science proves it - compost makes you feel good! :-)

[rainbowgardener]

"M. vaccae, a living creature that resides in your backyard compost pile, acts like a mind-altering drug once it enters the human body, functioning like antidepressant pills to boost your mood.... . The microbe that I'm after today is M. vaccae, a living creature that acts like a mind-altering drug once it enters the human body. It has been shown to boost the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine circulating in the systems of both humans and mice. In other words, it works in much the same manner as antidepressant pills. And yes, it is possible to dose yourself by simply breathing in the smell of good dirt.

The drug-like effects of this soil bacteria were discovered, quite by accident, about a decade ago. A doctor named Mary O'Brien created a serum out of the bacteria and gave it to lung-cancer patients, in hopes that it might boost their immune systems. Instead, she noticed another effect: The hospital patients perked up. They reported feeling happier and suffered from less pain than the patients who did not receive doses of bacteria.


,,,That same smell hovers over this dish now -- a sexy, outdoorsy tang. It's an odor produced by microbes in the soil as they break down plants. Scientists call it "geosmin," this dirt smell that lends the earthy taste to beets and carrots. It's the flavor of life."

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/how-to-get-high-on-soil/251935/#.TzmFUoJmsRg.facebook

We all know that rich earthy smell of good compost. Now we know it actually boosts serotonin levels in your brain and lifts your mood.

[GardenGnome]

I'm so going to huff my compost pile....
That's cool tho.

[applestar]

thanks !

[!potatoes!]

nice. and here I thought it was the warm glow of success that was doing that to me.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Delete

[tomf]

Now I know why I like the smell of rich soil.