Clipping Board » Life Tips ─ Life is also a subject of study...
Update Date: 2010/06/15 [Taiwan Awakening News Reporter Chuang Ruiming Reports]
Children love playing in the mud, but many parents worry that soil is too dirty or contains bacteria, often discouraging their kids from playing with dirt. However, according to a recent U.S. study, bacteria found in soil can help alleviate low moods and even make children smarter.
Dorothy Matthews, a researcher at The Sage Colleges in New York, stated that soil contains *Mycobacterium vaccae*, which is easily inhaled by humans. Experiments on mice showed that consuming food containing this bacteria increased serotonin levels in their brains, reduced anxiety, and more than doubled their speed in navigating mazes. The researchers thus concluded that *Mycobacterium vaccae* can enhance learning ability and alleviate low moods in mammals.
Another researcher, Susan Jenks, was even more direct in her praise for *Mycobacterium vaccae*, calling it a "natural Prozac." While there is no direct evidence yet that this bacteria can improve human learning ability, they unanimously agree that allowing children more outdoor exposure to nature is beneficial.
Matthews also suggested that schools should increase opportunities for students to engage with outdoor environments, letting them interact with soil so the bacteria can exert its beneficial effects. For families with space, creating a garden can provide children with early exposure to nature at home, adding fun to family life.
The study was presented at the latest American Society for Microbiology conference.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 100615/ 115/ 27igi. html
Study: Playing in Mud Makes Kids Smarter
Children love playing in the mud, but many parents worry that soil is too dirty or contains bacteria, often discouraging their kids from playing with dirt. However, according to a recent U.S. study, bacteria found in soil can help alleviate low moods and even make children smarter.
Dorothy Matthews, a researcher at The Sage Colleges in New York, stated that soil contains *Mycobacterium vaccae*, which is easily inhaled by humans. Experiments on mice showed that consuming food containing this bacteria increased serotonin levels in their brains, reduced anxiety, and more than doubled their speed in navigating mazes. The researchers thus concluded that *Mycobacterium vaccae* can enhance learning ability and alleviate low moods in mammals.
Another researcher, Susan Jenks, was even more direct in her praise for *Mycobacterium vaccae*, calling it a "natural Prozac." While there is no direct evidence yet that this bacteria can improve human learning ability, they unanimously agree that allowing children more outdoor exposure to nature is beneficial.
Matthews also suggested that schools should increase opportunities for students to engage with outdoor environments, letting them interact with soil so the bacteria can exert its beneficial effects. For families with space, creating a garden can provide children with early exposure to nature at home, adding fun to family life.
The study was presented at the latest American Society for Microbiology conference.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 100615/ 115/ 27igi. html