Daycares in Finland Built a 'Forest Floor', And It Changed Children's Immune Systems

[Natural Citizen]

Pretty interesting story. Makes sense, really...

When daycare workers in Finland rolled out a lawn, planted forest undergrowth such as dwarf heather and blueberries, and allowed children to care for crops in planter boxes, the diversity of microbes in the guts and on the skin of young kids appeared healthier in a very short space of time.

Compared to other city kids who play in standard urban daycares with yards of pavement, tile and gravel, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds at these greened-up daycare centres in Finland showed increased T-cells and other important immune markers in their blood within 28 days.

"We also found that the intestinal microbiota of children who received greenery was similar to the intestinal microbiota of children visiting the forest every day," says environmental scientist Marja Roslund from the University of Helsinki.

Continued - Daycares in Finland Built a 'Forest Floor', And It Changed Children's Immune Systems

 

[shockedcanadian]

Pretty interesting story. Makes sense, really...

When daycare workers in Finland rolled out a lawn, planted forest undergrowth such as dwarf heather and blueberries, and allowed children to care for crops in planter boxes, the diversity of microbes in the guts and on the skin of young kids appeared healthier in a very short space of time.

Compared to other city kids who play in standard urban daycares with yards of pavement, tile and gravel, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds at these greened-up daycare centres in Finland showed increased T-cells and other important immune markers in their blood within 28 days.

"We also found that the intestinal microbiota of children who received greenery was similar to the intestinal microbiota of children visiting the forest every day," says environmental scientist Marja Roslund from the University of Helsinki.

Continued - Daycares in Finland Built a 'Forest Floor', And It Changed Children's Immune Systems

Interesting indeed. One wonders what harm is done through environmental impact.

I recall a story about certain plastics harming children that were manufactured in China. Seems children who chewed on the toys were getting poisoned in manner that impacted their development.

More of these types of studies would help is understand how we can improve the health of cizens, though of course, there is also a risk. Maybe some develop illnesses being in such environments, I suppose it depends on how controlled the studies are. Nature has beauty, but also carries harm.

 

[whitehall]

"Diversity of microbes in the gut"? I wonder if they ever compared the life and health of American rural kids to city kids.

 

[petro]

Humans are not meant to be crammed into urban areas far removed from the natural world.