite rapidly. The loss of topsoil due to erosion, loss of soil organic matter (SOM), and human changes to soil (compaction, tillage, development) makes our soil less healthy. Here are some ways soil health and human health are linked together. 

Human health and Mother Nature are closely linked. The microbes in our gut and bodies are similar to the microbes in the soil. When Mother Nature finds a way to advance life and be successful, it often repeats itself in a slightly different way. For example, the thin layer of topsoil on our planet is very similar to skin on our bodies. Our lungs and the alveoli (air sacs) are designed and look very much like mycorrhizae networks of soil fungi. Hemoglobin in human blood has the exact same structure as plant chlorophyll. Hemoglobin uses iron as the central element, while chlorophyll uses magnesium. There are many others. So, the linkages between soil health and human health are real. 

Human health is directly linked to soil microbes. Almost 40% of all drugs come from the soil Examples include antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline etc. Anti-inflammatory drugs like capromycin treats tuberculosis and there are many anti-cancer drugs and anti-parasite drugs or medicines derived from soil. Only a small portion of soil bacteria and microbes have been screened yet for medical purposes, so the potential is great for new medical advances. 

Healthy food is directly related to healthy soil. Nutritious food comes from soils with good soil structure. This allows for a diversity of soil microbes which keep plants and the food we eat high in nutrients, protein, vitamins, etc. When soil is disturbed too much, it changes the soil microbial community and nutrients become less abundant and often end up polluting our water and air, casing even more human health problems. The bottom line, healthy soils rich in soil organic matter (SOM) and high in biodiversity (microbes, insects, etc.) result in higher yielding crops rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals to keep animals and humans healthy. 

Soils also keep our water and air clean. Soils high in SOM and with good soil structure act like a sponge to filter our water to keep it clean. Live plants roots and SOM absorb soluble nutrients which can become pollutants in our water, so soil and plants keeps our water clean to drink, bathe, and even swim in. One cubic foot of soil holds a little over 2 gallons of water, which improves plant growth, reduces irrigation and drought stress, and reduces the incidence of flooding. Soil also stores carbon dioxide to keep our atmosphere clean so the air we breath is better. Keeping the carbon dioxide in the soil reduces green house gasses which warm our climate. Carbon rich soils hold more nutrients and supply the carbon-dioxide needed for optimal plant growth. 

The 100 trillion or so microbes in our guts and body transform food and keep us healthy and most microbes come from the soil. The human gut and soil contain about the same number of microbes. Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes make vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids to build our bodies and keep humans and animals healthy. Many people are now so removed from contact with soil and good food on a daily basis, that the human/s gut diversity has declined greatly. Perhaps that is why many human diseases and medical issues are on the rise, world-wide including food allergies (gluten intolerances), asthma, and auto-immune diseases (type 1 diabetes’s, arthritis, lupus etc.). 

There is also a connection between healthy soil and mental health. Scientist have linked healthy microbes in our gut to our mood and mental well-being. A healthy gut with healthy microbes creates a healthy vibrant brain and impacts cognitive function and even our nerves and pain receptors. What happens in your gut is strongly linked to how well the brain works and our mental health. Healthy guts and healthy soil is crucial to that important goal. 

Minimizing soil disturbance; keeping soils covered with live plants, good residue, and live roots; and improving biodiversity (crop rotation, manure, multiple plant species) improve soil and human health. We have the knowledge and technology now to make changes quickly to improve both soil health and human health. Source: World Economic Forum.